Dear I viaggi dell’origano’s traveller, we’re happy to invite you to take a look at the travels calendar 2020, constantly looking for nature, history, art, culture and delicious food and beverage in Molise. Beyond its typical shepherd’s tracks and paths (concerning history and culture), we propose to discover the soul of Molise (meetings with locals, natural landscapes, old villages, rural life, archaeological areas, traditional cuisine and more). Our mission is: to give you an experience of high-quality sustainable tourism in a cosy atmosphere that you will never forget. Currently, we includes all the areas of Molise: high valley of Volturno River (hills and mountains), high Molise (mountains), low Molise (hills close Adriatic Sea), Matese (mountains), Mainarde (mountains), central Molise (hills), Montagnola Molisana (mountains) and valley of Fortore River (hills). Nine available treks for the season 2020, that start from a minimum of four to a maximum of five days, including two day for the way back journey to Molise: “Into the green of high Molise“; “Molise between nature and history“; “Trekking by Molise lakes“; “Trails of Matese on snowshoes“; “In the heart of Molise“; “Up and down through the mountains of Matese“; “On shepherd’s tracks in Molise“; “On the wool roads of Molise“. In addition, two weekend treks (two walking days and one night): “Trekking by the lake of Occhito“; “Trekking on tracks of Samnites in Molise“. We are waiting you to spend an amazing experience! Our mission is to make sure the customer will have an high-quality holiday, with a friendly and cosy atmosphere, and to let people know Molise, showing its history, nature and landscapes. Moreover, walkers will experience the pleasure to be accompanied by an expert guide for all the duration of the trekking tour. A kind of walking that is not an end into itself. Throughout slow steps, we share our love for the history of places we passed through, for rural and pastoral culture typical of these heathlands, for its rich nature, often wild too. We make a tourism that respects slow rhythms, environment and nature we pass through, the small communities we will meet along trails and sheep tracks, the old traditional cuisine that one can taste during a rest. Molise A distinctively natural and rural region to enjoy your holiday experience to the fullest. The guide Our professional Nature and Walking Guide will take care of you throughout the whole holiday. Experiential holidays Not only walking, but also meetings with locals, storytelling and workshops. Small group Groups with a minimum of two to a maximum of twelve participants or from three to a maximum of sixteen people: the best way to know each other. Food and accommodation in Molise Regional cuisine – including zero miles food and drinks – and the most well-appointed accommodation. A holiday to remember Our aim is to give you an high-quality holiday in a cosy and friendly atmosphere. INTO THE GREEN OF HIGH MOLISE The tour “Into the green of high Molise” offers the great experience of a high-quality naturalistic, landscape and eco-friendly journey. Paths you will go through are characterised by a mountainous territory, that stands out thanks to a lush nature, where woods and grazings reign supreme. Walking from Carovilli to Agnone and enjoy the beauty of nature, food and art of high Molise. Historical and cultural itinerary Evidencies of Samnites, with the defensive stystem around Monte Cavallerrizzo’s peak (1524 meters above sea level) and Vastogirardi’s doric temple. The hermitage of San Luca, carved into the rock and place of meditation since the Middle Ages. The different and fascinating pastoral trulli, where countless generations of transhumant shepherds used to take a rest. The place where Regio Tratturo Celano-Foggia and Tratturello Castel del Giudice- Sprondasino meet, both direct witnesses of centuries of transhumance and priceless historical-cultural heritage. Amazing historical towns An added value to the journey is given by the villages you will meet along the way. Soaked in high- profile landscape contexts, each one offers remarkable architectural evidences: Castiglione di Carovilli and its church on the Colle (XV); Carovilli and its church of Santa Maria Assunta; Vastogirardi and its Angevin castle tower (XIII century), with the annexed church of Santa Maria Assunta; Capracotta and its center full of palaces and churches; Pescopennataro, its cliff and its architectural heritage made up of churches and fountains; Castel del Giudice and the church of San Nicola (XV-XVI century); Agnone and its rich historical-cultural heritage, a real jem of Molise. Peaks to climb To mountain-climber lovers, you will climb three of the most important peaks of Alto Molise: Monte Cavallerizzo (1524 meters above sea level), Monte Capraro (1730 meters above sea level) and Monte Campo (1746 meters above sea level). All the three peaks are characterised