We Spent 3 Days in L'Aquila, Italy's Capital of Culture 2026: Here's What Surprised Us Most.

A city shaped by its history and looking ahead with a new energy fueled by culture, creativity, and living traditions. Our 3-day itinerary in L’Aquila, a must-see city in beautiful Abruzzo, takes us through its squares and monuments, local flavors, and centuries-old crafts, uncovering a region rich in stories to tell.

Being named Italy’s Capital of Culture 2026 offers a great opportunity to experience L’Aquila from different perspectives. Our journey takes us through the historic center, into artisan workshops, to discover traditional recipes and some of the city’s most scenic viewpoints, following the rhythm of its streets and squares.

A truly special journey filled with encounters and unexpected views, revealing an authentic and vibrant L’Aquila that can surprise us at every turn.

We chose to start with the everyday side of L’Aquila, the one we found among its squares and artisan workshops, over a traditional dish or while strolling through the historic center.

From there, we built an itinerary that, day by day, introduced us to the places where the city tells the story of both its past and its present. The Italian Capital of Culture 2026 program offers an interesting perspective on how L’Aquila is showcasing and celebrating its cultural heritage.

We moved from museums to artisan workshops, from iconic landmarks to hidden and atmospheric corners of the historic center, alternating moments devoted to history and art with more informal experiences.

We tasted traditional recipes, met local artisans who keep centuries-old crafts alive, and followed the city’s streets to its panoramic viewpoints, letting each stop reveal another side of L’Aquila.

We shaped our 3 days in L’Aquila as a gradual journey, with each experience bringing us a little closer to the most authentic soul of the Abruzzo capital, while leaving room for a few wonderful surprises along the way!

Itinerary recap:

- Day 1: Once in L’Aquila, we start exploring the sights of the historic center;

- Day 2: We explore museums and basilicas, meet local artisans, and taste regional specialties;

- Day 3: We seek out the best views and make time for some shopping before saying our final goodbyes.

After arriving, we decide to make the most of our time and start exploring at the Spanish Fortress, an ideal first stop to dive into L’Aquila’s history. Built beginning in 1534, the fortress reflects the Spanish presence in L’Aquila and the strategic role the city played during the 16th century.

Its imposing structure reflects the military purpose for which it was built, but today, its walls are also home to MuNDA – National Museum of Abruzzo, where we can explore a journey that spans from the territory’s earliest history to art from the modern era.

One of the museum’s highlights is the enormous Mammoth, the skeleton of a Mammuthus meridionalis discovered in 1954. Standing about 13 feet tall and 23 feet long, it immediately catches our attention with its size and history: it dates back around 1.3 million years and still has one of its original two tusks, weighing about 220 pounds.

We then continue through archaeological finds from ancient cities such as Amiternum, Aveia, and Peltuinum before reaching works from the Aquilan Renaissance and the modern era. In 2026, a visit to MuNDA takes on an even more special significance thanks to Raphael’s Visitation, which has returned to L’Aquila from the Prado Museum for the exhibition dedicated to Raphael and Pontormo.

Stops:

- Spanish Fortress;

- MuNDA – National Museum of Abruzzo.

After visiting the Spanish Fortress and MuNDA, we return to the historic center and head to Palazzo Benedetti, on Via Sassa.

We can visit Palazzo Benedetti thanks to the “Dimore culturali” project, part of the L’Aquila Italian Capital of Culture 2026 program. The initiative offers special access to historic palaces and residences that are normally difficult to visit, allowing us to discover another important part of the city’s history.

The palace was created by combining and transforming the medieval homes of the Gaglioffi family, later renovated by the Benedetti family. Today, the interiors still reflect this mix of periods, with medieval structures alongside elegant reception rooms.

What strikes us most are the beautiful interiors, especially the richly decorated rooms and the large frescoed hall, which also reflect the role the palace played in L’Aquila’s life between the 18th and 19th centuries.

Let’s leave Palazzo Benedetti to continue our walk through the historic center, stopping at a local workshop to meet an artisan and see firsthand a craft that is still part of the city’s life. It’s a more informal experience that lets us discover L’Aquila through the people who work here and keep its traditions alive.

To end the first day of our 3-day itinerary in L’Aquila, we stop at one of the bars in the historic center for one last drink, taking some time to relax before heading back and getting ready for the next day.

Stops:

- Palazzo Benedetti;

- Meeting with a local artisan;

- Walk through the historic center;

- Evening drink.

