A day trip to San Marino SAN MARINO

A day trip to San Marino

SAN MARINO – WHY ONE OF THE SMALLEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD SHOWS THAT SIZE DOESN’T MATTER The fascinating history of San Marino Blink and you will miss San Marino. That’s if you are one of the fortunate people who actually know where it is. It’s a very common misconception that San Marino is part of Italy. Google searches will attest to this, with common searches of “San Marino Italy” rising to the fore. It’s “kind of” understandable, given that it is completely landlocked by Italy. However, the Republic of San Marino is one of the world’s oldest republics and one of the smallest countries and as such totally independent of Italy and any other country for that matter. It It is also the only survivor from the Italian Renaissance days. Back in the 14 th and 15 th centuries, Italy was divided up into areas known as city-states. Regional areas surrounding an important city like Venice, Florence and Milan were ruled, usually by a strong and wealthy family. The Papal city-state, ruled by the Pope, was also a key part of the Italian system. With the later demise of the powerful city-states, curiously, San Marino maintained its independence.

IA city on top of a mountain The Republic of San Marino is aesthetically beautiful, to match its interesting history. The capital of the republic, also called San Marino, was built as a fortress on top of Mount Titano, some 650 metres above sea level. It’s a place of stone fairytale castles and buildings. It’s the place where you can sit and sip a cold glass of wine on the edge of this mountain, as you take in the view below. On a very clear day, sweeping views across to the Adriatic Sea can be seen. The streets of San Marino As a mostly pedestrianised city, your trusty feet are the best option for exploring. Take your time, stopping along the way to take in everything this city has to offer. It’s impossible to get lost! Note that many of the cobblestone streets are quite steep, and wearing good walking shoes are definitely preferable.

Tourism in San Marino contributes a large part of San Marino’s income, with approximately 2 million tourists visiting per year. Most tourists who visit San Marino are Italian, usually consisting of people who come to spend holidays in the Romagna riviera and decide to spend a half-day or at most a night in the country. Even though there are only a small number of non-Italian foreigners who visit the country, they still are vital to the Sammarinese economy. There are no border formalities with Italy. However, at the tourist office visitors can purchase souvenir stamps which are officially canceled inside their passports. The City of San Marino itself contains most attractions. The City is perched on a hill with regular parking areas for cars and buses. The City historic center itself is only a pedestrian zone that has mostly gift shops and food venues on both sides.

THINGS TO DO IN SAN MARINO THREE TOWERS The Republic of San Marino and the city of San Marino is all about the fortress that sits aloft its mighty mountain. As you approach it from the ground, it elicits that first gasp. It sneaks up on you ever so quietly that for a moment, you wonder if it’s someone else making that noise. I look sideways at my husband see his eyes wide with an appreciation of what we are about to see. The fortress, built in the 1200’s, is comprised of three towers, all of which have been restored in some way over the years. Two of them were actually used as prisons up until the 1960’s. The second tower sits on the highest part of Mt Titano, 756 metres above sea level. The third sits on its own, isolated from the others. Towers 1 and 2 can be accessed by the public.

Public Palace The Public Palace is the main location of all things official here in San Marino, including parliament. Located right on the town walls, it also contains guard towers, part of the city’s military defence in times gone by. It is particularly spectacular at night time.

Liberty Square The Public Palace sits on one side of Liberty Square. A fountain adorned with the Statue of Liberty sits in the centre of the square that overlooks the hills below. Take a break in one of the many bars and cafes that line the square and watch the people go by.

Parva Domus Comunis This was the site of the former postal administration and also the town clock, although the internal workings of it were transferred to the Public Palace some time later.

Basilica di San Marino This Catholic church is the main church of San Marino and stands apart from other buildings here due to its Roman architecture, notably the Corinthian columns at the front. The coat of arms of the Republic of San Marino can be seen above the front door.

Cava dei Balestrieri Just over the side of one of the walls of the city, is a huge hole, created when the rock was excavated to reconstruct the Public Palace. This is now used as a training area for crossbowmen. As luck would have it, on the day we were here, we were given a great display of this sport. The steps nearby were packed with people, sitting in the hot summer sun, watching the men ready their crossbows and shoot arrows into targets at the other end. The speed at which they whizzed past my eyes as I was watching them from above told me I didn’t need to get too close!

How to get to San Marino The easiest way to get here is from within Italy itself. Unlike much of Europe, train transportation to San Marino is not possible. The train line was bombed during World War Two and has never been fully rebuilt. Access to the city of San Marino is now via car or bus. Buses leave from the main Rimini train station (20 km away) and cost about € 5 person each way. The trip takes about 45 minutes. Budget airline Ryanair flies into Rimini airport as do other airline companies. We drove from Bologna, only about an hour away. As San Marino is a largely pedestrianised area, traffic controllers monitor the traffic. They are also very helpful if you need to ask them a question. If you are catching the bus back into Rimini, this area at St Francis’ Gate is where you need to go to. The bus exchange lies directly beneath here and can be accessed via walking the winding road or by a lift just down a hill. There are several parking areas on the outside of the city walls.

Cable Car A funicular is also a fun addition to San Marino, providing access down to the town of Borgo Maggiore. San Marino – a great day trip There are plenty of things to do in San Marino, but there’s one thing in San Marino that you shouldn’t miss. Yes, it’s definitely touristy, but I felt I had to do it. There are no official borders into San Marino, so a passport is not required. Trying to eke as much out of the visitor’s experience as possible, the San Marino tourism office provides a “tourist passport stamp” upon presentation of your passport at their office. So, for the price of € 5, I’ve got a beautiful stamp, stamped with care from the wonderful lady at the tourism office, and without the usual grunting you receive as you pass through the official passport channels. Worth it? Sure was.

San Marino Visa