This article in Oracitino, Molise, is part of the “Italy to discover” series, against approval, far from the usual routes, for another way of traveling. To help us draw up a most beautiful but less beaten map of Italy, write to us your advice here
In the second when you set foot in Molise You immediately understand that here is another story. From the smile of those who come to take your luggage, from the fact that in the small reception of the family hotel where we stay, just below the Matese massif, there is a banquet set up for us with The Mozzarella di Boiano and the caciocavallo Podolico, or the best cheeses you have ever tried and other various delicacies, that there is wine with great glasses, and that – even if it is four in the afternoon – we all toast with the Tintilliathe full -bodied and elegant red from here.
Welcome to the land of welcome, a wonderful and protected, intimate and unique land of the south, Molise. Here a Milanese who first asks Wi -Fi, who wants to go immediately to the room and know what time to see you to go out is considered – in the best cases – amazing. Then the Milanese, celiac and pure vegetarian (like the writer), is a low blow to the enormous sense of local hospitality, which they however – the Molise – know how to face with looseness and elegance.
After all, that Molise was one of the most genuinely welcoming places in Italya kind, not imposed, but warm and true welcome, I understood it at least 15 years ago, when I came to the region for a reportage. Among the many places I visited, I went to see too Sepine The Sannitico and then Roman village whose remains are today an archaeological park (exceptional). I arrived early in the morning, the air was fresh, I started talking to the custodians and in short we ended up eating together croutons with turnip greens and caciocavallo that I still remember as the essence of the simplest goodness. Bread, oil, vegetables, cheese.
A holiday in Molise should be organized as follows: it would be necessary Go there now, offside, don’t book anything, turn all the smallest and beautiful villages and let things happen. The one in Molise is an ancient journey, it is the place where you can imagine how it could be beautiful Italy when it was still a virgin, free from a wild urbanization, without sheds and shopping centers and supermarkets etc. A stone village on a hill, an expanse of fields and another hill with a village to dominate it. Fields, breeding, villages and churches. Molise is still the case.
At Orantino for Borgo di Vino, the most beautiful Italy feast
Orantino tells him wella country that seem one to see it from above Sleeping snail on a hill. The access door to the village is like a door of the house, entered from there and you seem to walk in the corridors and rooms adorned with a long -standing residence: Sannitica, Roman, Norman, was from Sancha of Aragon, wife of Roberto d’Angiò, various accounts and some Duke. In short, he lived all the history of Italy.
We visit it on a party evening thanks to Village of winea tour that promotes the beauty of the lesser -known Italian villages and together gives visibility to local wine producers, custodians of doc and ancient vines. For the 2025 edition there are already 22 small villages ready to celebrate, with 66 days of events, 800 companies and 1000 wines involved On a tour in the most true Italy that begins the weekend of 26-27 April 2025 in Egna in South Tyrol, and ends – after moving along the whole peninsula – on 31 October 1-2 November in Venosa in Basilicata. Of course there is also a stop here, a Oracinethe next 5-6-7 October (Here the specification of the whole tour).
It is beautiful to turn stands on stands with a glass in the hands of Tintilia, Biferno, Pentro, the Molisane Docs, trying local foods, crossing flowery squares, visiting ancient churches (they are the stonemasons from here who realized wonders like the Church of Castel Petroso), getting lost among the small stone roads decorated with traditional lace in a contemporary version, as magical local works of art suspended over time. The success of Borgo di Vino tell us about the organizers for dinner at Olmicello restaurantin the heart of the country, obviously with a riot of food that I will remember for a long time Pizza and souptypical specialty of poor culture based on corn flour and field herbs, very good (and of course gluten -free).
In the Matese, inside the magical forests
Our hotel – The canonical, A widespread hotel managed by the wonderful Daniela and Mario, with curated and contemporary rooms occupies ancient spaces and homes of the town of San Massimo. AND just below the Matesethe massif ofSamnite Apennine Which brings the mountains between these hills, with the top of Mount Miletto, at 2,050 meters above sea level, as a beating heart.
