The World at Your Fingertips

San Marino

San Marino.

The country bears the name of Saint Marinus, a Christian stonemason who is said to have founded the country in 301 AD.

San Marino is an enclave (landlocked) surrounded by Italy in Southern Europe, on the border between the regioni of Emilia Romagna and Marche and about 10 km (6.21 mi) from the Adriatic coast at Rimini. Its hilly topography, with no flat ground, is part of the Apennine mountain range. The highest point in the country, the summit of Monte Titano, is 749 m (2,457 ft) above sea level. There are no bodies of water of any significant size.

The towns surrounding the capital are more industrial and generally not as attractive as the main city. At the top of a mountain, the City of San Marino is full of old buildings, restaurants, and stores catering to tourists, as well as several small museums, and has beautiful views of the nearby towns and surrounding countryside.

Climate

The climate is Mediterranean with continental influences, having warm summers and cool winters that are typical of inland areas of the central Italian peninsula.

Get in

Although San Marino is not officially part of the Schengen area, there are no border controls when travelling between Italy and San Marino, so it can for all practical purposes be considered part of the Schengen area. However, foreigners staying for more than 20 days in San Marino must have a permit from the government.

Two rivers flow through San Marino, but there is no major water transport, and no port or harbour.

By plane

San Marino has no airports. The nearest major airport is the Federico Fellini International Airport (RMI) at Rimini. There are other airports at Ancona, Bologna and Forlì. There is a small private airstrip located in Torraccia and an international heliport located in Borgo Maggiore.

By train

San Marino has no railway stations. The nearest major railway station is at Rimini. San Marino is one of only two mainland European countries without rail service or lines, but unlike Andorra it did have a line in the past. Unfortunately, said line did not survive World War II and there are no plans of rebuilding it or building a line along a different route.

By car

You should have no problems driving into San Marino. Border controls do not exist. There are 220 km (140 mi) of roads in the country, the main road being the San Marino Highway.

The City of San Marino has limited parking. You can leave the car in nearby Borgo Maggiore and take the cable car up to the city. There is plenty of parking near the cable car station.

By bus

A bus runs from Rimini to San Marino daily at regular intervals, with stops along the way in Dogana, Serravalle, Domagnano, and Borgo Maggiore. A return ticket costs around €10. This bus can be found just outside the Rimini train station. Note that if you show up just a few minutes before departure it may be full and you may be told to wait until the next bus, one hour later. It is perhaps then advisable to show up a little bit earlier to ensure enough seats remain on the bus. Tickets can be bought on the bus or at the Tourist Information Center.

Get around

Once you're inside the walled city, it's small enough to simply walk around. There are only a few streets on which cars are able to drive (and only if they are small cars).

There is a 1.5 km (0.93 mi) cable railway (funivia) connecting the city of San Marino to Borgo Maggiore. €2.80 for a one-way ticket, €4.50 round-trip.

Outside of the capital, walking is not so easy. San Marino is the only country in the world with more vehicles than people, and it shows—sidewalks are inconsistent at best, especially when going between towns. However, there is a shaded stone path, Costa dell'Arnella, between the City of San Marino and Borgo Maggiore. It starts at the western end of Contrada Omerelli and ends a short distance from the Borgo Maggiore cable car station. Because the City of San Marino is so high up, the path is quite steep.

The bus from Rimini is somewhat useful for travel between towns, and San Marino also has its own bus system.

There are seven licensed taxi companies operating in the republic, and Italian taxis regularly operate within San Marino when carrying passengers picked up in Italian territory.

Talk

The people in San Marino speak a very clear Italian. English is learned at school in San Marino and Russian is spoken in many shops due to the many Russian tourists.

The Akademio Internacia de la Sciencoj San Marino (AIS) (English: International Academy of Sciences San Marino) has its conferences in San Marino and actually uses the Esperanto language.

What to See in San Marino

San Marino’s main attractions are the three towers, which feature on the national flag. Only the Guaita Tower and the Cesta Tower are open to visitors; they are small castles at the top of Mount Titano, offering excellent views over San Marino and Italy as well as the Adriatic Sea.

Cesta is the larger of the two and has a small museum of armour and weapons. You can purchase the “Yellow Card” for €3 which lets you enter one castle, or the “Red Card” which lets you enter both and is €4.50. Between the two towers is a path which follows the city walls along the side of a cliff. The towers offer good photo opportunities. Other attractions include:

• Piazza della Libertà. This small square offers expansive views and is flanked on both sides by two government buildings, including the Palazzo Pubblico, the town hall.

• State Museum (Museo di Stato), Piazzetta del Titano, 1, Città di San Marino, +378 0549883835, e-mail: museodistato@omniway.sm. Summer 8AM–8PM, winter 9AM–5PM. Museum of art, architecture, and archaeology. €3.

• St. Francis' Museum (Museo San Francesco), Via Basilicius, Città di San Marino, +378 0549885132. Summer 8AM–8PM, winter 9AM–5PM. Art collection located in a centuries-old cloister. €3.

• Torture Museum (Museo della Tortura), Contrada San Francesco n° 2, +378 0549991215. 10AM–8PM daily during the summer; reduced hours in the winter. Small, kitschy museum catering to tourists.

• Wax Museum (Museo delle Cere), via Lapicidi Marini, 17 - 47890 San Marino, +378 0549992940, e-mail: info@museodellecerersm.com. Oct–Mar 9AM–12:30PM and 2–5:30PM, Apr–Jun and Sep 9AM–6:30PM, Jul–Aug 9AM–8PM.

