Choosing Molise as a destination for summer holidays is always a great solution: on one side the sea, on the other side the opportunity to discover breathtaking natural landscapes and ancient villages for postcard-proof shots.
A place not to be missed is definitely Petacciato Marina, a village of just 3500 inhabitants located on top of a hill overlooking the sea. Together with Termoli and Campomarino, is one of the best holiday areas in the whole region , thanks to its picturesque old town, the nature reserve at the mouth of the river Trigno and the blue beaches and beautiful able to enchant even the most skeptical tourist.
What to see
Petacciato is a charming medieval village, whose center is characterized by narrow streets and small squares. Among the monuments to visit are undoubtedly the Church of Santa Maria, initially known as the Church of San Rocco (the patron saint of the village) and the beating heart of the village. Below the bell tower is the crypt of San Rocco, beautifully decorated with a carved stone holy water font.
Next to the bell tower stands Palazzo Ducale, also known as Petacciato Castle: originally built as a defensive fortress, today it is chosen as a venue for the organization of cultural events and city festivals, thanks to the elegant garden inside.
Do not miss the War Memorial in Piazza Monumento ai Caduti, depicting a little girl holding in her right hand an olive branch pointing to the sky. Built in 1979, it is also composed of bronze slabs on which the names of the local war dead were engraved.
The most beautiful beaches
Petacciato Marina is suitable not only for those who love cultural holidays, but also for those who want to spend a few days on the beach sunbathing. The sand is clear and very fine, the water is crystal clear and the coastal dunes offer brushstrokes of a bright green. The Petacciato Marina is almost unique in its kind, considering that it houses a pine forest that, for 2 kilometers, separates the sea from the road and offers visitors shelter in the shade of large maritime pines.
Its crystal clear waters have won Petacciato Marina the Blue Flag certification in 2016, a recognition that, unfortunately, in recent years has not arrived.
Despite this, its natural beaches are very large and offer a large number of specially equipped beach resorts to accommodate hundreds of tourists. There are also free beaches, such as Beach 28 in the south, and areas for naturists and gay-friendly further north.
What to do
Between a walk in the center and a tan on the beach, Petacciato offers other activities to spend a holiday anything but boring! First of all a visit to the natural area of the mouth of the Trigno, a charming place that sees the meeting between sea and river and that hosts an ecosystem of ornithofauna definitely enviable.
The visit is perfect for those who love to practice birdwatching, since in the area create their nests some caradriform species such as the Piro Piro Piccolo and the Corriere Piccolo. Even for the less passionate, a simply incredible show is expected!
The sporty ones, on the other hand, will love the bike path that connects Petacciato Marina to Termoli: about 30 kilometers to cross by bike between sunflower fields and blooming hills, passing through Torre Saracena on the shore of Sinarca.
What to eat
Just like in all other areas of Molise, even a Petaccio Marina you can enjoy dishes of fresh local fish, especially the Molise brodetto, a very popular fish soup because of its very slow cooking and for the delicious and genuine raw materials chosen as main ingredients.
To accompany the brodetto, a glass of local wine is what you need, preferably a biferno white tasted cold at the right point.
In general, all Molise cuisine is inviting and any restaurant or restaurant you choose to have a meal satisfaction is absolutely guaranteed!
Where to sleep
Being a tourist area less known than the nearby Termoli, a Petacciato you can stay at prices much more affordable, especially if you decide to book in low season.
Not for this reason, however, the accommodation is poor, indeed: the quality offered to visitors is very high, also because most of the facilities are family-run and, consequently, managed and maintained with love and dedication.
Events
A Petacciato “events” rhymes with “food”! All the events organized in the village, in fact, are usually accompanied by stands that prepare and offer the best dishes of traditional Molise cuisine. Among these the most important coincides with the Petacciato Folk Festival, a musical event organized every year around the middle of August that hosts more or less famous singers, musicians and songwriters.
