Discover Italy: Great Travel Tips - Scenic Drives - Motorcycle Tours - Art Cities - Food & Wine

This tour is dedicated to discovering Molise, a small but beautiful Italian region. Let's start with Venafro (pic n°1) located in the valley of river Volturno. This village has kept the ancient urban structure and some important monuments of the past, such as the theater, the Nymphaeum, and the amphitheater known as Verlasce.

The Archaeological Museum of the village displays interesting artifacts dating back to the Roman era, including a beautiful statue known as the "Venus from Venafro". Also, do not miss the Medieval Castle (pic n°2), a beautiful structure that was turned into a Renaissance residence in the fifteenth century by Enrico Pandone, lord of the city. He was also the one who had frescoed the castle's walls with famous images of horses. Those images are still well preserved so you can admire the 26 beautiful stallions that had been painted on the walls to decorate the first floor. These frescoes are among the most important Renaissance paintings of southern Italy.

The tour keeps going on along the Valley of Volturno, but not before a quick detour to Scapoli. It is famous for the manufacturing of bagpipes and besides that, this village houses an interesting museum with many musical instruments.

Continuing on the same road, you will reach the old Benedictine Monastery of San Vincenzo al Volturno (pic n°3), dating back to the eighth century. The archeological excavations have brought to light the ancient monastic complex and the Cripta dell'Abate Epifanio (Crypt of Abbot Epifanio), a wonderful crypt decorated with ninth-century frescoes.

You can also enjoy a little bit of time on the shore of Lake of Castel San Vincenzo, lying in a pristine natural environment. Although it is an artificial lake, it well-fits the surrounding landscape of mountains and forests.

Going further, you will come across the Medieval castle of Cerro al Volturno, which is located on an impressive rock. After Carovilli, whose fortifications and second-century temple are worth a visit, another detour will take you to the charming archeological area of Pietrabbondante (pic n°4), an important Samnites' center both as a civil and religious level.