On our second day, we start with something very different from the grand architecture we’ve seen so far: we discover Tombolo Aquilano, an ancient bobbin-lace technique that requires patience, precision, and a surprising number of small, delicate movements. It belongs to the tradition of continuous-thread lace and is made with very fine linen or silk threads.

We also try our hand at this technique, watching as the threads are woven and worked together to create the distinctive lace. It’s a peaceful, almost meditative experience that introduces us to another fascinating craft rooted in the city’s traditions.

After this unique local activity, we turn our attention back to art as we enter the Church of San Silvestro, where we can admire the remains of the wonderful fresco cycle attributed to the Master of Beffi. Although only part of it survives today, the paintings that still cover the walls give us a sense of how spectacular the church must have looked when it was fully decorated.

Late in the morning, we enter the Basilica of San Bernardino and look up to admire the wooden ceiling created by Ferdinando Mosca. Carved, painted, and covered in gold, it immediately catches our attention with its rich decoration and the way the light brings out every detail.

Stops:

- Tombolo Aquilano;

- Church of San Silvestro;

- Basilica of San Bernardino.

It’s time to discover the delicious world of local cuisine, with a lunch featuring arrosticini and a lamb burger, two signature dishes of Abruzzese cuisine, as well as local specialties of L’Aquila.

After lunch, we continue our itinerary with a visit to the Church of Santa Maria del Suffragio, recognizable by its large dome, rebuilt after the 2009 earthquake, which restored the church’s presence in the heart of the historic center.

From history, we turn to food: we visit a workshop to see how Aquilano torrone and ferratelle are made. The first is the soft chocolate torrone created by the Nurzia family, active in L’Aquila since 1835; the latter are thin wafers cooked in a special iron mold, ranging from crisp to softer textures and decorated with distinctive geometric patterns.

With these delicious treats still on our minds, we reach the Fountain of the 99 Spouts, in the Rivera district. We stop in front of the white-and-pink stone wall, where the masks and spouts represent the 99 castles that, according to legend, contributed to the founding of L’Aquila.

We then make our way to Santa Maria di Collemaggio, a magnificent basilica closely linked to Pope Celestine V, who was crowned pope here in 1294. This is also where the Holy Door is opened each year, marking the beginning of the Celestinian Perdonanza tradition.

Our day ends with a wonderful performance at the Teatro San Filippo, followed by dinner featuring saffron tagliatelle and fettuccine with Montepulciano.

Stops:

- Lunch with arrosticini and a lamb burger;

- Santa Maria del Suffragio;

- Torrone and ferratelle experience;

- Fountain of the 99 Spouts and Santa Maria di Collemaggio;

- Teatro San Filippo and dinner.

It’s the last of our 3 days in L’Aquila. After so many visits, experiences, and activities, this morning we decide to slow down and take in the city without chasing a long list of sights.

We simply stroll through the historic center, paying attention to what its streets have to tell us. Alongside buildings that have already been restored, we still see the marks left by the April 2009 earthquake, as well as construction sites that are gradually bringing the original character of the buildings back to life.

The rebuilding is still underway today, giving us a glimpse of a city moving forward while maintaining the strong connection to its identity.

As we wander without a set destination, we also discover the everyday side of L’Aquila, found in its traditional artisan workshops.

We step inside to look for something to take home, drawn to local products that tell the story of the territory through food: from truffle-based specialties, including honey, oils, and other flavored products, to L’Aquila saffron, closely associated with the Navelli area and recognized with DOP status.

Stops:

- Walk through the historic center;

- Local shops.

In the afternoon, we head to Parco del Sole, where we wrap up our trip with a beautiful break outdoors.

After three days spent exploring museums, churches, local shops, traditions, and the streets of the historic center, we finally take some time to look at L’Aquila from a different perspective. From the park, we can look out over the L’Aquila basin and the mountains surrounding the city, with the Gran Sasso dominating the horizon in the distance.

It’s the perfect place to slow down and think back on all the different sides of the city we’ve discovered along the way, from its historic landmarks to the local activities and traditions that are still very much alive today.

We take our time enjoying the scenery and let these views mark the end of our 3 days in L’Aquila. It’s one last moment away from the pace of sightseeing before saying goodbye to a city we’ve discovered through its best-known landmarks, its small local businesses, and the stories that continue to shape it.

Stop:

- Parco del Sole and views of the Gran Sasso.