L’Aquila Italian Capital of Culture 2026: Culture, Villages and Abruzzo Cuisine

In 2026, L’Aquila is the Italian Capital of Culture.

For an entire year, the city and its surrounding territory become a stage for exhibitions, music, theatre, cinema, dance, research and cultural projects. More than 300 events are taking place across 300 days, creating an opportunity to discover not only L’Aquila itself, but also the villages and inland landscapes of Abruzzo.

Among these places is Santo Stefano di Sessanio.

From L’Aquila to the villages of the Apennines

Located at more than 1,250 metres above sea level, within the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park, Santo Stefano di Sessanio is one of Abruzzo’s most remarkable historic mountain villages.

Here, the pace changes.

After a day spent exploring an exhibition or attending a cultural event in L’Aquila, the journey can continue towards the mountains, through landscapes of stone villages, pastures and historic architecture.

It is an Abruzzo deeply connected to its history and traditions.

This is also the philosophy behind Sextantio’s restoration project in Santo Stefano di Sessanio: preserving historic buildings, local identity and the cultural heritage of the village.

Lunch in the heart of Santo Stefano di Sessanio

This is where Sextantio Cucina becomes part of the experience.

The restaurant is housed in a historic palazzo protected by the Italian heritage authorities and restored according to a strictly conservative approach. Large stone arches, a central fireplace recovered from the Baronia di Carapelle, historic furniture and locally inspired ceramics create an environment in which architecture and cuisine belong to the same story.

A lunch at Sextantio Cucina can therefore become much more than a meal.

It can be a way of discovering Abruzzo through its food, its landscape and its cultural memory.

The memory of Abruzzo on the plate

Sextantio Cucina’s culinary project is rooted in research into the traditional food culture of the local communities, carried out in collaboration with the Museo delle Genti d’Abruzzo.

The research collected oral histories and recipes from Santo Stefano di Sessanio, Castelvecchio Calvisio, Calascio, Castel del Monte, Barisciano and Carapelle, resulting in a collection of more than seventy recipes, including some that were no longer in use.

This research inspired Radici, a culinary journey focused on the traditional agro-pastoral cuisine of the area.

Alongside it, Evoluzione explores the same ingredients and cultural heritage through a contemporary culinary perspective.

The kitchen is led by Dino Como, born in Palena in Abruzzo, who spent fifteen years working alongside chef Niko Romito, including ten years at Reale, the three-Michelin-starred restaurant. His approach is based on mountain ingredients and techniques capable of transforming them without losing their identity.

A lunch after an exhibition, before a performance, or simply as part of the journey

L’Aquila 2026 offers the opportunity to build an entire day around culture.

A visit to MAXXI L’Aquila, a walk through the historic centre, an exhibition, concert or performance can become the starting point for exploring the wider territory.

The 2026 programme itself is based on the idea of a wider territorial system involving towns, inland areas, cultural institutions and local communities.

Santo Stefano di Sessanio can become one of those stops.

A place to have lunch, explore the surrounding villages, continue into the mountains or simply slow down and experience a different side of Abruzzo.

Lunches and private occasions at Sextantio Cucina

Sextantio Cucina is open for lunch on Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays and for dinner from Friday to Tuesday.

For visitors exploring L’Aquila and Abruzzo during the 2026 cultural year, lunch can become a natural part of the day: a moment to discover the region through its food and its traditions.

The restaurant can also provide a distinctive setting for private occasions, gatherings and convivial experiences within the historic atmosphere of Santo Stefano di Sessanio.

Sextantio Cucina
Via Nazario Sauro
Santo Stefano di Sessanio, Abruzzo, Italy

Tel. +39 0862 899116
cucina@sextantio.it

L’Aquila 2026: an invitation to discover more

Being Italy’s Capital of Culture is not only about visiting a city.

It is an invitation to look further.

To leave the most familiar routes, discover historic villages, meet local communities and experience the cultural heritage preserved in landscapes, architecture, traditions and food.

From L’Aquila to Santo Stefano di Sessanio, culture can become a journey.

And lunch can become part of that journey.