Isernia, Molise's second biggest city has very ancient origins. Archaeological finds in the Pineta locality, now preserved in the local National Museum of the Paleolithic, suggest the existence of a settlement going back 730 thousand years.
The area is considered one of the most ancient sites where traces of fire used by humans have been found.
Isernia's historical center still retains a Roman structure , enhanced in part by the famous "Fraternity fountain"a refined fountain with six water jets, and an unusual arcade built by using Roman and Romanesque materials.
Not to miss is the cathedral of San Pietro Apostolo , Isernia's most important monument.
Next stop will be Carovilli, a small mountain village, about 14 km from Isernia located at 865 meters above sea leve known for its truffels. The town was founded by veteran soldiers of the Roman army in honor of their former commander, consul Spurius Carvilius.
From the gastronomic point of view, beside the tasty cheeses products, you can enjoy pasta dishes with mushrooms and truffles, which are present in significant quantities and collected in the surrounding woods.
About 5 km away from Carovilli we find San Pietro Avellana, known in ancient times as Volana. The name comes from an ancient benedictine monastery dedicated to San Peter, around which the local population stablished a settlement, later called "Avellana".
The economy was flourishing for centuries under the transhumance system, since the area was both a transit post and a place of summer pastures.
With the crisis of the pastoral economy, a massive emigration began. The town is officially known as the "Citta' del Tartufo"
( Truffle's city).
Capracotta is next on route. We are now in the "High Molise" It is the second highest municipality in Southern Italy at 1,421 metres (4,662 ft) on the sea level and on march On March 5th 2015, some 2.56 metres (101 in) of snow fell in 24 hours in the village, which may have set a new world record previously belonging to Silver Lake, Colorado, USA with 75.8 inches (1.93 m).
Capracotta matter of fact is one of Italy's the most popular winter resort.
Staffoli, in the municipality of Agnone, contains a vast natural landscape of forest covering tens of square kilometers, green pastures and clear streams, important archeology sites and traces of a transhumance civilization.
At the entrance there is a receptive evocative replica of the American Wild West greets the visitor, complete with a saloon, a rodeo area , livestock and western style accommodations. Not surprising, the long awaited yearly event is the so called "Corsalonga", a south western style meet that seem to get bigger and better every passing year, with visitors from as far away as Austalia and USA.
Agnone home to the Pontifical Marinelli Foundry, a bell manufacturing factory going back seven centuries.
