Molise - Italy

Campobasso
Iserna

For most Italians, Molise and Abruzzo are notably linked. This small, unyielding region facing the Adriatic only gained independence from Abruzzo in 1963. Molise is unique in that it is somewhat insulated from the changes that have overtaken the rest of the Italy.

Bread, wine, and oil are staples of Molise cuisine. In fact, olive oil is the region's primary industry. Chili pepper is used liberally and often here, as it is in most other southern Italian regions. Very little meat is eaten in Molise; when it is, it's likely to be lamb or pork.

The legacy of the Molise people is something called la transumanza, a huge human migration occurring at a particular time each year. The migration dates back to prehistoric time when shepards migrated with their flocks to better grazing land. Many Molise dishes are simple and reflect the need to be cooked quickly, as they would have been by people on the move.

Though there is a large Fiat plant (Termoli), the industrial sector is dominated by the building industry with small and medium-sized firms spread widely throughout the region. Another important industry is food processing: pasta, meat, milk products, oil and wine are the traditional products of the region. In the services sector the most important industries are distribution, hotels and catering, followed by transport and communications, banking and insurance. With few exceptions, in all sectors firms are small and this explains the difficulties encountered when marketing products on a national scale.

After the earthquake of 2002 some of the communities in Molise became the focus of a generous government policy which contributed state money to individuals willing to make their homes more resistant to seismic activity. Larino, near Termoli, was a particular beneficiary of this policy and the town, already one of the most beautiful in the province, has been transformed. It was policy to return the houses to their historical colours and, based on careful research, the structures were painted in a range of soft pastel tones. As a result Larino has become an important centre for tourism and scores of expatriates from all over the world are returning to live in the revived centro storico (antique centre).

International tourism is becoming more evident largely as a result of the international flights from other European states, Great Britain, and North America which enter Pescara not far to the north in Abruzzo. The tourists are attracted by large expanses of unspoiled beaches, a relative lack of congestion and the gentle pace of life.

Campobasso

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Iserna

Friuli Venezia Giulia