Molise
At a glance
Capital City
Population
Location
Area
Campobasso
310,449 (as of 2017)
Southern Italy
4,438 km
2
Stereotypes
Positive
Negative
Friendly, humble and hardy people, Caciocavallo cheese, Unspoiled land, All but untouched by tourism
Simple folk, Poverty, Isolated, That it doesn't 'exist'
Italy's youngest region - the result of the 1963 split of the Abruzzi - Molise is second only to Valle d'Aosta as Italy's smallest and least populous region. It borders Abruzzo to the north, Lazio to the west, Campania to the south and Puglia to the south east, with much of its east overlooking the Adriatic Sea. Prior to Unification, Molise was part of the Kingdom of Naples/Two Sicilies, and thus retains a strongly South Italian flavour.
Frequently the subject of jokes by other Italians that it 'doesn't exist', little Molise is almost always overlooked by travellers both from other parts of Italy and certainly international tourism. As a result, much of the region is lightly explored, and even less subject to the pressures of mass tourism. Precisely because of this, Molise was the first stop on our adventure, and we went in with great curiosity and an even greater sense of adventure!
Campobasso
310,449
Southern Italy
4,438 sq. km
2
