Campomarino, Italy: travel guide to the Arbereshe village and beaches of Molise

Campomarino is a town on the Adriatic coast of Molise, in the province of Campobasso, set on a hill just above the sea about 5 kilometres south-east of Termoli and some 50 kilometres north-east of Campobasso. Home to around 7,000 people, it combines a distinctive cultural heritage with one of the finest stretches of the Molise coast.

For travellers searching for Campomarino, Arbereshe villages, the murals or beaches in Molise, it offers culture, history and seaside in equal measure.

An Arbereshe village of murals

Campomarino is one of the Arbereshe communities of Molise, descended from Albanians who fled the Ottoman advance and settled here at the end of the 15th century, and it still preserves traces of that Italo-Albanian culture. Its hilltop old town has become famous for its colourful murals, which depict scenes of Arbereshe life and history and have turned the streets into an open-air gallery.

Beaches and surroundings

Below the town, Campomarino Lido is a popular summer resort with wide sandy beaches, clear water and well-equipped lidos, suited to families and young visitors alike. From the heights the village enjoys sweeping views over the Biferno valley out to the Tremiti Islands, amid olive groves and Mediterranean scrub.

Practical information

Campomarino lies about 5 kilometres south-east of Termoli, with its own exit from the coastal road and easy access from the A14 motorway, making it a convenient base for the southern Molise coast near the border with Puglia.