Actor Robert De Niro’s great-grandparents emigrated from the Molisan hill town of Ferrazzano.
Even a casual observer of mass Italian tourism reads and hears the commentary.
Tuscany is overrun with outsiders.
Venice is sinking under hordes of cruise line passengers.
Rome is deluged with foreigners.
The Cinque Terre is so crowded that’s it has lost its once-remote allure.
Capri is a tourist trap.
These magnificent places attract multitudes who come to experience the magnificent art, history, cuisines, cultures, and natural beauty.
While it’s the job of the government, tourism industry, and local communities to sort out the long-term future of mass tourism in Italy, it’s my good fortune to offer a plan for right now.
Simply get off the tourism conveyor belt. Each time Walter and I travel to Italy, we choose to explore places that are new to us. Like the region of Molise. We wander, dine, learn, and laugh surrounded by Italians instead of English, German, or Chinese-language speakers.
And isn’t that the reason we all want to experience Italy?
Oratino, Molise
During our recent sojourn in the city of Campobasso, our B&B host Luciano Viola, urged us to drive up to Oratino for lunch at Ristorante Olmicello. He seemed so intent on the prospect that we began to wonder if he was a shareholder in the business. Turns out, Luciano was just the best at promoting some of his area’s finest.
As dramatic spring clouds scuttled across a brilliant blue sky, we made the 15-minute drive northwest of Campobasso to Oratino. In the small park and overlook, we soaked in a verdant vista.