by the presence of superlative rockly environments and lush beech forests, that you will cross along while climbing and descending. In addition, these mountains stand out thanks to long ridges and rocky balconies from which you can enjoy sensational views. Untouched and wild nature Really outstanding landascapes that you can admire step by step. You will have many chances to contemplate mountain ranges of Molise and Abruzzo, hills of central and western Molise and southern Chieti, valleys of Sangro’s River and Verrino’s creek (tributary of Trigno), until you even get to see the Adriatic sea on the horizon. The Abeti Sovrani woods will further set this tour apart, an extensive beech forest with large isolated white firs. A forest that is a real rarity throughout the central Apennines. Folklore and local music During the rest, you can attend performances of folklore and traditional music typical of the rural and pastoral Molise’s culture and you can visit artisan dairies and family-run stables. Delicious food and excellent drinks The journey is enriched by the excellent traditional cuisine of Molise and its excellent drinks. Typical products and traditional dishes, often handmade and old-fashioned, cheer up the evenings of walkers. You can taste cheeses such as caciocavallo, pecorino, burrata, manteca and others; cured meats like soppressata, ventricina, capicollo, rolled up ventresca, etc.; white and black truffles. You can drink Moscato white wine and Tintilia red wine. Itinerary First Day Colle Arso (Carovilli) Arrival at Carovilli and welcome aperitif. Accommodation and briefing of the journey. Tour of stables and dinner. Night in riding school. Second day From Colle Arso (Carovilli) to Vastogirardi. From Colle Arso’s district (Carovilli) we will go through the beautiful forest of Selva di Castiglione, to get to the hamlet of Castiglione di Carovilli, with its great fortress. Once visited the small center, we head to Carovilli. After, we climb up the mount of Coste Ingotta (1035 meters above sea level), then we walk on the slopes of Monte Ingotta (1185 meters above sea level) to the Guado della Mala Cavuta, between Carovilluccio hills (1076 meters above sea level) and Macchia Pelata (1126 meters above sea level). On Colle Riposi (1098 meters above sea level) we cross the Regio Tratturo Celano-Foggia and enter the woods of Santa Maria and La Selva, along Monte Pizzi (1372 meters above sea level). Then, after crossing Trigno River, we stop in Vastogirardi. Picnic. Dinner at farmhouse. Night in B&B. Technical features of the journey Duration: 4/5 hours. Lenght of the trek: 15 km. Total difference in height (up): +699 metres. Total difference in height (down): -499 metres. Difficulty: easy. Third day From Vastogirardi to Capracotta. From Vastogirardi we you reach Piano Sant'Angelo and visit the doric Samnite Temple. Then, go up towards Crocetta and Monte Cavallerizzo (1524 meters above sea level), on whose peaks you can visit one of the most beautiful Cyclopean walls of Sannio pentro. Going around the evocative mountain, you climb up Monte Capraro (1730 meters above sea level), from which you can admire a beautiful view of Molise mountains and southern Abruzzo. Once down from Monte Capraro, we reach Capracotta. Picnic. Dinner in restaurant. Night in B&B. Technical features of the journey Duration: 4/5 hours. Lenght of the trek: 14.5 km. Total difference in height (up): +934 metres. Total difference in height (down): -705 metres. Difficulty: challenging. Fourth day From Capracotta to Pescopennataro. We climb Monte Campo (1746 meters above sea level), the highest peak of high Molise, from which you can admire a panorama that sweeps up to the Adriatic Sea. Very characteristic is the long rocky ridge of this mountain, with jumps and rocky spurs overhanging the valley below. Afterwards, we descend to Prato Gentile, a modest but particular circular grassy plateau. Next, we visit the hermitage of San Luca, set on the rock face of the homonymous mountain, cross the beautiful Bosco Abeti Soprani, an ecological rarity of central Apennines, and arrive at Pescopennataro. Transfer by car to Castel del Giudice. Picnic. Dinner in restaurant. Night in ‘albergo diffuso’. Technical features of the journey Duration: 4/5 hours. Lenght of the trek: 12.5 km. Total difference in height (up): +550 metres. Total difference in height (down): -712 metres. Difficulty: medium. Fifth day From Castel del Giudice to Agnone. We go along the ancient Tratturello Castel del Giudice-Sprondasino, the minor artery of transhumance in southern Italy. Even if now it does not have its original features anymore, the path is very interesting thanks to its naturalistic and historical-cultural evidences. The pastoral touor goes up the valley of Sangro River, crosses Capracotta and descends into the valley of Verrino River, passing Agnone as far as Trigno River, to join Regio Tratturo Celano-Foggia.