I can't find a single reference to Venafro when I searched. Has anyone been there?

We are planning for our Oct trip - we have 12 nights and are thinking of starting in Scicily then coming to Molise (have found a lovely place in Venafro right on the train line) and then winding down in Rome before we catch a Trans cruise back. to the US. That way we eliminate flying one way - which is the best way I can entice my dh to Italy.
If not Venafro - can you suggest another place in Molise - preferably close to the train as we will not have a car.
Thanks - as usual,
Carol

I've traveled in the Molise but haven't been to Venafro. It's on the local train line so if you are coming from Sicily, make sure about your connections. The Molise is beautiful but somewhat difficult to get around without a car. An interesting area to visit are the towns of Sulmona and Scanno where you may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of women (usually elderly) that still wear the regional dress.

Ah Grinsia,
You have opened up some new ideas and towns for me to research!

This is what I have found for the train schedule but I have no idea about the times. (I'll check Trenitalia)

In treno:
linea    Roma - Cassino - Venafro - Isernia - Campobasso - Termoli
linea   Napoli - Caserta - Venafro - Isernia - Campobasso - Termoli

(Is termoli the termination point?)

I am happy about the train connection from Venafro to Caserta as that is one place I have wanted to visit.

We are not at all sure about Scicily - we have no connections there, but our dear friends do, and want us to visit so we can take pictures etc.

But we definitly want to spend some time in Molise - so we will start from there and branch out. Or sandwich it in the middle!

Planning! My favorite thing on a cold dreary foggy day.

Carol

Brahmama, I have been in Isernia and Campobasso as well as the tiny village of Cantolupo many times but am not famaliar with Veafro.

So out of curiousity I went to www.google.com and typed in Venafro, Italy into the search box.

Please do this, there are lots of websites and think you will get all the information you are looking for.

Molise is beautiful! But as Grinisa said you do need a car to get around to the various darling villages. But you will be staying in a place few have, that will be special. Have a wonderful trip.

Hi LoveItaly,
Thanks for the reply! You know, I just came from googling and I didn't find anything except references to the B&B that we are interested in. I was particularly interested in finding if there were some places to eat (of course!) and other places to stay. I did find a lot of history in Italian (which I took to the translator) but didn't find what I'm looking for. I did find a map showing the location of the B&B - but nothing else.
I've also done a search on Slow Travel and there was only one reference and actually that is where I found it to begin with!
So, I'll keep looking. And - you are probably right - we may have to rent a car. I wonder where the nearest car rental would be in that area? I don't think we want to drive out of Naples!
Carol

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...&q=venafro

LoveItaly, have you by any chance read Frank Monaco's wonderful book "Women of the Molise?" It's actually a collection of photographs taken after WWII in the village of Cantalupo, Monaco's ancestral hometown.

Grinisa, you are giving me chills.

No I have not even heard of this book.

I don't mean to sound overdramatic but seriously I am almost shaking.

The reason is this. My dearest friend who is like a sister is from Cantalupo. She and her brothers came here when she and I were 14 years of age. I saw her the first day she was in school. We made eye contact and have been "sister of the heart" ever since.
She lived with her maternal grandparents here in CA. I spent at least 2 weekends of every month with her at her grandparents house. Her grandmother taught me how to cook Italian food.

We are so close that when my DH suddenly died after calling her siblings my daughter called this friend and of course she came early morning immediately to my house. She is the one that made all the arrangements for his funeral mass.

And I was in Cantalupo one time as her dear paternal grandmother was dying. She thought I was her granddaughter, and in spirit I was. She died two days later. She still has many family members there as well has the house she grew up in (until she was sent to America).

Now, guess what my friends maiden name is? Yes, Monaco.

I must get this book immediately. One for her and one for me. This is incrediable. I can't even tell you.

BTW, my friend was just a little girl (older brothers) when the Nazi's rolled their tanks into their village. She remembers standing in her bedroom window looking down on them. The family along with other residents ended up living in caves in the mountains later. Bad terrible stories. Basically my friend will not talk about it, will not answer questions. She would talk to me about her village, her experiences, her life for hours during the night.

Grinisa, in the middle of the small piazza is a monument. On top of the monument is the American Eagle.
On the monument is engraved the names of all the men from the village that lost their lives in WWI and WWII. The monument was put there by the villagers as a documentation to the American troops that rescued their dear village and them from the Nazi's. It makes your hair stand on end when you see. The first time we drove into this village in the 1970's I felt as I had already been there as my friend had described every detail of it so perfect. Can you image what this book will mean to my friend? And I would image the author is a relative (half of the village has the same last name). The other half are all pretty much related too of course.

My dear I don't know how to thank you for this information. I am in shock. I have said many times that it is amazing what one can learn on Fodors but this tops the cake for sure. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

Brahmama, Hi, I am confused because when I googled Venafro earlier there were several pages of website. Now there is only three. Maybe try again later.

About a car rental. I am sure that Isernia or Campobossa have car rental agencies. You will love Molise! It is so beautiful.

LI: When I googled Venafro without narrowing down the search, I came up with 84,500 results. See link posted above. Maybe you just typed a letter wrong the second time you tried.