Matese is a sacred and pagan spaceit is a place of intact forests, of very ancient, mossy and green beech trees, full of magical appearances. We entered this world – which will finally be declared National Park – with an electric bike ride with The guide of the highly prepared (and very kind) Giancarlo De Gregori who with his Life Cycles It organizes several bike tours in the area for days without effort but of total immersion in the art and nature of this territory, a place – as he says “far from all rubble, from mass tourism, to anthropization close to zero”.
We go up in the saddle of the country of Roccamandolfiand we walk the ancient roads that bring us in short to the Castle of the Maginulfothat dominates the village. It was founded by the Lombards, from the XI it became Norman, and from up there on this fresh day with the hot sun and the clear sky seems to be seen to the sea (which is not so far away).
Immediately under the castle that crosses the green forge of the Callora stream there is a Tibetan bridge where two gentlemen of a certain age venture with courage and just above, a wonderful place: The fortressa wooden chalet dedicated to taste where Andrea It offers us a tasting of the black truffle products that he and his partner, Mariangelofind on these mountains with the help of their wonderful Lamagotti dogs. Truffle is one of the great excellence of the territoryon our journey we also stopped at Molise Truffle Center who, open 24 years ago by Angelo Palombo, with his son Vittorio and his daughter Sandra, today stocca 40 tons of truffI who become wonderful sauces, condiments, oils.
From the fortress we go up with the e-bikes to the plain of Campitello di Roccamandolfi For Enter the woods so beautiful and silent as to leave a deep sense of peace in the heart. Here the trees are sacred, the air is full of memories, time flows in a different way. Every gesture, meal, word, night takes on a different meaning. Here Molise tells that not only exists, but it has always existed. And it reminds us that despite the isolation, which makes everything more difficult, despite the depopulation that marches with great pace, fortunately the Molise are resistant and resilient, and their life, so closely linked to real things, would not change it with anyone else.
To know (extra), between bells and caciocavallo
On this trip to Molise I finally have, for the first time, visited a unique place in the world, namely the Pontifical foundry of Campane Marinelli of Agnone. We slept at the Locanda La Campanaeaten (excellently) at the Terra Mia Restaurant to be ready, in the morning, to enter the forgers where bells all over the world have been blending for almost 1000 years. Theirs is The oldest foundry specialized in the construction of bells as well as The oldest family -run artisan company in the world arrived at the 27th generation of funds. Their story that is explained in the visit of the forge and the Bell Museum is memorable, as is the construction of a bell. From the visit onwards, never listen to a bell again in the same way as before.
Another visit (other kind) to be scheduled before leaving it to Nucci dairy, The excellence of the caciocavallo of Agnone, a virtuous company managed by the three brothers of Nucci who takes the milk for 70% by podolic cows kept to grazing, rewards virtuous breeders and promotes a quality product. To remember what effect it has a real flavor (with online shop).
Italy to discover
This series of articles has been designed against the Overurism that always suffocates and always crowds the usual places, to follow, instead, the most daring roads, those that go up a lot, the one that turns suddenly leaving the path traced or ending. To forget the destinations approved by too much tourism and find those places of Italy that we forget; To give voice and future to the communities of the so -called “minor Italy” who courageously live their places and traditions and which tourism – with measure – could give oxygen; To get to know places and people, to return to the roots. Holidays or weekends that perhaps we had not thought, who however know how to take us to an unexpected place of us.
(To report places of Italy to discover, write to: [email protected]).
In Peglio, the Torre dei Sogni in the heart of the Marche
In Trentino in the Tesino, the separate kingdom
Prepoting in the extreme north-east, peace is between woods and vineyards
In Sicily on the Madonie, between earth and heaven Alpezu, the country of free men
Santa Isola, the most romantic country of the Garfagnana
On the boat on the island of love, Selvaggio refuge on the Delta del Po
Tasso Cornello, the most beautiful medieval village in Lombardy
In the Sulcis, the sacred heart of Sardinia
Casperia, on vacation among the Sabines
Source: Vanity Fair
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