Molise is without a doubt the less known region in Italy! Molise is also the youngest region of Italy; it became independent only in 1964 and was until then part of the neighbouring region Abruzzo.

Molise is also one of Italy’s less developed and poorest areas where customs and residences last like hundreds of years ago. In Molise, you certainly feel that two centuries run into each other when on one side of the street, you meet grandmothers in black, and on the other side, you see young girls with colourful clothes from Benetton carrying mobile phones. You find underdeveloped villages that seem to have been forgotten by the development and badly overdeveloped big cities where progress has shown crushing and ugly. You do not travel to Molise to visit the big cities but to enjoy the magnificent nature, the unspoiled beaches and the archaeological excavations.

Molise is an unusual region that should be experienced before it looks like the rest of Italy for good or for bad!

The landscape of Molise

More than 40% of Molise is covered by mountains. Go to the Matese area, which is located on the borders to Campania, and you will gain good insight into the wild beauty of the mountains. You will find eagles, bears and wolfs in the deep forests, but this will not prevent the local people from coming here in large numbers, especially in the autumn where the mountains are full of good mushrooms.

Large cities in Molise: Campobasso and Termoli

The capital of Molise is Campobasso from where you have a fantastic view of the castle Monforte.

In Molise, you will also find the little fishing and beach town, Termoli, close to Puglia, which is known for its wonderful, sandy beaches. 

Tourist attractions in Molise

In Campobasso, you will find the international museum for miniature cribs. 

In Termoli, you will find a castle from the 1200s, which is very impressive and so is the cathedral of the town, the Roman architecture of which proves the monument to be even older. 

I Saepinium, you will find well-preserved ruins from the Roman era. They are not as large as in Pompeii but in return you can enjoy the place without the thousands of tourists who visit Pompeii in the summer. 

Sports activities in Molise

Molise is yet another of Italy’s wonderful skiing resorts. Naturally, the region also offers good hiking possibilities.

Gastronomic characteristics of Molise

The Molise cuisine is known to be a little rural but nevertheless, it also has a reputation for being quite good and characterised by fish and vegetables. Lamb and kids are popular meats in the regional dishes.

In Molise, they are good bakers, and you will find a wide range of different cakes, biscuits, etc. here. 

Molise is not known for good wines; the best vineyard of the region is, without argument, Masseria di Majo Norante.

The climate of Molise

You will find comfortable temperatures of an average of 26 degrees in the Molise region from May to October.

Some of the photos are kindly lent out from the Italian Tourist Office. Photographer: Fototeca ENIT.