• Otherwise, simply walk around. The narrow cobbled streets are full of surprises and you can go up and down the city to explore. There are virtually no cars and the streets have a very medieval feel. You can climb the city walls and walk along it at places. Some sights you may see include Basilica di San Marino, a Roman styled church.

• Outside of the capital, nearby Borgo Maggiore has a historic centre. You can also see the San Marino lake in Faetano where fish can be caught.

What to Do in San Marino

• Get your passports stamped at the tourist information centre. This is an excellent souvenir as they stick a visa tax stamp and then an official ink stamp over the top, €5. Tourist Office, Contrada Omagnano, 20.

• The Parco naturale del Monte Titano has several hiking trails. To find them, go to the Cesta tower and walk through the gateway to the right of the museum entrance.

• Biking is also popular.

• San Marino Adventures, Parco di Montecerreto, +39 3357344140. 10AM-7:30PM, days vary by season. Activities including suspended trails, rock climbing, and ziplines.

Buy

San Marino uses the euro, like several other European countries. One euro is divided into 100 cents. The official symbol for the euro is €, and its ISO code is EUR. There is no official symbol for the cent.

All banknotes and coins of this common currency are legal tender within all the countries, except that low-denomination coins (one and two cent) are phased out in some of them. The banknotes look the same across countries, while coins have a standard common design on one side and a national country-specific design on the other. The latter side is also used for different designs of commemorative coins. The design on the national side does not affect the use of the coin.

Like other states which have the Euro as their currency, San Marino has its own patterns on the back of the Euro coins. You can try to obtain these coins by simply going around buying things and collecting the coins that way, but a quicker solution is to buy the set in a souvenir shop. Pay attention, because some of these sets lack the €1 and €2 coins.

Souvenir and clothing shops are everywhere in the City of San Marino. A lot of the souvenir shops sell weapons, from swords to B-B guns.

Prices for items such as disposable cameras and batteries are cheaper in San Marino than they are in Italy. This is partly because in San Marino you don't have to pay the 20% IVA (VAT) that you have to pay in Italy.

Eat

Obviously Italian dishes, like pasta, pizza, gelato (Italian ice-cream), and whatever you eat in Italy. Restaurants are easy to find, and some offer tables with great views. Supermarkets in San Marino are few and far-between, although the following can help in this area:

• Conad, Azzurro Shopping Center, V M Moretti 23, Serravalle.
• Sma Supermercati. Via del Passetto 113, Fiorentino.
• Ristorante Terrazza Titano. Contrada del Collegio 31.
• La Fratta, Via Salita alla Rocca, 14 (Next to the parking lot n.6).

Drink

• The local beer is very tasty.
• Spirits are also very commonly found, especially Limoncello, a lemon liquor.
• Try the locally produced wine.
• The coffee, like in its Italian neighbour, is superb.

Sleep

Although San Marino has a few hotels, the seaside resort of Rimini has a lot more and is probably a cheaper option.

Budget

• Hostel San Marino, Via 28 Luglio, 224, Borgo Maggiore (When entering Borgo Maggiore on the main highway, the hostel is a yellow building on your left. If arriving on the bus from Rimini, ask the driver to let you off at the Tavolucci stop), +39 0549 922515, e-mail: info@hostel-sanmarino.com. Located in Borgo Maggiore, very close to a grocery store, a restaurant, and a bus stop. A short €1.50 bus ride from the city. €20-25 for a bunk, €65-110 for a private room.

Mid-range

• Grand Hotel San Marino, Viale Antonio Onofri, 31, +378 0549 992400, e-mail: info@grandhotel.sm. The Grand Hotel San Marino rises on the peak of Monte Titano, close to the Rocche and the Old Town Center.

• Hotel Titano, Contrada del Collegio, 31, +378 0549 991007. Located right in the centre of the town. The rooms are small but comfortably furnished and it is connected to a very nice restaurant. The downside is that unless you are an early riser, the nearby church bells will ring every 15 minutes to remind you of the time starting from early in the morning.

Stay safe

San Marino is a safe country. Like in any other place that attracts many tourists, you should watch out for pickpockets.

Stay healthy

This is a very healthy place. If you become ill, procedures are the same as the European Union, although serious conditions will likely see you transferred to Rimini.

Respect

San Marino is a proud country and it should be viewed in this respect. Be respectful when having photos taken with the guards, a smile will do, hand gestures/funny faces are not received well.

It would be considered offensive to call them "Italians" - not that they don't like Italians, but they are just proud of their independence.

Connect

Free WiFi is available in parts of the city.

Cope

Diplomatic missions

• Holy See (The) (Vatican Apostolic Nunciature in San Marino), P.le Domus Plebis, +378 0549 992448.

• Italy, Avenue A. Onofri 117, +378 0549 991271.

• Portugal, Battisti St, nº 3.

• Romania, Via Valle di Marco 4, phone: +378 0549 995400, Fax: +378 0549 995 576 email: adolfo.morganti@libero.it Honorary Consulate General of Romania in San Marino

Other countries may not have embassies or consulates in San Marino, but in Rome to represent both Italy and San Marino. Look at the Embassies section of the Rome guide if you can't see your country listed above, as you may wish to contact your embassy there.

Go next

Italy is the way in, Italy is the way out. You can further explore the Montefeltro region in the south, or visit the sunny coast of Rimini in the north. (Wikivoyage, Wikipedia)