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00 Sepino
Stemma di Sepino

Molise · Campobasso

Sepino

A hilltop borgo at 698 meters at the foot of the Matese, two kilometers above the Roman Saepinum, the open-air city the sheep tracks built.

Best time
May–Oct
By car
1 h 57 min from Naples
By train
Station in the comune
Population
1,798

Known for

  • SAEPINUM

    Roman city on the plain below the village, walls built by Tiberius, twelve hectares of open-air ruins one of the best preserved in central Italy.

  • THE TRATTURO

    Pescasseroli-Candela transhumance route, 211 km from Abruzzo to Puglia, ran straight through Saepinum and shaped its streets.

  • MATESE

    Limestone range south of the village, the high country of the regional park and the geographic anchor of southern Molise.

When to visit

Best · May–Oct

  • J8°
  • F10°
  • M10°
  • A14°
  • M19°
  • J25°
  • J29°
  • A28°
  • S23°
  • O18°
  • N13°
  • D9°
  • Best
  • Hot or crowded
  • Quiet
  • Mostly closed

Daytime averages, 2020–2024. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com.

The festa: Cristina di Bolsena, 9 January

Why come

Sepino sits at 698 meters on a slope of the Matese in southern Molise, the modern village two kilometers above the Roman Saepinum-Altilia on the plain. Saepinum was Samnite first, captured by Rome in 293 BC, and given its surviving walls by Tiberius between 2 BC and 4 AD. Twelve hectares of forum, basilica, baths, theatre and four monumental gates are still standing, immersed in the open countryside at the foot of the Matese; recent excavations in 2023 uncovered a monumental domus on the decumanus maximus.

The Pescasseroli-Candela tratturo, the 211-kilometer transhumance route that once moved sheep flocks from Abruzzo to Puglia, ran through the Roman town and shaped its street grid. The modern Sepino, above on the hillside, is a Borghi più belli; the archaeological park below is one of the best-preserved Roman cities in central Italy and one of the few in continuous open-air access.

The Sunday letter

Sepino is on our list. Its letter is still to come.

We are writing about all 1,000 of these towns, one at a time, in a free letter every Sunday: the photo, the food, the festa. That is our mission. Sign up and you will be there when Sepino comes up. By Peter & Sophia, from Pietrasanta.

Read on

Sepino in our articles

How to get there

From Naples / Salerno (NAP), about 2 hours by car.

Bari / Brindisi (BRI) is about 3 hours away.

By car from the centre of Naples 2 hours, Salerno 2 hours or Pescara 2h 39m.

There is a railway station in the comune, so you can arrive without a car.

Coming from Naples?

Every town within reach of Naples / Salerno airport.

Sepino, photo 1
Sepino, photo 2

What to see

  • Saepinum-Altilia

    Twelve-hectare Roman city on the plain below the modern village, with walls built by Tiberius and forum, basilica, baths and theatre still standing.

  • Teatro di Saepinum

    Roman theatre at the south end of the archaeological park, partly absorbed into a later farm complex that grew up around its arc.

  • Tratturo Pescasseroli-Candela

    Ancient sheep-track from Abruzzo to Puglia that ran straight through Saepinum and shaped its street grid; still walkable across the site.

  • Sepino centro storico

    Modern hilltop village two kilometers above the Roman ruins, a Borghi più belli with stone streets stepped up the Matese slope.

  • Massiccio del Matese

    Limestone range rising south of the village, the high country of the Parco Naturale Regionale del Matese and a summer walking ground.

The slow-trip planner

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Plan your trip

Living here

  • Population 1,798
  • Commuter belti
  • Pharmacy in town
  • High school within a 30-minute drive
  • Train station in the comune
  • Nearest airport Naples / Salerno, 1 h 53 min drive
  • Regional capital Campobasso, 31 min drive

Common questions

What is Sepino known for?
Sepino is a hilltop borgo at 698 meters at the foot of the Matese, two kilometers above the Roman Saepinum, the open-air city the sheep tracks built.
Where is Sepino?
Sepino is a comune in the province of Campobasso, in Molise.
What is the nearest airport to Sepino?
Naples / Salerno (NAP), about 2 hours by car.
Can you get to Sepino without a car?
Yes. There is a railway station in the comune, so you can arrive by train.
How long is the drive from Naples to Sepino?
About 2 hours by car.
When is the best time to visit Sepino?
Best in May–Oct. July is the warmest month, averaging 29 degrees, and November the wettest, with about 15 rain days.
Is there a sagra or a festival in Sepino?
The town keeps its patron saint's day: Cristina di Bolsena, 9 January.
Which other towns are like Sepino?
Greccio, Scurcola Marsicana and Oratino.
How many people live in Sepino?
1,798 at the 2023 count.
Tags & datadesignations · numbers · sources

The numbers

  • Elevation: 698 m
  • Population: 1,798
  • Surface area: 61.37 km²

These figures were compiled from public directories: ISTAT, OpenStreetMap and Wikidata, and from the official listings of the guides named on this page. Town details change; verify with official sources before you travel.

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