Getty Images/EyeEm

Molise

Of Italy’s 20 regions, Molise probably ranks 20th in terms of name recognition. In fact, until 1970, it was part of Abruzzo, the adjacent region it closely resembles. Mountains and hills, rather than people, crowd the interior, while flatter plains guard a short 35km stretch of Adriatic coast. Although Campobasso is the largest city, its brightest attractions are Termoli, a higgledy-piggledy coastal town characterised by its trabucchi (fishing platforms), and Isernia and Saepinum, for glimpses of the Palaeolithic and Roman past. Molise has suffered steady depopulation since the late 19th century, adding to its sense of isolation.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Saepinum
Molise
One of Molise’s hidden treasures, the Roman ruins of Saepinum are among the best preserved and least visited in the country. Unlike Pompeii and Ostia…
Museo Paleolitico di Isernia
Molise
Built around the adjacent 730,000-year-old archaeological site of La Pineta, this intriguing museum stands next to a pavilion that protects the site of…
Abbazia di San Vincenzo al Volturno
Molise
Founded in the 8th century, the Abbazia di San Vincenzo al Volturno is famous for its cycle of 9th-century frescoes by Epifanio (824–842) in the crypt…
Marinelli Pontificia Fonderia di Campane
Molise
Only in the Italian backwater of Molise do you get to learn about the ancient, if esoteric, art of bell-making. For more than 1000 years, local artisans…
Samnite Theatre-Temple Complex
Molise
About 30km northeast of Isernia, outside Pietrabbondante, the remains of a 3rd-century-BC Samnite theatre-temple complex reward a visit, as much as…
Museo Civico Isernia
Molise
World War II doesn’t get a lot of coverage in Italy, which makes this small museum chronicling the events of 10 September 1943, when Isernia was heavily…
Museo Sannitico
Molise
Samnite ceramics found in Castello Monforte are now on show at the small Museo Sannitico, along with weapons, armour and sculptures from local…
Castello Svevo
Termoli
Termoli’s most famous landmark, Frederick II’s 13th-century Castello Svevo guards the entry to the tiny borgo (medieval hamlet). It isn't open on a…