The destination
Clinging to the side of a mountain in what would otherwise be the Italian countryside, the micronation of San Marino is the world’s fifth smallest by both area and population, and the oldest republic. It has long been on my shopping list, and given I’d added two other diminutive European countries to my count this year, I couldn’t resist claiming a third.
The journey
To do so, I took a detour from my race from the UK to Albania at the penultimate checkpoint, Rimini. Whether you get there by train (as I had) or by plane (a much simpler prospect from London!), this Adriatic city is the natural starting point for a visit to San Marino.
Bonelli Bus operates services from a stand a short walk from the station, easily found as it’s on the same road and outside a well-signed hotel. Although you can in theory pick up tickets from a newsagents along the way, I had booked mine online: the site is available in English, and although it took a couple of goes, an international credit card will work. The fare is €6 one-way, and you are committed to a particular departure time.
Think local bus rather than luxury coach – there’s no bathroom, for example – but with travel time being less than an hour, it’s fine. Many years ago I had considered walking from Rimini to San Marino – but having now completed the journey by road, I’m glad I didn’t attempt this feat! The outskirts hold little appeal – crowded with casinos, fuel stations and car dealerships presumably benefiting from regulatory or tax discrepancies compared to Italy – whilst the historic city centre is perched a taxing 750m above sea level. The bus tackles these via a series of switchbacks, the views both of and from San Marino growing ever more scenic with altitude.
The accommodation
Whilst my loyalty is spread across many hotel chains, none of them had a presence in the country, so I swapped to booking.com. Searching a small area for a same-day check-in risked being expensive, and indeed most hotels wanted £100+ for a bed for the night. But fortunately their top offering, the Hotel Restaurant Cesare, could both accommodate me and supply breakfast the next morning for a mere £84.
This turned out to be because they had some single rooms, which I felt would be sufficient for a short solo visit. It was a bit cramped – the desk chair, an air conditioner and my luggage fighting over limited space at the foot of the bed, and the small TV ambitiously anchored into the rafters. But the location was – after a hike up from the bus terminus – absolutely perfect, the staff genuinely friendly, and the breakfast buffet an extensive spread with hot items rather than just a light continental selection.
Staying also entitled me to a “Tuttosanmarino” card, good for discounts at various tourist sights. So, armed with that, I set out to see what this tiny nation had to offer.
The tourist attractions
What I found was a charming collection of historic buildings, interwoven with narrow stone streets better suited – and freely roamed by – pedestrians. The tables and patrons of cafes and bars spilled out onto the paths, and at the edges of this compact mountain-top settlement the views opened up to take in the valley below.
A yet loftier perspective still was offered by a pair of towers, and the cliff edge “Witches’ Path” linking them. The first and second towers are San Marino’s oldest and highest, respectively, and open to the public – perhaps too open, with nerve-wracking gaps in stonework and upper levels accessed via ladders!
A combined ticket is also good for several other attractions, but given my mid-afternoon arrival I couldn’t fit those in before closing (the towers remain open until late). I did however make a dash for the tourism office – not for information, but to get my passport stamped. Thanks to an open border with Italy, there is no requirement to do so – but it makes for a good souvenir:
I suspect that most people who visit San Marino do so as a day trip, or an even shorter excursion – the bus company recommends four hours as sufficient. That feels viable for a country-counting tick, and I saw plenty on my first lap of the capital. But by staying overnight I was able to experience the city at golden hour; witnessed sunset during dinner at an open-air restaurant; and saw it in all in new light by taking an early morning stroll (with the added benefit of no crowds).
San Marino reminded me strongly of Mdina in Malta, a place that has long been one of my go-to recommendations for somewhere a bit unusual (yet accessible). Of all the stops on the Albanian Connection, this was the one I most enjoyed, and would most like to explore in more depth (and with a proper camera). I doubt it could support a week’s visit, but it definitely deserves more than a half day.
