VOYAGE OF discovery

You’re going where?” This is what friends kept asking me when I proudly announced my decision to visit Molise. Why? Because this small region overshadowed by neighbouring Puglia, Campania, Lazio and Abruzzo is often neglected by Italians, who will sometimes joke that il Molise non esiste (Molise doesn’t exist).

Molise is the youngest region in the country – it was founded in 1963 after its separation from Abruzzo. It is, after Val d’Aosta, also the smallest region in Italy; and it is sparsely populated, with little more than 300,000 inhabitants. However, Italy’s greatest unsung destination has it all: historical treasures, a lovely coastline with picturesque towns, a great outdoors and delightful villages full of personality and living culture.

Determined to find out what hides behind its borders, I set off on a three-day road trip around the region in search of sights, culture and cuisine…