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Molise - General Info
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Molise a region of South Central Italy, the youngest and second smallest of the regions. It was formerly (until 1963) part of the region of Abruzzi e Molise however is now a separate entity. It is a hilly area, that sits on the Adriatic coast between Abruzzo in the north, and Puglia in the south. On the west it is bordered by Lazio and Campania. The region’s two main cities are Campobasso and Isernia.
UNESCO has chosen Molise for two of its four Italian biosphere locations. Forested mountains reveal ancient castles, some flanked with circular guard towers. There are plenty of roman theaters, amphitheaters and the remains of a Paleolithic settlement. Dating from 900,000 years ago, it is the oldest find in Europe. Hikers will run across tratturi (pathways), used by local shepherds, that date back to the 2nd century BC. There are farmhouses and monasteries, abandoned decades ago, that still have their original decorative details intact. This is a poorer architecture, but of the kind that those looking for a rustic home will love.
Enclosed by the Trigno and the Fortore rivers, the Matese massif and the Mainarde chain, bordering the Adriatic Sea in the northeast, Molise has many natures. There are the unpolluted and majestic Molise of Campitello Matese and Capracotta, famous for their ski runs and resorts. There is also the Molise of the wilderness, with green and untouched areas, with oases such as the WWF protected reserves in Guardaregia and Campochiaro, where one can admire red kites and fire salamanders in their natural habitat. There is the Molise that causes wonder and astonishment, such as the Pantano Zittola area formed around a million years ago, or sheep tracks, silent rivers of grass that cross he region, once the site of transhumance. There are the pristine beaches and crystalline waters of Termoli and Campomarino.
In this land everything still has the "flavor" of old times: from the splendid landscapes to the folk traditions, from the gastronomic attractions (fabulous cheeses, among the many other typical products) to the community life, from the hospitality of the inhabitants to the unspoilt sea, from the craftsmanship (the bells of Agnone are famous) to the quiet life in the villages of the interior.
Artisans work on lace, cutlery and bronze, employing methods developed centuries ago. Local cuisine is spiced with chillies called diavolini molisani (little devils), and porcini mushrooms are available by the basketful after the autumn rains.
It is a genuine pleasure to visit Molise. Starting from the regional capital, Campobasso, with its evocative tangle of historic streets and the fifteenth-century Monforte castle. At Termoli, the most important town of the province of Campobasso, the Mediterranean sunshine illuminates the ancient walls constructed by Emperor Frederick and the massive sixteenth-century castle that looms over the sea. And everywhere in Molise, nature seems to keep watch over history, preserving memories. As in the esplanade at Sepino, whose archaeological zone testifies to the ancient Roman colony, and in the vicinity of Pietrabbondante, where another interesting archaeological site recalls the remote existence of the Sannites, an ancient Italic people which dared to challenge and fight the power of Rome. In the province of Isernia (the second city of Molise, with a beautiful Cathedral and fourteenth-century fountain), where the ancient abbey of S. Vincenzo al Volturno rises, solitary and majestic. A visit to Molise really is worthwhile, then. Before it becomes fashionable.