Wellness Week 2026: exercise for all and women’s health

The Wellness Week is back – the week dedicated to exercise and healthy lifestyles, promoted by Wellness Foundation. From 23 to 30 September 2026, it will bring the Romagna region to life, from the coast to the hills, with a wide programme of free activities for all ages. So far, 40 municipalities are involved, along with 140 organisers and more than 500 activities bookable through the Technogym app, offering a full immersion in experiences spanning Sport and Fitness, Outdoor Activities, Healthy Nutrition, Physical and Mental Wellbeing, and Wellness Culture.

Two key themes define the eleventh edition: exercise and women. Scientific evidence increasingly shows that exercise is a true “natural medicine”, playing a fundamental role in the prevention and management of numerous chronic conditions, supporting physical and mental wellbeing, and helping people live healthier lives. Yet, in Italy, 5 out of 10 adults do not meet the physical activity levels recommended by the WHO (Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 2025), while a significant gender gap in sports participation persists (43.6% of men vs. 34.2% of women; Istat 2025).

The 2026 edition aims to highlight the role of exercise and the importance of greater female participation, promoting awareness, motivation and inclusion while helping to break down the cultural and structural barriers that limit women’s access to physical activity. As in previous years, the event is promoted by Wellness Foundation together with the Emilia-Romagna Region, under the patronage of the University of Bologna and the Regional School Office for Emilia-Romagna, and is made possible thanks to the collaboration of Technogym and a broad network of public and private organisations, facilities and stakeholders across the Wellness Valley. The 2026 edition also has the support of the patronage of CONI, the Italian Network of WHO Healthy Cities and UN Women Italy.

Wellness Week – which coincides with European Week of Sport – kicked off on #BEACTIVEDAY on 23 September with an opening event at the Biblioteca Malatestiana in Cesena, featuring contributions from Enzo Lattuca, Mayor of Cesena; Valentina Marchei, Chair of the CONI Athletes’ Commission; Darya Majidi, President of UN Women Italy and tech entrepreneur; Roberta Frisoni, Councillor for Commerce, Tourism and Sport, Emilia-Romagna Region; Samantha Bernardi, President of Breaking the Silence; Giuseppe Diegoli, Director of Prevention and Public Health, Emilia-Romagna Region; Corrado Di Taranto, General Manager, Cesena FC; and Federica Alberti, Director of Wellness Foundation.

The programme includes a wide range of activities, all available to view and book on the Technogym App, including: exercise sessions such as Functional Training, Power Strength and Precision Training led by Technogym Master Trainers at the new Technogym Outdoor facility in the Ex.tra Arrigoni urban garden in Cesena, as well as at the Technogym Outdoor installations in Parco del Mare in Rimini and along the Cervia-Milano Marittima seafront. Open Week at gyms and sports centres, including Alma Gym facilities run by CUSB in Cesena, Forlì and Rimini, as well as centres managed by Around Sport. The opportunity to discover your Wellness Age with Technogym Checkup at CorporeSano gyms in Cesena, Seven Sporting Club in Savignano sul Rubicone and Bloom Cesenatico. Cesena in Wellness, the city’s major celebration of wellness, will take place this year in Cesena’s historic centre, celebrating a season of outdoor movement in the heart of the city. A summit dedicated to RUN X, the world’s first 5K running championship on treadmills, created through a collaboration between Technogym and World Athletics. On Saturday 26 September, Wellness Valley Run Clubs are invited to the Technogym Village in Cesena for an event bringing together coaches, athletes and running enthusiasts from around the world. The morning will feature showdowns between elite athletes, as well as the opportunity to take part in a training session. In the afternoon, the event moves to Cervia for a Community Run followed by a buffet dinner. Presentation of the book “Di corsa verso il futuro”, focusing on women after cancer treatment. In collaboration with Fondazione Veronesi, the event will take place on Thursday 24 September at the Biblioteca Malatestiana in Cesena. Poderino for Women, in the heart of the Romagna hills: a day dedicated to women, focused on self-care, outdoor movement and healthy eating. Healthy eating will also be at the heart of events with Azzuchef, including a cooking lab focused on healthy and enjoyable eating, and Purocibo, offering an experience combining sport, nutrition and supplementation, as well as breakfast events featuring insights into sustainable nutrition. This year, too, the AUSL Romagna is promoting numerous activities across the region for both its employees and the wider public, with the aim of encouraging people to make informed choices in favour of a healthy, active lifestyle. These include walks and practical movement sessions, library activities for children and families, walking leader courses, preventive health screenings, conferences and information sessions focused on health promotion and women’s wellbeing.

There are plenty of ways to experience wellness at every age: exercise sessions for people over 60 in the Alzheimer’s Garden in Cesena, a BrainFitness 55+ course, yoga and Pilates classes, and guided experiences combining movement and wellbeing in the water, for both older adults and babies and expectant mothers. A highlight of the programme is Wellness Valley Cammina, the annual event that gets Romagna’s walking groups moving, taking place on 29 September to mark World Heart Day. Finally, several primary and secondary schools are also taking part. In addition to joining activities on the official programme, they will engage children and young people in wellness activities during school hours throughout the week, including games and sports activities at school, sessions exploring the role of women in sport for older students, and orienteering activities for younger children.