Bringing a medieval Italian village back to life

Modernization over the last century prompted many to abandon Santo Stefano di Sessanio in search of better work. The upside of this phenomenon: the town's architecture was left largely untouched.

Swedish-Italian entrepreneur Daniele Kihlgren stumbled across the remote village in 1999. Recognizing the potential of revitalizing the town, he refurbished several houses into a "diffused hotel." Guests are housed in various buildings spread across the heart of Santo Stefano di Sessanio.

Kihlgren hopes to impart a truer sense of the village. Dark wooden ceilings and creamy stuccoed walls frame the country rooms, which are decorated to show off the handy work of the locals, from crafts to handwoven bedspreads.

Restoration efforts hit a snag in 2009 when an earthquake damaged many of the town's prized structures. The fresco adorning Luca Cucchiella's family home is an example of the many repairs still waiting to be made.

Thanks to the revival project, property values have risen, as has appreciation of this oft overlooked region of Italy. The hill town has blossomed as a popular tourist destination and weekend getaway.

The annual blessing for shepherds - Santo Stefano di Sessanio was long a wool producer - is underway. A procession of men carries a statue of the Virgin Mary, who often plays a prominent role in Italy's religious festivities.

Set amid the natural beauty of the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park, Santo Stefano di Sessanio is just one of the remote hill villages left behind by the 20th century. The region lies east of Rome and stretches to the Adriatic coast.

Isolated churches like this pop up unexpectedly in the rugged landscape.

Kihlgren has reportedly struck similar tourism deals with six other villages: he buys properties and restores them, but only after authorities promise to place a blanket ban on development that would harm the town's aesthetics. Here a folklore choir group from nearby Castel del Monte performs.