The best MTB trails around Sesto Campano

Ciorlano is a small village in the upper Volturno, overlooking the valley and surrounded by a rural landscape of fields, springs, and wooded slopes rising toward the Matese Mountains. Piazza Vendettuoli is the focal point of community life in the village, offering numerous panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.

Mennella Castle is an ancient castrum (fortress) located in the "Le Mura" area of Filignano, in the Volturno Valley, in Upper Molise. It is a fortified hilltop settlement of early medieval origin, with likely earlier roots, recognizable today through the remains of walls, a tower, and structures uncovered during archaeological excavations conducted between the late 1990s and early 2000s. The site served a strategic purpose in controlling the valley's transit routes and represents one of the most significant examples of the system of castles and walled villages in the County of Molise.

Easily passable both uphill and downhill. Going downhill you can do it at full speed 🚵🏼‍♀️💨

The sanctuary was founded in 1430[1] by Saint Bernardino of Siena and Saint Giacomo della Marca, who had arrived there following the news of the discovery of a statue of the Virgin in the same or previous year[2]. A first rural chapel was built, then a first church, shortly afterwards enlarged in its current form between 1448 and 1507 This event has taken on a legendary character in popular tradition. In fact it is said that, towards the end of 1300, a shepherd boy who took his goats to graze along that mountain noticed a curious fact: every day, one of the goats moved away from its companions and in the evening it was the one that gave the most milk. Intrigued, one day he decided to follow her. He was thus led in front of a cave where the goat stopped to graze on lush grass. The shepherd decided to enter it and found a trunk. He immediately thought he had found a treasure, but had to retreat when he realized that the chest was guarded by a snake with two keys in its mouth. Frightened, he went to town to call for reinforcements. Relatives and friends rushed to the cave, and when the reptile gave them the keys, the trunk was opened revealing its treasure: the icon of the Blessed Virgin in lava stone. The Grotto can still be visited next to the church Inside there is a magnificent rectangular cloister with pointed arches supported by small columns

Easily reachable by cycling in the middle of nature........

beautiful in this season for the flowering gorse

Venafro boasts ancient origins linked to the Samnites and the Romans. Characterized by a historic center with a medieval appearance, it stands out for its rich history and architecture influenced by Neapolitan Baroque. The Co-Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, a jewel of Venafro, dates back to the 5th century. Located at the foot of the Oraziano Park, it features Gothic-medieval interiors with 14th century paintings, testifying to centuries of history and faith. The Regional Agricultural and Historical Olive Park, the first in Molise, celebrates the local olive-growing heritage. Known for the high quality of the oil, mentioned by poets such as Horace, the park combines agricultural importance with historical and ecological values.

The Chapel of the Madonna del Morzone in Filignano, built in 1898, is an example of nineteenth-century rural architecture. Built in local stone, it owes its origin to a Marian apparition, becoming a place of worship for the faithful.