Sorry, I didn't make myself clear. When I said that I didn't find a single reference to Venafro I was talking about the Fodor's Europe Forum! And there is exactly one on Slow Travel.

Of course there are many many hits on Google. But I was unable to find any concerning a hotel, or a restaurant or even general tourism. I did find several with the name of the B&B where we are hoping to stay and I have read all of those hoping for more information - and I did find a map of Venafro on one of those.

Actually, I always do a "Google" when I am searching for anything. I had the same problem when looking for Castlegondolfo, but I did find some very interesting things there eventually (for our May trip).

There is a chapter in "Italian Days" a very interesting book about Italy by barbara Grizzuthi Harrison, but it was published in '89 so not too current.

And truly what I am hoping to find is some kind of review or comments from someone who has actually stayed in Venafro or at the B&B.

Sorry I didn't make more sense!

I have found quite a lot about Molise, but not as much as the other regions in Italy for some reason.

Thanks for the help - I guess I need to translate some of the hits that look promising.

Carol

Maybe you can find something useful in these sites that came up in a narrower search: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...turismo+molise

LoveItaly, I'm so happy that my little question about one of my favorite books on Italy (which I hesitated even posting for its obscurity) meant so much to you! Yes, immediately get the book and I know you and your friend will treasure it. Monaco's photos of these women are amazing. It's available on Amazon.

Dear Grinisa, your "little question" seriously put me in shock, I am serious.

My dear friend held an Italian celebration in her small town (in the SF Bay Area) several years ago. She wore her grandmothers clothes from Cantalupo (which means singing wolves). I took so many photos of her, and of course gave her a set. They are so special. And how many friends know each families so well as she and I do.
Truly blessed.

I can hardly wait to present her with this book. I already know the tears she will have in her eyes. All thanks to you. And to Brahmama too of course for starting this thread. Sometimes it seems as though a little angel makes miracles doesn't it. My best to you both.

Thanks LoveItaly! If Frank Monaco is indeed one of your friend's relatives, she may also enjoy his other book, "Brothers and Sisters, Glimpses of a Cloistered Life." Most of those beautiful photos were taken in monasteries and convents in Italy.

First of all my apologies to you Brahmama as I did not mean to hijack your thread. But obviously I did.

Would you put up with me for one more post? I thank you in advance.

To: Grinisa, I finally reached my dear friend (who is from Cantalupo) last night. I told her about "The Women From Molise" written and photographed by Frank Monaco. She was shocked. She was not famaliar with the book or Frank. But she was going to immediately contact her brother in NY - this Frank has to be a relative of their father. As you can imagine we had quite an emotional conversation.

And today I order the book via Amazon.

Again dear Grinisa, so many thanks you for bringing up the subject of this book. Keep in mind that my friend did not leave Cantolupo until 1953. And he took the photographs in 1950. So she will talk to her aunt etc. in Cantolupo about this also.

This book was published in 2001. So Frank obviously had the photos for many decades before having the book printed.

Isn't it amazing what some of us can share on Fodors?

And dear Brahmama, how are you doing with your trip planes. Molise is one of the lesser known regions, which is what makes it so much more special IMHO. Please post regarding what information you have come across. I know you will love being there. It is so different then where there are tourist every ten feet.

Yes, Brahmama, thanks for letting us "hijack" the thread! LoveItaly, after writing about the book on this thread, I went back to look at it again, savoring each photo whether it be joyful or very sad. I hope you enjoy it. Wouldn't it be something if your friend recoginizes anyone in the pictures? Let me know!

I always think that threads have a mind of their own - and I find it fascinating to see how they evolve.

I have read your posts with great interest and a little envy, as I have no Italian roots at all, sigh, whimper. I think it's great serendipity that you have made this great connection - but it doesn't surprise me - as the world gets smaller every day.

One of the most rewarding thing for me as I travel, is to make connections with locals. We have been very fortunate in some of our trips and I look forward to seeing 2 of our friends again as they are both living in Rome now. Of course we hope to make more on our May trip and our October trip.

Thank you for asking about our plans, Willtravel, that was so thoughtful! They are coming along nicely, but as usual, we have had a major change. If you really want to know!

This is our itinerary for Oct now:
We will fly into FCO and train immediately to Orvieto where our lady will pick us up and take us to our rental for a week. I'll post more about this as I learn - but she has offered to take us to several interesting places.
Then we train to Rome and on to Venafro which is right on the train. Another lovely lady will meet our train and we will stay with her at least 4 nights. This will be around 9 Oct and she has suggested this as a good time to observe the grape harvest on her place. Also she is taking us to a buffalo mozerella farm to observe and then have lunch. We will also train one day to Casserta.
From there we are planning to finish up at Castelgondolfo. We are trying to decide whether to add an extra week or cruise back to the US. I guess you know what my preference is!

Planning for trips is almost as much fun as actually beeing there. Of course then after the trip you have the wonderful memories.

Hello Brahmama, your trip sounds delightful! You must be getting so excited.

And I don't have to even guess - you prefer one extra week in Italy!

Dear LoveItaly,

You know me very well I think!

Yes, I am thinking that it would be better to have one more week in Italy but then I woul dhave to start to research where to stay for that extra week.

Where would you suggest? As you see, we like out-of-the way places - they are less touristed and much kinder on our budget.

Carol