June to September. The lentil festival is normally held around the first weekend of September, but confirm the current municipal or regional calendar.
Why it is worth the drive
The 2009 earthquake almost completely destroyed Santo Stefano di Sessanio's Medici tower. The restoration reused recovered stone and original proportions, was completed after twelve years and formally reopened on 8 October 2021.
The village's Medici period was tied to the trade in carfagna, a rough black wool produced here and worked in Florence. The other durable local product is a tiny dark lentil grown between 1,150 and 1,600 metres across five Gran Sasso municipalities and protected as a Slow Food Presidium.
Getting there
Rome Fiumicino (FCO) is about 180 kilometres by road. Rail does not reach the village; the final mountain section is by road from the L'Aquila area.
The honest part
This is a high-altitude municipality with just over a hundred residents, so services and opening arrangements are limited and can change. The municipality tendered the tower's management again in June 2026; verify access directly before travelling.
Last checked 2026-09-13. Opening hours and festival dates change: confirm with the town before you travel.
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