Inner guidance begins within and grows in places like Palazzo Fiuggi, co-founded by Prof. Dr. h.c.c. mult. Nike Schröder.
Taking charge of our inner leadership?
It doesn’t have to be an impossible mission.
What it may require, however, are people or places that encourage us to return to ourselves. For only when we truly arrive within can we steer with clarity and meet whatever fate places before us with a quiet, steady heart.
Just like Prof. Dr. hcc. mult. Nike Schröder, who, through her own life journey, found her way to Italy and co-founded Palazzo Fiuggi, a health and wellness hotel in a historic building and a sanctuary in nature that helps gently reclaim the reins when life’s steering seems to slip from our hands.
Her name is no coincidence. Nike. Four letters that radiate the brilliance of the Greek goddess of victory: a personification of success.
It’s almost unbelievable that all of this could fit into a single lifetime. She was a ski instructor in Kitzbühel, where she met many inspiring personalities. She then worked alongside Stefan Raab in television, later became Marketing Director at Universal Music, where Udo Jürgens recognized her untapped radiance. Eventually, a TV documentary took her to the Island of the Centenarians in Sardinia, to Lorenzo Giannuzzi, founder and owner of Forte Village. He offered her a position, famously dubbing her the “Mission Impossible Lady.”
He created the “Circle Close Moment” for me, guiding me into a world where medicine, hospitality, and humanity merge into one. And to this day, he keeps that circle alive.Prof. Dr. hcc. mult. Nike Schröder
My life used to be loud — fast, colorful, exciting — yet often dictated by others. I was successful, but not fulfilled. I functioned, rather than felt. After this inner turning point, my life became clearer, calmer, and more authentic. I learned to protect my energy, make conscious decisions, and trust my instincts. I came to understand that true leadership always begins within — and that we can only truly lead others once we have arrived within ourselves.
Prof. Dr. hcc. mult. Nike Schröder
Together, they ultimately founded Palazzo Fiuggi: a holistic wellness medical retreat focused on longevity, nestled south of Rome at a healing spring in a historic palazzo. Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. hcc. mult. Nike Schröder continues her education in epigenetics, biohacking, and nutrition, including training with Dave Asprey.
Many people, including stars like Oprah Winfrey, Jude Law, Justin Timberlake, and Queen Rania of Jordan, come here to reconnect with themselves. Many arrive exhausted, disconnected, unsure how to let go. Palazzo Fiuggi is not just a place to switch off — it’s a place to switch back on, to your own frequency, whether you are famous or not.
What fascinates me most is that the transformation is visible in everyone. Gazes become clearer, postures calmer, energy more grounded. People leave with less armor and yet, more radiance.
Prof. Dr. hcc. mult. Nike Schröder
The mindful gaze over the hills of Fiuggi, Heinz Beck’s individually tailored gourmet cuisine, scientifically grounded treatments, the thermal waters, and ultimately the decision to stay at Palazzo Fiuggi — all contribute to taking the reins of one’s own life.
“I didn’t know that healing could be this beautiful” — that’s the sentence I hear most often. And every time, I think: This is exactly what inner leadership feels like.Prof. Dr. hcc. mult. Nike Schröder
photos: Palazzo Fiuggi; Sabina Radtke Photography
