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ISSIMO’s Travel Guide to L’Aquila

February 12, 2026

ISSIMO’s Travel Guide to L’Aquila

Discover Italy’s Capital of Culture 2026

Basilica di Collemaggio, By Syrio - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

Much like the region it belongs to, Abruzzo in Italy’s south-east, L’Aquila doesn’t reveal itself all at once. And that’s exactly what makes it so compelling. Named Italy’s Capital of Culture 2026, the city stands today as one of the country’s most powerful stories of rebirth, having been hit by a devastating earthquake in 2009 that shattered its historic centre and upended daily life. In the years that followed, L’Aquila chose restoration over reinvention, turning reconstruction into a cultural act.

Today, many of its palazzi, churches, and piazzas are gradually reopening their doors and, in 2026, are readying to welcome exhibitions, performances, and installations as part of the Capital of Culture’s rich programme of events. 

Ready to explore it? Here’s all you need to know before you go.

SEE

This is a city best explored on foot, slowly, letting the layers unfold. Begin your day in the historic centre, where L’Aquila’s revival is most visible. Piazza Duomo is the natural starting point: the city’s civic heart, surrounded by cafés and anchored by the Cathedral of Saints Massimo and Giorgio, temporarily closed but still imposing from outside. From here, stroll through streets where restored façades sit comfortably beside traces of the past.

Basilica di Collemaggio, photo credits www.quilaquila.it

A must-see is the Basilica di Santa Maria di Collemaggio, a powerful symbol of the city. Its pink-and-white façade is unmistakable, and it plays a central role in the Perdonanza Celestiniana, a centuries-old tradition recognised by UNESCO consisting in a set of rituals and celebrations transmitted uninterruptedly since 1294. Continue on to the Fontana delle 99 Cannelle, whose 99 spouts represent the city’s legendary origins and remain one of its most evocative landmarks.

For a contemporary counterpoint, include MAXXI L’Aquila, which brings modern art and architecture into dialogue with the city’s layered history –very much in the spirit of the Capital of Culture programme – then head to the Museo Nazionale d’Abruzzo (MuNDA), which has begun its long-awaited return to the Castello Cinquecentesco, also known as the Forte Spagnolo. Severely damaged in the 2009 earthquake, the fortress had forced the museum to relocate much of its collection to the former Mattatoio in Borgo Rivera. After years of careful restoration, part of MuNDA’s collection is once again on home ground, marking more than a symbolic homecoming: it reflects a deliberate effort to reimagine the museum as a modern, accessible space that reconnects Abruzzo’s artistic heritage with the city that has always defined it.

EAT

L’Aquila’s food scene is rooted in Abruzzo’s mountain traditions. On the plate, that translates into dishes that are hearty, deeply seasonal, and packed with flavour. Lunch is best enjoyed in the centre, where traditional dishes meet thoughtful reinterpretation.

Among the most respected tables is Lo Scalco dell’Aquila, known for refined local cuisine. Elodia offers an elegant take on regional flavours, while Da Lincosta remains a favourite for classic dishes executed with care and eye towards local produce.

Don’t skip dessert: L’Aquila is home to Torrone Nurzia, a historic producer of nougat that’s been part of the city’s identity since the 19th century. Simple, sweet, and unmistakably local.

DO

Culture in L’Aquila extends well beyond monuments. Throughout 2026, the Capital of Culture programme activates theatres, courtyards, and historic buildings with performances, exhibitions, and open-house initiatives, often inviting visitors into spaces usually closed to the public. The theme for the year is Città Multiverso, a long-term project centred on rebirth, civic participation, and the relaunch of the territory through the shared languages of art and science.

Full details are here, but among the many highlights is Racconti per Ricominciare, a travelling, site-specific theatre festival designed to move lightly through the city. Performances take place at sunset, without electrical equipment or invasive staging, unfolding instead within sites of cultural, architectural, and landscape significance. Elsewhere, interactive installations such as Forme sensibili – a site-specific sculptural and musical installation designed to adapt and respond to its audience by drawing on scientific research in computer science and Artificial Intelligence – encourage direct participation, blurring the line between spectator and contributor.

The visual arts also play a central role, with major contemporary retrospectives woven into the programme, including an exhibition dedicated to Italian artist Fabio Mauri, whose work resonates strongly with themes of memory, identity, and collective experience. 

WILD(ISH) WALKS

If time allows, balance city life with nature. L’Aquila sits at the edge of the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park, making it an ideal base for hikes, scenic walks, or simply taking in the mountain landscape that defines this part of Abruzzo.

Prefer to delve into history? Head just beyond the city centre to the Parco Archeologico di Amiternum. The Roman amphitheatre here, dating to the second half of the 1st century AD, once welcomed up to 5,000 spectators and still reveals its original arches, vaults, and internal corridors – some bearing traces of ancient reinforcement work. Even more intriguing is the presence of a second, earlier amphitheatre, never completed, which hints at the layered and evolving history of the settlement long before L’Aquila took shape.

How to Get There

L’Aquila is around 120 km from Rome – roughly a 90-minute drive, traffic permitting. There’s no airport in the city and no direct train connection from Rome, so travelling by car is the most straightforward option. Alternatively, regular long-distance buses run from Rome to L’Aquila, making it an easy escape from the capital without the need to fly. 

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