Gratis gids 10 verborgen natuurplekken in Europa
Gratis gids 10 verborgen natuurplekken in Europa. Meld je aan voor onze nieuwsbrief en ontvang inspirerende reistips en routes voor je volgende groene reis.
Molise
"Molise doesn't exist." It's a joke that Italians themselves make about the country's smallest and most forgotten region. And that's exactly what makes it so interesting. Unspoiled mountain landscapes, centuries-old sheep trails all to yourself, an Adriatic coastline dotted with “trabocchi”—wooden fishing huts on stilts, now converted into restaurants perched above the water. And a cuisine that evokes an Italy that no longer exists anywhere else.
Molise is the place to go if you’re traveling beyond Abruzzo and are curious to see what comes next. Nature Travel Lab offers one carefully selected accommodation in the region, which can be booked directly with the owner.
All about nature in Italy
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The most beautiful regions for nature lovers
South Tyrol
Tuscany
Abruzzo
Piedmont
Valle d'Aosta
Sardinia
Sicily
Umbria
Molise
Le Marche
Veneto
Friuli-Venezia-Giulia
Liguria
Trentino
Puglia
Lake Como
Lake Garda
Lazio
Emilia-Romagna
Campania
Basilicata
Small-scale nature stays Italy
Choose your favorite region and discover our tips for the best small-scale Nature stays with a sustainable focus. You book directly with the owner, so you are guaranteed the lowest price.
Special accommodation in Italian nature
Find unique small-scale Nature stays in Italy. From glamping to luxury boutique hotel and from B&B to vacation home or agriturismo. They are all special and different, but they all have an eye for sustainability.
Our sustainability criteria for overnight stays
Using these sustainability icons, you can easily see in what area an overnight stay is active with its sustainability policy.
Zero footprint
Architecture
sustainable/local construction
Food
organic/local cuisine
Social
family/local runned/social projects
Wellbeing
Sauna/yoga/wellness/treatments
Surroundings
Environment/recycling
Choose your region
Sicily
Tuscany
Valle d’Aosta
Piedmont
Basilicata
Puglia
Campania
Veneto
Lombardy
Lombardy
Lake Garda
South Tyrol
Sardinia
Emilia-Romagna
Umbria
Le Marche
Trentino
Abruzzo
Liguria
Friuli-Venezia-Giulia
Lazio
Nature in Molise
"Molise doesn't exist," Italians sometimes say. It's a joke about Italy's smallest and least-known region. And at the same time, it's the best reason to visit. Molise's natural landscape remains almost entirely unspoiled, as there has been little human intervention over the centuries. Several nature reserves are protected, including the Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise, two UNESCO-protected nature reserves, and the WWF Guardiaregia Campochiaro Reserve.
Four mountain ranges together make up more than half of Molise’s total area: the Monti del Matese, the Monti della Meta, the Monti dell’Alto Molise, and the Montagnola Molisana, with several peaks exceeding 2,000 meters. In addition to the mountains, Molise also boasts forty kilometers of coastline along the Adriatic Sea, featuring tranquil sandy beaches and the iconic trabocchi—wooden fishing huts on stilts that have been converted into restaurants. From the coast, you can reach the Tremiti Islands: an undiscovered natural paradise consisting of five islands with crystal-clear waters, rugged cliffs, and hidden coves.
Molise is a region that’s at its best when you have no expectations—and that’s exactly why it always surprises you.
Hiking in Molise
When you hike in Molise, you’re literally walking through history. A must-see during your visit are the ancient tratturi: centuries-old mountain trails that shepherds used twice a year to lead their flocks from the mountains to the plains and back—a practice known as transumanza. These trails are still open to hikers, winding through a landscape that has barely changed over the centuries.
The hiking region of Molise features rugged mountains such as the Matese and Mainarde massifs, ancient forests, tranquil lakes, and picturesque river valleys: a varied landscape that feels different in every season. In winter, Campitello Matese offers skiing on the slopes of Monte Miletto; in spring and fall, those same mountains are ideal for hikes through blooming alpine meadows and beech forests. And along the coast runs the Via Verde della Costa dei Trabocchi. A virtually flat bike path right along the coastline, it’s part of the future Ciclovia Adriatica—one of the most beautiful sections of what is set to become a 1,300-kilometer-long bike path.
Spring and early fall are ideal: the temperatures are pleasant, and there are hardly any other hikers in sight.
Where to Stay in Molise
Molise isn’t really Molise until you’ve eaten there. The cuisine is simple, seasonal, and unapologetically local: cheese from sheep herds that still follow the mountain trails, pasta just like grandma used to make, and wine you won’t find anywhere else.
Tenuta Mirco Agriturismo in Montenero di Bisaccia is exactly that: an authentic family-run business with six rooms for two to five people, a lovely swimming pool with a hydromassage feature, and cuisine that is authentic and flavorful. For three generations, the Mirco family has run the business with passion—from sheep farming to crop farming and olive cultivation—until Caterina and Michele transformed the old family country house into a place where guests can relax and enjoy good food.
The location is strategic: situated between Vasto, twelve kilometers away, and Termoli, seventeen kilometers away, with views of the entire coastline and just a short distance from the Tremiti Islands. Mountains and coast: in Molise, these two worlds are inextricably linked.
Book direct with the owner through NatureTravelLab.com.
“Nature is our greatest ally and inspiration.”
– Sir David Attenborough
Special spots in nature
We select the nicest accommodations with all a focus on sustainability policies. Think luxury Treehouses in the middle of nature or a boutique hotel in the countryside. Sustainability categories range from organic cuisine and mindfull focus to waste separation and zero-waist policy.
Luxury overnight stay in nature
The accommodations all have something unique and of course a location in or near nature. Spending the night in nature does not always mean sleeping in a tent. Find special and luxurious nature stays for your active vacation or just for your slow travel experience.
Comfortable overnight stay in nature
The overnight focus on sustainability policy gives attention to comfort and quality.
They often use their own vegetable garden or local cuisine. Much attention is paid to the quality of the accommodation, the environment and the guest.