On a sunny September day, Termoli’s white travertine streets sparkle under a blue sky. A castle stands watch over a golden beach with turquoise waves providing a gentle soundtrack. Café goers marvel at the neighboring Romanesque church while the town’s residents finish their daily shop before retreating to make lunch behind heavy shutters. The simple rhythms of an Italian town.

Even the most seasoned Italian insider isn’t embarrassed to admit that they haven’t visited Molise, the last region to join the Republic back in 1963 (it’s also the country’s second smallest region at just under 4,500 square kilometers). In fact, most Italians like to joke that Molise doesn’t even exist, with mugs, T-shirts, and Facebook pages trying to turn it into the butt of a national joke.