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Isernia and its province, villages and castles – Part 2

The city of Isernia is to be discovered not only inside, but also in its surroundings: it is right in the surrounding areas, in fact, that there are spectacular and beautiful places to visit in the company of friends and family, totally immersed in nature, with the aim of discovering stories never heard before.  

Which locations should include a complete travel itinerary? 

Frosolone 

Also known as “the city of cliffs”, that is huge rock spurs that stand out in the middle of the countryside, Frosolone is a real natural paradise little known by mass tourism but much appreciated by fans of free-climbing, paragliding and hang gliding. 

Frosolone, therefore, is the ideal destination for those who want to spend a few days of healthy relaxation taking long walks in the open air, stopping in Colle dell’Orso to have a nice picnic in the company of children.  

Castelpetroso 

Called “the little Italian Lourdes”, the town of Castelpetroso is surrounded by an aura of charm and mystery. It all began in 1888, when the first Marian apparitions to the peasants Serafina and Fabiana began. In the same year, Count Carlo Aquaderni, desperate for the bone tuberculosis that afflicted his son Augusto, went to Castelpetroso to obtain the grace from Our Lady: his son, after drinking the water from the spring adjacent to the place of the apparitions, miraculously recovered. Since that day, it is impossible to count the number of faithful who, every year, go to Castelpetroso to address Our Lady directly.

And thanks to the offerings of the faithful it was possible to build the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Sorrows, patron saint of Molise, a place of worship and pilgrimage. Outside, devotees can take the path of the Via Matris, only 750 meters long, which connects the sanctuary with the place of the apparitions. It is divided into seven stations, corresponding to the seven pains experienced by the Virgin Mary: the presentation of Jesus in the temple, the flight to Egypt, the loss of Jesus, the encounter with Jesus on the way to Calvary, the Crucifixion, the restitution of the lifeless body of Jesus and his deposition inside the tomb.  

Foto : Unsplash

Carpinone 

Small and charming medieval village surrounded by walls, Carpinone welcomes inside the Caldora Castle that, according to the legend, protects the lower part of the town. Built around the year 1000, the castle was initially built as an impenetrable fortress, then underwent several changes that transformed it into a beautiful Renaissance residence.  

Inside the castle there is a large courtyard complete with stables, prisons and the houses of the guards; on the first floor there are the representative rooms and a small chapel, while on the second floor there are services and bedrooms. 

From Carpinone you can make a beautiful journey by train, through the Carpinone-Sulmona that leads to Rivisondoli, located at an altitude of 1200 meters, passing through the beauty of the Parco Nazione d’Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise.  

Castel San Vincenzo 

Located on the Molise Apennines, Castel San Vincenzo is famous for the Benedictine Abbey of San Vincenzo al Volturno and looks like a small medieval village with an extraordinary view of the lake. The latter, although artificial, fits harmoniously into the landscape characterized by mountains, streams and spontaneous vegetation; on its shores you can relax, go horseback riding, fishing and water sports.   

The Benedictine Abbey of San Vincenzo al Volturno was founded at the beginning of the 8th century by three noblemen from Benevento (Paldo, Tato and Taso) who were looking for a solitary place to practice an ascetic life.

Bachelors 

The town of Scapoli is known for an event that organizes every year, among the most beautiful and original of all the Molise: it is the International Festival of Zampogna, which attracts thousands of curious people from all over the world, as well as professional musicians.  

It is no coincidence that Scapoli is famous for its centuries-old tradition linked to the construction of bagpipes, to which the International Zampogna Museum has been dedicated, which contains instruments of all nationalities and eras.  

The entire medieval village extends around Palazzo Marchesale dei Battiloro, a building built on the old walls of the castle of Scapoli.  

Venafro  

Famous for the Pandone Castle, a real pearl of Molise, Venafro is a truly delightful town that stands on the slopes of Monte Santa Croce. Born as a defensive structure in the tenth century, Pandone Castle is the seat of the first National Museum of Molise; its interior is divided into two sections: the most recent houses the creations of Molise painters residing in the Kingdom of Naples during the eighteenth century, while the other revolves all around the figure of Enrico Pandone, one of the most important horse breeders of the Kingdom of Naples.  

Another gem not to be missed in Venafro is its amphitheater, also called Verlascio or Verlasce: built in the first century AD, its elliptical shape could accommodate about 15 thousand spectators. With the passage of time, the structure has totally changed and the initial project have remained only the foundations; instead of the bleachers, already in medieval times, were built houses for farmers, of which still remain some traces.  

Paraphrasing the proverb that says “in the small barrel there is good wine” we can say that the small Molise is full of wonders.

Copertina: Unsplash

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