Gran Sasso Summer Festival
Cinema, nature, and culture among the villages of the Gran Sasso in Santo Stefano di Sessanio
About Gran Sasso Summer
The Gran Sasso Summer Festival in Santo Stefano di Sessanio
The Gran Sasso Summer Festival is a widespread cultural event that spans the villages and plateaus of the Gran Sasso massif in Abruzzo. Organized by the Associazione Culturale L'Idea di Cléves as part of the Aquila Film Festival, the event stops every summer in the municipality of Santo Stefano di Sessanio, in the Province of L'Aquila—one of Italy's most famous medieval villages, perched at an altitude of over 1,250 meters on the slopes of the Gran Sasso.
Cinema, nature, and community
The festival offers a multidisciplinary program that combines open-air film screenings, environmental documentaries, children's theater performances, guided hikes, cultural meetings, and tastings of local products. The common thread is the relationship between humanity and the mountains, between village communities and the majesty of the Gran Sasso's natural environment, with a particular focus on sustainability and landscape conservation.
Event venues
In Santo Stefano di Sessanio, screenings and meetings take place in the heart of the village, between the Piazza Medicea and the scenic Torre Medicea, the town's landmark. Walks lead the public through the village's stone alleys and into the surrounding nature, from the Madonna Fore to the trails of the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park. Each day is rounded off with tasting walks and samplings of local products, designed to combine cultural exploration of the villages with the promotion of the territory's gastronomic biodiversity.
A festival spread across the Gran Sasso
The festival involves numerous municipalities and districts in the area, from L'Aquila to Castel del Monte, and from Campo Imperatore to Fonte Cerreto, creating a widespread program that brings auteur cinema and environmental reflection to the most evocative spots of the Abruzzo Apennines. Admission to the events is generally free, with limited seating and booking recommended via the platforms indicated by the organizers.
Practical information
The Gran Sasso Summer Festival is aimed at both local residents and the many visitors who reach Santo Stefano di Sessanio during the summer season. Participation in screenings, shows, and walks often requires booking, given the limited capacity of the outdoor spaces.
Gran Sasso Summer — edition 2026
2026 Edition in Santo Stefano di Sessanio
The Santo Stefano di Sessanio stop of the 12th edition of the Gran Sasso Summer Festival takes place on Saturday, July 11, and Sunday, July 12, 2026, with a program that combines cinema, nature, theater, and gastronomy in the heart of the medieval village.
Two-day program
Saturday, July 11, opens at 5:00 PM with a guided food and wine walk to discover the village, meeting in Piazza Medicea; at 7:00 PM, writer and journalist Marco Albino Ferrari presents the documentary Le Montagne Invisibili, dedicated to Betta, guardian of the Solaiolo forest nursery, providing a starting point for reflection on the mountains as a laboratory for the future; at 9:30 PM, screening of the film DJ Ahmet (Georgia, 2025, 99 min), a comedy about a teenager discovering music.
Sunday, July 12, at 5:00 PM, a botanical walk with Sara Mannori to the Madonna Fore; at 7:00 PM, the theatrical performance Alberi, Alberi, Alberi by the Compagnia dei Merli Bianchi, suitable for children and teenagers; at 8:30 PM, tasting of local products at La Sbarra; at 9:00 PM, screening of the animated film The Lorax (USA, 2012, 86 min).
Programme Gran Sasso Summer 2026
Saturday, July 11, 2026
- 5:00 PM - Guided food and wine walk in the village (meeting point: Piazza Medicea)
- 7:00 PM - Documentary "Le Montagne Invisibili" by and with Marco Albino Ferrari
- 9:30 PM - Film "DJ Ahmet" (Georgia, 2025, 99 min)
Sunday, July 12, 2026
- 5:00 PM - Botanical walk with Sara Mannori (Madonna Fore)
- 7:00 PM - Theatrical performance "Alberi, Alberi, Alberi" (Compagnia dei Merli Bianchi)
- 8:30 PM - Tasting of local products at La Sbarra
- 9:00 PM - Animated film "The Lorax" (USA, 2012, 86 min)
Highlights Gran Sasso Summer 2026
- Documentary "Le Montagne Invisibili" with Marco Albino Ferrari
- Open-air cinema in Piazza Medicea
- Nature and botanical walks on the Gran Sasso
- Children's theater and local product tastings
Prices Gran Sasso Summer 2026
Practical information — Gran Sasso Summer
Location
Santo Stefano di Sessanio (AQ), Piazza Medicea and the historic center, at the foot of the Gran Sasso.
How to get there
Santo Stefano di Sessanio can be reached from L'Aquila in about 40 minutes by car. Take the A24 motorway exit at L'Aquila Est, then follow the SS17 and provincial roads towards Barisciano and the plateau.
Admission and booking
Admission is generally free, with limited seating. Booking is recommended for walks, shows, and screenings via the platforms indicated by the organization (Eventbrite).
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — Gran Sasso Summer
Piazza Medicea