Farm Stays in Molise

Farm stays in Molise take you to the region most Italians themselves have never visited. It is the second smallest in the country, has a short Adriatic coast and a large mountainous interior, and it preserves the tratturi — the broad grass droving roads along which sheep were moved between Abruzzo and Puglia for two thousand years.

Where to base yourself

The Matese massif, on the Campania border, has lakes, high pasture and some of the best walking in central Italy. Around Isernia the country is hilly and wooded, with Pietrabbondante's Samnite theatre and the Albanian-speaking villages of the interior. Campobasso province opens into wheat and olive country crossed by the tratturi. The coast at Termoli is short, sandy and the departure point for the Tremiti islands.

What these farms offer

• Caciocavallo di Agnone, made in a town also known for its bell foundry
• Sheep and goat cheeses from flocks still worked in the traditional way
• Tintilia, a red grape grown almost nowhere outside the region
• Olive oil, truffles and pasta made with local durum wheat
• Genuinely low prices and almost no international tourism

Timing and access

May to June and September to October are the most comfortable months. Summer is hot on the plain and cool in the Matese, and the coast fills only briefly in August. Winter is cold and snowy inland, with modest skiing at Campitello Matese.

The nearest airports are Naples and Pescara, both around two hours away, and Rome is under three. Public transport is minimal outside the coastal railway; a car is essential and mountain roads, while quiet, are slow.

In Molise we have 21 farmhouses, including 10 with swimming pool, 13 with restaurant and 12 pet friendly.