Molise is one of Italy's smallest and least-touristy regions, a hidden corner of the central Apennines where Roman ruins, Samnite sanctuaries, mountain villages, and a short stretch of Adriatic coast remain remarkably unspoiled. Split from Abruzzo in 1963, it rewards travellers seeking authentic Italy without the crowds.
Luxury hotels
Five-star and palace properties.
Borgotufi Albergo Diffuso
A meticulously restored stone-village 'scattered hotel' in the hills of Alto Molise, where old shepherds' cottages have become elegant rooms and suites scattered through a reborn hamlet. With a fine restaurant, a wellness centre and organic apple orchards, it is the region's most charming design-led rural retreat and a model of sustainable Italian hospitality.
Locanda Mammì (Rooms)
The restored family farmhouse of Molise's only Michelin-starred restaurant offers a handful of intimate, romantic rooms in the green hills outside Agnone. Staying here pairs refined country comfort with privileged access to chef Stefania Di Pasquo's cuisine and sommelier Tomas Torsiello's cellar, surrounded by tranquil farmland and views of rolling Apennine hills.
Residenza Sveva
A charming scattered hotel woven through the medieval lanes of Termoli's borgo antico, a homage to the Swabian (Sveva) dynasty, with individually styled rooms a few steps from the sea and the Adriatic ramparts. An excellent adjacent restaurant and an atmospheric old-town setting make it the most refined coastal base in Molise.
Grand Hotel Rinascimento
Campobasso's leading full-service hotel, with an indoor pool, a panoramic terrace, a restaurant and a convenient hillside position near the Monforte castle and the city's museums. A comfortable, well-appointed base for exploring inland Molise in style, with easy reach of Saepinum and the Matese mountains.
Fine dining
Michelin-starred and chef-driven restaurants.
Locanda Mammì
Molise's only Michelin-starred restaurant and the region's gastronomic flagship, set in a restored farmhouse in the hills outside Agnone. Chef Stefania Di Pasquo reinterprets Molisan ingredients with modern precision, while sommelier Tomas Torsiello pairs an accomplished cellar of regional wines and champagnes in a warm, fire-lit dining room.
Svevia
A refined seafood restaurant within Termoli's historic borgo, celebrated for the freshest Adriatic fish, the local brodetto alla termolese fish stew, and creative tasting menus served in an elegant setting beside the medieval walls.
Borgotufi Restaurant
The restaurant of the Borgotufi village hotel serves elevated mountain Molisan cuisine built on estate-grown and local produce — handmade pastas, Apennine lamb and pork, foraged ingredients and orchard fruits — in a beautifully restored stone setting.
Exclusive experiences
Bespoke and once-in-a-lifetime activities.
Private Tintilia Wine Estate Tasting
A private tour and tasting at a historic Molise wine estate such as Di Majo Norante near Campomarino, whose vineyards run between the Gargano and the Adriatic. Explore the cellars and vines and taste the rare native Tintilia alongside Falanghina, Aglianico and a Moscato passito, paired with local produce, by reservation.
Private Truffle Hunt and Tasting in Alto Molise
Molise produces an outsized share of Italy's truffles. A private hunt with an expert trifolau and trained dogs through the oak woods near San Pietro Avellana and Agnone is followed by an exclusive truffle-focused lunch or dinner. Black summer and prized white truffles appear depending on the season.
Private Boat Charter to the Tremiti Islands
Charter a private boat from Termoli to the Tremiti archipelago for a day of swimming in clear water, exploring sea caves and coves around San Domino, and visiting the medieval abbey on San Nicola, away from the scheduled ferry crowds and entirely on your own schedule.
Helicopter and Private Transfer from Rome or Naples
Arrive in Molise in comfort with a private chauffeured car or a helicopter transfer from Rome, Naples or Pescara, turning the journey across the Apennines into a scenic experience and avoiding the limited rail and road connections to this remote region.
Private After-Hours Tour of Saepinum and Agnone
A bespoke private day with an expert guide combines the fence-free Roman city of Saepinum, walked in near solitude, with a private visit to the thousand-year-old Marinelli bell foundry in Agnone to watch artisans cast bronze bells by hand, followed by a curated regional lunch.
Spas & wellness
World-class spa retreats and treatments.
Borgotufi Wellness Centre
The wellness centre at the Borgotufi village hotel offers a serene mountain retreat with sauna, treatments and relaxation areas amid restored stone cottages and orchards in the Alto Molise hills — the most charming spa setting in the region.
Centrum Palace Spa
The spa at Campobasso's Centrum Palace Hotel & Resorts provides a full urban wellness escape with sauna, hydromassage and a menu of massages and beauty treatments — a comfortable refuge after a day exploring the city and inland sights.
Elisir Wellness Centre, Hotel Il Duca del Sannio
The Elisir wellness centre in Agnone offers sauna, hydromassage, a solarium shower and a range of massages in the historic bell-making town, a relaxing complement to a cultural day at the Marinelli foundry and Alto Molise.
Luxury transport
Travel in style.
- Option
- A private car with an English-speaking driver is the most practical luxury way to explore Molise's scattered coastal, hill and mountain sights, with door-to-door transfers from Rome, Naples or Pescara and flexible bespoke day touring across both provinces.
- Option
- Helicopter transfers from Rome, Naples or Pescara airports and scenic charters over the Matese, the Mainarde and the Adriatic coast turn arrival and sightseeing into a spectacular experience while saving hours over the road.
- Option
- A privately skippered boat from Termoli port provides exclusive access to the Tremiti Islands and the Molise coast, with bespoke itineraries for swimming, snorkelling and dining on the water away from scheduled ferries.