Ciao y'all.
NaturallyKenya here.
Welcome back to my channel.
In this video, we are going to talk about my second home in the countryside, Molise.
Where is it?
Does it exist?
If you are new here, my name is Kenya.
Yes, like the country.
I'm an American girl sharing my experiences while living in Rome, Italy.
From food, to travel to everyday travel and taking you on a tourist trip around Rome,
I am here to share all of those things with you on my channel.
I have shared Molise with you guys a bit, it is my second home in the country, and I
have made a few vlogs on the region in the past.
So, basically, when I'm not in Rome and I'm trying to escape the chaos and the traffic
and the pollution and the attitudes of Rome, Italy, I do go to Molise.
But first and foremost, what is Molise and does it exist?
Molise is actually one of the twenty Italian regions.
It is basically the "newborn baby"of Italy and it is the youngest and one of the smallest
regions in Italy, only after Valle d'Aosta.
I mention it's youth because it did become a region around 1963 and it broke apart from
the previous region called Abruzzi e Molise.
Most people think Tuscany, Lombardy, Puglia when they think about Italian regions, but--
Hello!
There are many other regions in Italy that you should consider, Molise being one of them.
I think Molise deserves some credit as well.
It is a mountain rich region located between Puglia and Abruzzo and consists of rolling
hills and lower mountains when approaching the Adriatic coast.
Molise consists of two provices, Campobasso and Isernia, with Campobasso as the regional
capital city.
I personally feel like everyone is missing out on the region, because it is a nice nature
escape with perfect seafood and nice beaches as well.
It also is a nice place to visit in Italy, because a lot of the traditions are still
alive today.
Especially in Termoli, which is known for its trabucchi, these traditional fishing huts,
which can show the traditional fishermen and farmer culture of the region.
Of course, there is delicious food and wine like in many of the Italian regions.
One of my favorite wineries is located in the area, it is called Di Majo Norante.
I did a vlog on this place a long time ago, so I'll link it here.
It was about three or four years ago, where I went to the winery and did a tour and documented
some of it in that video.
Some of the most popular wine production is Montepulciano, Tintilia and Sangiovese.
In terms of food the cuisine it is as bit similar to Abruzzo, with the spicy salami
and pampanella.
Pampanella is my personal favorite, originating from San Martino in Pensilis.
Pampanella is this spiced pork with garlic and chili sauces.
It is really hard to explain, but it is basically the closest thing I can get in Italy to American
Barbecue.
Kinda like brisket, it falls off the bone, it really melts in your mouth and it's delicious.
Just delicious.
My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
Italians actually joke that the region does not exist because it is a bit small and obscure,
making a joke that Molise is a part of some conspiracy theory.
The funny part is, a lot of Italians haven't even been to Molise.
It is like this little area on the map where nobody visits, maybe they drive through, but
nobody ever stops.
The ironic thing is actually that the New York Times named Molise on their 52 Places
to Visit in 2020 as number 37.
And...
I mean... look what happened...
The pandemic just took things to another level, but I hope in the future, a lot of people
have a chance to experience the region, because I think it's beautiful and it is not as well
known as the other regions in Italy, which I feel like makes it even more of a special
hidden gem and a wonderful tourist destination if you are here visiting instead of the more
well-known areas like Tuscany.
There is still time for people to visit Molise, so I really hope that when the world opens
up a little bit again, that people are able to experience why I find comfort in the region
and help to drive a bit of tourism to the region.
There are a lot of local efforts as well to make sure this is accomplished and I'm really
supportive of that.
I feel like you have to keep this traditional spirit alive, especially in the countryside,
where so many people are leaving to find other job opportunities.
I really hope that in the future when things open a bit, you consider Molise as one of
your tourist destinations, especially in the summer time.
It is a wonderful area.
This is just one of the many videos I plan to do on my channel discussing my second home
in the countryside, Molise, from things to do, where to eat and drink, and traditional
cultural experiences as well in the region.
So, if you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to my channel.
I will have more of Molise for you guys.
If you have already, make sure to check out my previous vlogs and I will see you guys
in the next one.
Sending lots of love, especially to my people in Molise, and I will see you guys in the
next one.
Ciao!