Molise has only a few kilometres of coast, sandy and quiet, with the old town of Termoli by the sea. Inland there are lakes beneath the Mainarde and waterfalls where people swim in summer. Here you will find the best spots for each activity, with the right wind, the level required and the rules to know.
Each number matches a spot in the list.
For each spot: level, best time and the winds that make it calm or best avoided.
You paddle beneath the walls of Termoli's old town, which looks out to sea from a rocky spur, with the Swabian castle and the trabucchi on the rocks.
Windyes Calm sea in the morning · no Bora, Maestrale, Libeccio
Full details →A green lake at the foot of the Mainarde, on the edge of the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park, a few minutes from the abbey of San Vincenzo al Volturno.
Windyes Calm mornings · no Thunderstorms
Full details →Below the village of Carpinone the Carpino stream forms a series of waterfalls and green pools, among the remains of old mills: in summer people from Isernia come here to cool off.
Windyes Hot, settled days · no After rain or in thunderstorms
Full details →Before choosing a spot, check where the wind is coming from: the same cove can be a swimming pool or a place to avoid.
At sea, the bylaws of the Termoli harbour authority apply; on lakes and rivers, those of the municipalities.
There are no marine protected areas on the coast: the bathing bylaws of the Termoli harbour authority apply, with launch corridors for kitesurfing, windsurfing and canoes.
On Molise's lakes and streams, swimming is regulated by the municipalities: follow the signs and do not swim after rain, when the streams swell.
Snorkellers and divers must mark their position with a diver-down buoy (or a red flag with a white diagonal stripe) and stay within 50 metres of it: harbour-office ordinances require it, and boats must keep their distance.
During the bathing season, motor boats are banned or restricted within 200 metres of beaches and 100 metres of sheer cliffs: kayaks and SUPs can paddle close to shore, but must stay out of the boat launch lanes.
Wind blowing from land to sea pushes SUPs, kayaks and inflatables out to sea even when the water near the shore looks calm: with an offshore wind, stay close to the coast or don't go out.
Emergency number at sea: 1530 (or 112).
The exact rules (times, lanes, distances) are set by the local harbour office's bathing ordinance and vary from one municipality to the next.
