It is a small village in the province of L'Aquila, of Roman origins, the name, in fact, derives from "Sextantia, the six Roman miles that divided this village from the important crossroad of Peltinum, which was located on the main consulate road between Rome and the Adriatic coast.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, the history of town of Santo Stefano di Sessanio is linked to the fate of the Monastery of San Vincenzo al Volturno, while the first certain traces of the existence of a fortified village date back to 1308. In 1579 the lands became part of the domain of the Medici Family who ruled here until 1743.
It is one of the most picturesque villages of the National Park of Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga, rich of characteristic corners, thanks to the typical cobblestone streets, the roofs covered in tiles and stone portals of the elegant palaces.

Not to miss:
- the Captain's mansion and tower, emblem of the town, it was built in the XIV century;
- the Church of Santa Maria in Ruvo (XIII-XIV century);
- the Church of St. Stephen Martyr (XIV-XV century);
- the Church of Our Lady of the Lake, built in the XVII century, outside the city walls, on the banks of a small lake.