Molise is Italy’s most underrated region

Located along the Adriatic Coast in central southern Italy is the quasi-anonymous, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it region of Molise. Molise is located in central southern Italy, surrounded by Lazio, Abruzzo and Puglia. It’s a 3-hour drive to major cities such as Rome You can also find out more about the following: Naples. Few people have heard of it and even fewer visited. 

Molise is a destination with a lot of diversity, especially for a small place. Molise has a snow-covered Apennines, green rolling valleys and a pristine stretch of coast that is home to some of the best beaches in Europe. Italy’s best and most underrated beaches. Its smallness, which is often overlooked, also makes it a superpower. You could spend your mornings in the mountains, have lunch in the valleys and then watch the sunset at one of the beaches in the same day if you are up for the challenge. The area has a wealth of cultural and historical gems. Some are even older than the city itself. Colosseum in Rome The Duomo of Florence. 

The region is barely mentioned in travel circles on the international level. It is met with blank stares and quizzical looks when it’s mentioned. Even in Italy, the joke about it is a running one.Il Molise non esisteMost people will say “Molise does not exist” or something similar. 

This anonymity can be understood to a certain extent. Molise, the second-smallest Italian region after the Aosta Valley in the north, has a population of less than 300,000. The majority of its residents are elderly. That number is quickly dwindling due to depopulation—some towns have not experienced a birth in more than a decade. Most areas are more likely to see vendesi Signs for sale are more likely to be seen on rusted balconies or boarded-up doors. The lack of public transport and the underfunding make it difficult to travel from, to and within this region.

Molise, despite its pain points, is Italy’s last frontier. It’s the Wild West of Italy. It’s a respite from the often crowded hot spots like Rome, Venice, and the Amalfi Coast—a return to the Italy that almost no longer exists. 

I know this, because my father comes from the area. Although I’m originally from Rome I grew up on my grandparents small farm in Molise. In the spring, I would climb trees to pluck blood-red cherries as big as my fist and in the fall, I helped my grandfather make olive oils. I’ve seen my grandmother grill racks of meat and ropes of sausages under the stars on a small fire. ratiglia A handheld folding grillnet, surrounded with wild cats and white Maremmano Abruzzese she-dogs. 

My aunt, her sister, and their family still reside in Poggio Sannita and I always try to visit when I come home from the United States. Like many Italian families, I focus my visits on local food. The first course is usually a plate of thick soppressata medallions and teardrop-shaped pieces of caciocavallo. Then comes the first course—a bowl of the oblong-shaped cavatelli pasta soaked in a rich tomato sauce and sprinkled with a heavy serving of pecorino cheese and freshly clipped peperoncino. The meat follows next—either lamb, sausage, steak, or sometimes all three—with a simple side salad of lettuce leaves the size of my head and bone-white strips of fennel.

There are also seasonal fruits, pastries and digestive espressos. Ciambellone A ring-shaped dessert Crostata My aunt can bake (a jam tart) or buy it from a bakery nearby, if she is able to. We enjoy our meal in her home, with the view of the surrounding hills and valleys, which are dotted with haybales that look like molten yellow gold when they catch the sunlight. The rugged coastline is a beautiful, bucolic place to explore. National Park of Abruzzo, Lazio, and MoliseIt is one of Italy’s oldest National Parks.

The park was established in 1922 and covers over 300,000 acres. It is a thick forest of beech trees, with lakes, rivers, rounded mountains, and rushing streams. It spans three regions and is home to some of the richest biodiversity in Italy: the Apennine-chamois, the Apennine-wolf, the golden eagle and the critically endangered Marsican bear. The yellow lady’s slide is a rare orchid with a yellow and black color that blooms only between May-June. Outdoor enthusiasts can choose one of the park’s 25 towns (like Pescasseroli, where I learned how to ski as a child) as a base to explore the area and engage in year-round activities like trekking, cycling, skiing, water sports, and wildlife viewing—just to name a few.

