What to do · Gran Sasso
Santo Stefano di Sessanio, the Medici village
Information
- Price
- Free
- Duration
- 2 h
- Season
- All year
- Who it's for
- Everyone
- With a dog
- On a lead in the village streets
What it is
A fortified medieval village above 1,250 m, inside the national park, which belonged to the Medici: their coat of arms is still above the entrance gate. The L'Aquila earthquake of 2009 brought down the Medici tower. The stone houses close in on one another and some streets are covered passages, such as via Sotto gli Archi, which runs through buildings and links two sides of the village to shelter from wind and snow.
What to do
Stroll without hurrying: it is small and can be seen in an hour. Many restored houses form the Sextantio albergo diffuso, and on via Sotto gli Archi is its restaurant, Sextantio Cucina. Ask in the shops about the village's lentils. From the small lake below the village you have a view of the whole village on the hillside.
Getting there
By car from L'Aquila, or coming down from Campo Imperatore via Castel del Monte and Calascio. You park at the entrance: the centre is pedestrian.
Tips
- Combine it with Rocca Calascio They are a few kilometres apart: Santo Stefano in the morning and the Rocca at sunset.
As a familyWith teenagersWith a dog
