Traveling in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, be sure to include in your itinerary a visit to one of the smallest countries in the world - San Marino. Incredibly beautiful landscapes of this place will be a pleasant bonus in your piggy bank of impressions.
Five interesting facts about San Marino:
- The area of the territory of San Marino is only 61 square kilometers. About 33 thousand people live here.
- The state is not part of the EU, but has open borders with Eurozone countries.
- San Marino is surrounded on all sides by Italian land. The country does not have its own airport. The official air harbor is Rimini Airport.
- The country's main currency is the euro, but it is allowed to mint its own landmarks on coins.
- San Marino is the oldest republic in the world.
How did this little state come to be?
According to legend, in 301, Marino, a member of one of the first Christian communities, fled from the persecution of the Roman emperor to the mountains. He built a small cell on the summit of Monte Titano, and next to it he set up a quarry where his shouldermen worked. Over time, the fame of Marino began to spread through the neighborhood. Pilgrims began to come to the mountain, so the community of free masons grew.
In the 6th century, the continuators of Marino's work founded a monastery in honor of the saint. This place was independent of either the Emperor or the Pope. And in 855 San Marino was granted the status of a republic. Since then the state is headed by two captains-regents, elections of which are held every six months. The country consists of nine cities-communities, each of which has an ancient fortress. The capital of the republic bears the same name as the country - San Marino.
What to see in San Marino?
Fortress walls, medieval architecture and mesmerizing views are the main tourist attraction of the tiny republic. Thanks to us travelers, its historic center is quite crowded. In fact, the population of the capital is only about 4 thousand people.
A. San Francesco Gate
The first entrance to the city. It was built together with the third part of the fortress wall in the 16th century.
Next to the gate is. B. Church of San Francesco. It is the oldest surviving church in the country - the cathedral was built in the 14th century.
C. San Marino State Museum
Here you can learn about the history of the country. The museum houses archaeological finds, art objects and ancient coins.
There is also a separate entrance on the side of the same building - it leads to the the Museum of Medieval Criminology and Torture.. The collection has more than a hundred exhibits. Some of them were used by the Roman Catholic Church to fight heretics.
D. Crossbowmen's Quarry
This quarry was discovered in the 19th century. It was used to quarry stone for the restoration of Palazzo Público, which I'll talk about next. It is now used for crossbow shooting competitions.
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E. Palazzo Público
The Neo-Gothic town hall was built at the end of the 19th century. The façade bears the coats of arms of the Republic and its four municipalities.
Liberty Square, where the palace stands, is the center of city life. From the balcony of Palazzo Público on April 1 and October 1, the names of those who will govern the country for the next 6 months are announced. The inauguration of the regent captains is held in medieval style - you can come and see it.
F. Basilica of St. Marino
This cathedral houses the relics of the founder of San Marino. There was another church here in the 4th century, but time has not saved it. The present neoclassical church was built in the 19th century.
Fortress of Guaita
The three towers of the medieval fortress, located on top of Mount Titano, are the main symbols of San Marino. They were once used as a prison. Now their walls have observation decks from which you can admire the miniature republic and the surrounding Italian expanse.
G. The Guaita Tower (translates as "The First") is the oldest. It was built in the 11th century.
H. Cesta Tower ("Second") stands on the peak of Monte Titano, 755 meters above sea level. It was built in the 13th century and was a watchtower. The gate leading to the tower was built 3 centuries later. Nowadays the Chesta is home to the Museum of Ancient Arms.
I. Montale's Tower ("The Third") came next on the second. It is the smallest. The structure served as a signaling point when it was necessary to defend against attacks.
After walking around the main sights of San Marino, you can take the funicular and ride down to the castle city Borgo Maggiore.. The cable car is only 1.5 kilometers, but these few minutes of bird's eye view will add to the romance of the trip.
Another nice place in the republic is the town of Monteggiardino.. It is the smallest in San Marino, with about a thousand inhabitants. Montegiardino is home to the only university in the country.
To get a deeper feel for the atmosphere of the ancient republic, it is worth coming here for the "Medieval Days". This festival takes place at the end of July. For 3 days San Marino, the architecture of which already looks like the scenery of a movie about knights, turns into a real movie set. Locals dress up in authentic costumes and dance to medieval music. Theater shows are performed on the street. Crossbow shooting competitions are held in the town. The local market sells traditional products of the time and organizes master classes on their production.
What about food?
The cuisine of San Marino continues the traditions of the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. Restaurants here serve spaghetti, lasagna, tortelli, pizza, prosciutto and cheeses. But if you see Faggioli con le cotica on the menu.Faggioli con le cotiche.) - bean and bacon soup - order it, as it's a typical local dish. And for dessert, look for the Tre Monti (Tre Monti), a Sanmarino waffle cake with chocolate or hazelnut cream.
The restaurants, by the way, have lower prices than Italian restaurants and no additional service charge.
The cherry on the cake is shopping.
San Marino is a duty-free zone, so things here are 20% cheaper than in Italy. People come here for leather goods (shoes, bags, jackets), as well as perfume, sunglasses and jewelry.
The old town is full of small stores and boutiques - you can combine a walk with shopping. But it is better to go to one of the local outlet stores. The most popular is the Azzurro Shopping Center.
