Molise, Italy Hotels. Hotel booking / reservation in Molise, Italy

The central Italian region of Molise is bordered to the east by the Adriatic coast, to the north by Abruzzo, to the west by Campania and to the south by Puglia. The second-smallest of the regions is not much visited by tourists, but this is a beautiful and unspoiled region - with forest-clad mountainsides (more than half the region is mountain), medieval fairytale castles, and ancient sheep-droving roads worn deep by centuries of foot (and hoof) steps.

So unspoilt is it that Unesco has chosen Molise as one of the four Italian biosphere locations. Towns include the capital, Campobasso, Isernia, Larino, Ururi and the coastal towns of Termoli and Campomarino. Near to Campobasso is the ruined Roman town of Saepinium. Check out the Matese, remote and lovely mountains populated by hawks, falcons, eagles and wolves, and very few people: there are only 330,000 souls in the whole of Molise.

There is caving, skiing, lovely and undeveloped coastline, and in parts of the region you could be stepping back a hundred years. The very rural cuisine leans heavily on lamb, chilli (very unusual for Italy), pastas such cas strongozze and maltagliati with lamb sauce. Wines are largely from Abruzzo, including Montepulciano and Trebbiano whites.

To the left you'll find a selection of hotels, just to whet your appetite, as well as links to individual towns in Molise (top left); See also Molise hotels (full listings) and our map of Molise.