Vine as healthcare path in hospital: in Orbassano, therapeutic vineyard Rivìtere” was inaugurated

Bringing part of healthcare outside the traditional clinical setting into an environment where patients can engage with activities, stimuli, and relationships which are closer to real life, and where they can practice movement, balance, coordination, dexterity, orientation, and independence through practical activities in a safe, accessible natural setting: the vineyard. This is the new therapeutic infrastructure inaugurated in recent days at the San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital Park in Orbassano, near Turin. Its name, more precisely, is “Rivìtere”: an accessible and protected space dedicated to outdoor rehabilitation activities for patients with neurological disabilities and chronic and cancer diseases. It consists of 900 square meters of vineyard and 390 Piwi grapevine cuttings, including Sauvignon Rytos and Cabernet Volos varieties supplied by Vivai Rauscedo. The site is equipped with IoT sensors for environmental monitoring and data collection tools aimed at producing scientific evidence on the value of treatments carried out in natural environments. The facility was inaugurated in recent days. The project was developed by the startup Citiculture, whose “mission” is to use urban viticulture as a tool for environmental, social, and cultural regeneration. (Among its initiatives, also in partnership with Vivai Rauscedo, is the Campus Grapes project at the Polytechnic University of Turin). The vineyard was created in collaboration with the San Luigi Gonzaga Onlus Association and with the support of Reale Foundation, Fondazione CRT, Consulta di Torino, and Clems Sinistri.
The aim is to complement the rehabilitation programs already available at the hospital with activities carried out in a natural environment that is closely connected to everyday life experiences. International scientific literature has shown that rehabilitation activities, in the broadest sense of the term, performed outdoors and in contact with nature can promote functional recovery, psychological well-being, and quality of life. They may also encourage greater patient engagement in the care process. From this perspective, patients will have access to the vineyard and, according to their individual conditions and therapeutic goals, will be able to participate in activities related to vine cultivation and its seasonal rhythms, transforming the green space into an additional rehabilitation environment. “Innovation in healthcare also means imagining new ways of caring for people. “Rivìtere” brings into the hospital an environment where simple everyday actions, such as moving, taking care of something, and spending time with others, become part of the healing journey  it is the joint message by Alberto Cirio, president of the Piedmont Region, Maurizio Marrone, vicepresident, and Federico Riboldi, regional health councillor -  it is an innovation that places the individual and their quality of life at the center, with the aim of helping them achieve a more autonomous and fulfilling daily life. In this case, it does so through the vineyard, one of the agricultural excellences of our region, a symbol and precious heritage of our territory”.
“Rivìtere” consists of six high-tech vineyard areas and a sensory area featuring aromatic varieties and vegetation designed to support therapeutic activities and interaction among patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals. The initiative forms part of a broader program already underway at San Luigi Hospital to integrate green spaces into healthcare activities. This includes the planned opening, in May 2026, of a Rehabilitation Garden, an evolution of the historic “open-air gym,” designed as a true clinical setting for motor recovery, balance, coordination, independence, and psychological well-being.
“With the therapeutic vineyard, we are continuing along a clear path: using the hospital’s outdoor spaces as places where treatment can continue in a tangible way”, explained Davide Minniti, general director of the Hospital Trust.
The space is also designed to encourage social interaction among caregivers and family members and to help reduce the isolation often experienced by vulnerable individuals, embedding the care pathway within an open and shared environment. “San Luigi Hospital offers us the opportunity to bring the Citiculture model into a context where the value of the individual is central  - concludes Luca Balbiano, founder and ceo of Citiculture -  the vine has always been a symbol of rebirth and resilience, and this new therapeutic vineyard was created precisely to place nature at the service of well-being, creating a space that supports care pathways while fostering connection, inclusion, and quality of life. It is the result of collaboration among different expertise and organizations that chose to share a common vision: building places capable of generating value for people and for the community”.