Beach lovers You can also visit the medieval town of Termoli. It’s a fishing village surrounded by fortifications and pastel-colored houses. Spiaggia Di Sant’Antonio beach is a popular spot. Bandiera Blu, or Blue Flag—a coveted environmental status that signifies pristine water quality. Bandiera Blu is also awarded to the Spiaggia Di Campomarino beach, which stretches 1.55 miles and is located just 15 minutes south from Termoli.

There’s also a great deal of culture to go with the natural beauty. Samnites lived in the region, an ancient Italic tribe that fought Rome for dominance before Rome was an empire. Although they were eventually destroyed by the Romans the remains of their civilisation can still be seen in the entire region. This is especially true at the Samnite archeological complex, located just outside the town of Pietrabbondante. Visitors can wander through the ruins and well-preserved remnants of a half moon amphitheater in this valley, which is more than 3,200 feet above sea-level. This area contains two temples with intricate statues and armrests made into the shape winged lions’ paws. These ruins date from the second century B.C.E. In comparison, the Colosseum opened in 80 C.E.). Tickets Cost less than $7

Agnone is a town with a long history, about 20 minutes away from the home of my family in Poggio Sannita. It dates back to thousands of years. The town of Agnone, located about 20 minutes from my family’s home in Poggio Sannita, has a history that dates back thousands of years.an honor that instead went to L’Aquila in AbruzzoThe town is famous for its old craft traditions. Visitors can tour the Marinelli Pontifical Bell FoundryThe intergenerational family company is one of the oldest businesses in the world. Marinellis are now in their 26th and 27th generations, who run the family business. In a factory that allows light to fracture into columns of the most amazing shapes, bronze bells come in all sizes. The same methods have been used since centuries. For 5 euros, visitors can tour the factory and listen to an abridged version of the family history and the monthslong process of creating a bell by hand—and maybe even commission a personalized bell for themselves. 

Agnone has many other things to offer, including the ‘NdocciataIt is widely considered to be one of the oldest and largest fire ceremonies in the world. This ritual takes place each December as a way to celebrate both Christmas and the Winter Solstice. This is a fire procession in which 1,000 handmade torches up to 10 feet tall are lit, and then paraded through town. Some men carry fan-like structures composed of up 26 lit torches. The “modern” ritual, which is believed to have originated with the ancient Samnites and has been celebrated since the 19th Century, is one of the most important traditions in the region.

The following are some of the ways to get in touch with us While vendesi signage may be a common sight in the towns of the region, some historic buildings are receiving a fresh lease on life. Palazzo Cannavina The city of Campobasso, the capital of the region, is home to many historic buildings. It was built in the 17th century and is located at the center of Campobasso. The former home of the noble Cannavina clan, this property has been meticulously restored to become a boutique hotel. It was awarded the title of “Best Boutique Hotel” in 2022. Molise’s best hotel The popular Italian television hotel competition show 4 HotelBruno Barbieri is the host. The seven suites of the hotel are a mix of old and new. They feature contemporary art interspersed with original tiles, frescoes, and wooden ceilings that recall the building’s long history—in 1797, Prince Charles Emmanuel of Savoy allegedly stayed in one of the rooms with Italy’s first flag of independence. And for those seeking some R&R, there’s also a private spa, carved into an ancient vault of stone on the grounds.

There are so many more gems than I’ve mentioned. Cvtà Street FestThe archaeological complex of Civitacampomarano hosts an international street art festival every year for a few days to fight depopulation. SaepinumA Samnite town which later became Roman. It has an amphitheater with gladiator chambers and public baths. World War II cemetery for fallen French soldiers Venafro is a town in Venafro. 

Molise is the Wild West in my dreams. The region holds all the best parts of Italy—culture, nature, history, and food—and when I close my eyes, I am a child again, running through fields with wild sheepdogs and watching my grandparents coax the land into a rich meal. Molise is not only there, it also resists and is just waiting to discover.