In my daily time-wasting, travel-related browsing, while my apartment remains as chock-filled as it was when I began my most recent "de-cluttering" project, I came across this article from LIFE magazine.
I'd never heard of Venzone, or its mummies, before, but look:


https://www.life.com/destinations/mysterious-italy-the-mummies-of-venzone/

Venzone is a small medieval town along the motorway and the railway line Vienna - Venice, some 30 miles from the Austrian border.
It's visit can easily be combined wwith that of the Eastern Dolomites or of Northwestern Slovenia (Bovec, Vrsic Pass, Caporetto, etc.).
Venzone, one of the most beautiful village in Italy

Hmm, and it’s on the Alpe-Adria cycle path. Now firmly on my radar, thank you.

Has anyone cycled in Carinthia and southwards?

FTOttawa: I suppose you may be interested in the Porettana ciclyng trail too?

neckervd , “expert level, very good fitness required”: not any more. But thanks for the thought.

Thanks for the reply. But the area between Carinthia and Friuli isn't flat neither.....

offtopic for ekscrunchy (or others who may have answers to my question): Have you been to Vasto? Or Isernia? If so, what did you think?

And no, I have never been to Venzone!

Leely, I went back and forth on Vasto vs Termoli and decided on Termoli. Part of the reason was that the beach was right below town, rather than in a separate "marina" area. But in the end, the beach didn't matter because it poured every day we were there (about 4 nights, I think).

We also spent two nights in a lovely agriturismo not far away:

https://www.agriturismoessentia.com


Worth going to inland Molise for this one product!!!



https://www.tinastable.com/pampanella-molisana/

Oh, thanks for sharing! I also once came across Venzone - an amazing place with incredible history and a special atmosphere. These small Italian towns often remain in the shadows, but they keep so much unique!

As a spice and pork lover, I approve this message.

Appreciate your response. As usual, I am planning last minute, and for high season. I leave in two months and have a number of issues (e.g., I will rent a car, but want to pick up in the region because I have an old hamstring injury that doesn't like drives longer than an hour-ish). I'm sure it will be lovely no matter what!

Oh, Leely, give us a hint of where you are thinking of visiting!!

In Termoli, we stayed in an albergo diffuse:

https://www.residenzasveva.com/en/our-rooms

I am currently on holiday in Italy, focused around Abruzzo & Molise. We chose 2 bases for Molise :
- a coastal base in Termoli, for the reasons ekscrunchy already mentioned, plus the connectivity to the Tremiti Islands, a wonderful day trip. We also stayed in Residenza Sveva
- an inland base in Isernia, convenient for everything we wanted to see in the area - Agnone, Pietrabbondante, Carpinone, Saepinum, Venafro etc.

Thank you, eks, and wow, ANUJ, what a coincidence! Thanks so much--I had been thinking about Isernia because it appears I can rent a car there. What were your lodgings in Isernia?

I fly into Naples and will spend 5-6 days there, then a few nights on Ischia. And then??? I'm thinking Molise/Abruzzo. I've been to Abruzzo but never Molise. Fly out of Rome. Full trip is three weeks.

Yes, yes, yes!! I love your plan!!!
And very excited to learn that Anuj is there and hope we willl be able to savor reports very soon!!



Let us know if you need any help or ideas and we promise to do our best!!
I regret not spending more time in inland Molise. That was a major planning mistake; also we had pretty bad weather during our time in Termoli which could not help but "dampen" our time spent there (sorry for that!). Fred Plotkin's book has some good information about Molise (and every other region of the country!)


Here is a thread, to which Leely contributed, that has a little info on planning for Molise and also for the more difficult decisions on where to stay on the drive from Molise back to Rome..

Overnight in rather obscure area (for foreign travelers) in Lazio ) and Puglia?????



For anyone driving from parts of Abruzzo back to Rome, the town of Carsolii makes a great lunch stopover before dropping the car, either at FCO or in Rome. (Carsoli also has rental agencies but not any of the big ones). I had read about this restaurant a long time ago, from one of the respected foreign writers dedicated to food in Italy, and it proved to be a memorable meal...only an hour from Rome, I had read that sone people take the train from Rome to eat there...



L'Angolo d'Abruzzo | lomejordelagastronomia.com

I stayed in an apartment listed on booking.com, just off Pza Celestino V in Isernia, but other than location, didn't have much going for it. Consider Residence Portacastello. I don't recall seeing any major rental agencies here, are you sure about car availability? We have picked up (and will return) our car in Rome (flying in an out of Rome).

And yes, I will do a full TR upon my return.