Molise

The region of Molise is fairly young compared to the other Italian regions as it was originally part of Abruzzi e Molise until 1963, with the separation becoming effective in 1970, when the region of Molise was officially created.

Molise is situated in the centre of Italy, on the Adriatic coast, between the Apennines and the sea, bordering with Abruzzo in the north and Apulia in the south, it has a lot to offer and it is still little known even for Italians. Nature, with the National Park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise, history with fascinating sites like the ruins of Saepinum, in Sepino, a Samnite town captured by the Romans in 293 BC, or the Fontana Fraterna in Isernia, a stunning public fountain built in the 13th century, these are only some of the treasures of this still largely undiscovered region.

Or traditions, like the bagpipes, for which the town of Scapoli is famous for, and host a museum and the International Bagpipe Festival with enthusiasts coming from all over the world. Molise is also winter sports with the resorts of Campitello Matese and Capracotta and sandy beaches surrounded by Mediterranean vegetation.

The food of Molise shares similarities with Abruzzo due to their long being only one region, though there are some small variations in the ingredients used, but it also has its own specialties, like the famous caciocavallo, which literally means “cheese on horse” made with sheep's or cow's milk, a perfect accompaniment to a glass of Tintilla or Montepulciano, or the fior di latte, a semi soft, fresh cheese similar to the mozzarella amongst the cheeses and the saggicciotti, a salami made with pork meat, hand cut, diced, stuffed into natural casing and dried.

With wine production in the area going back as far as 500BC, the region still has circa 23,500 acres of vineyards covering its land that make Molise the third smallest wine producer region in Italy, and therefore its wines are little known outside Italy, only recently they have started to export them. The main grapes are Tintilia and Montepulciano for the reds and Falanghina for the whites.