San Marino
It is midnight. We follow narrow, winding country roads over the Apennines – up and down, up and down. Finally, we see the landmark of the tiny state of San Marino: illuminated in bright colors, the towers of the fortifications stand out on the ridge and light up the night. Tired, we head for a motorhome parking lot and slip into the roof tent, completely exhausted. In mid-October, the nights here at an altitude of over 600 meters are bitterly cold.
The next morning brings no sun, but at least no rain. In the gray morning light, everything doesn’t look so bad: clean toilets and a park bench under a chestnut tree for breakfast. After a short walk, we reach the cable car that will take us up to the old town on Monte Titano.
Once at the top, a wide panorama opens up before us. Although gray autumn clouds hang low in the sky, the view is surprisingly clear. From Monte Titano, the surrounding countryside lies like a gentle hillside landscape at our feet. Tranquil villages nestle in valleys and on hilltops, loosely connected by narrow roads that wind through the landscape. In between, green patches of meadows, fields, and scrubland shine.
In good weather, the view stretches from the northeastern side of the city to the Adriatic Sea; even Rimini on the coast should be clearly visible. Today, however, only a hint of this remains: a pale gray-blue on the horizon, where the sea should begin about twenty kilometers away.
In the warm autumn light, San Marino looks like a cozy little town high up in the air. The luxury limousines of the state apparatus are parked in front of the government palace – you can count them on one hand. Houses, alleys, and fortifications are surrounded by medieval charm. People are visibly proud to be the oldest republic in the world still in existence.
We pass the usual souvenir and junk shops, cafés and pizzerias. Not even ten percent of all San Marino citizens live here in the capital city of the same name – the rest of the population is spread across the other towns. As a result, the old town center on Monte Titano is primarily a tourist hotspot. But on this autumn morning, the other visitors don’t bother us – in summer it may be different, when holidaymakers from all over Italy flock here for a day trip.
Under the last green leaves of a maple tree, we enjoy an espresso and let the cool wind blow around our noses. Now the sky is clearing up and the view is fantastic.
A wonderful walk takes us along the ridge of Monte Titano, right next to the medieval fortifications. Three towers with castles rise imposingly into the sky and are visible from afar as we approach. The forests are just beginning to change color. Every now and then, the sun flashes through the gray sky for a brief moment.
The further we move away from the center of the old town, the fewer people we encounter. At the third and last tower, we are almost alone. From there, we make our way into the forest on the steep western side and follow a narrow path back to the city center.
Most tourists are connoisseurs. They want to stroll a little, look around a little, chat a little. A hot cup of coffee, a delicious lunch. A visit to a museum and a selfie in front of the city’s landmark – as proof that they have really visited a place.
After a delicious, tax-free pizza – San Marino levies virtually no taxes, with tourism being by far the most important source of income – we set off in search of the information office. Google Maps lists several locations, and it takes us a while to find the right one. Fortunately, the distances here are not too great, so the search turns into another stroll through the old town.
Finally, we have our passports officially stamped – a quirky souvenir and a nice remembrance of this trip to this tiny European country. Afterwards, we take the cable car down into the valley and walk back to our car. We fill up with tax-free gas one last time, then set off on our journey back to Germany. We fell in love with San Marino from the very first minute.
Info about our trip
San Marino can be wonderfully combined with a vacation in Tuscany. However, please note that if you are coming from western Italy, you will have to cross the Apennines. There is no proper highway, and you will have no choice but to drive along a certain section of mountainous and winding country roads. In other words, allow plenty of time for the journey.
Otherwise, San Marino is a comfortable and uncomplicated destination. Although the country is not a member of the EU, it still belongs to the European Customs Union (so there are no border controls) and the euro is the official currency. In any case, you can pay for everything from espresso to souvenirs by card. And since San Marino charges hardly any VAT, you should take advantage of this to fill up your tank, eat, and shop at low prices.
San Marino is quite inexpensive for a European country. First, tourists can shop tax-free (or get a tax refund) above a certain minimum amount, and you don’t pay tax on services or in restaurants either. You can get a delicious pizza for less than ten euros.
In terms of cuisine, San Marino is closely linked to neighboring Emilia-Romagna. The cuisine is down-to-earth, simple, and honest. Fresh pasta, piadina, cheese, and air-dried ham are on almost every menu. Much of it seems familiar, some of it a little more rustic than in neighboring Italy. Meals are eaten without much fuss. In the restaurants of the old town, tourists sit next to locals, often at closely spaced tables. An espresso is always part of the meal, as is a glass of local wine.
During the off-season, this motorhome parking area was the perfect starting point for our city tour. It is less than ten minutes away from the cable car to the old town and is relatively quiet and green, surrounded by trees. In mid-October, there were only a handful of other campers besides us. In summer, the site is likely to be quite crowded. There is one toilet block for the entire site (with squat toilets), which appears to be cleaned every morning. Important: the site is completely free of charge. You can find more sites like this in and around San Marino on Park4Night.
San Marino is an absolutely safe travel destination, perhaps even one of the safest in Europe.
San Marino is also a great experience for children. It starts with the cable car ride up to the old town on Monte Titano. The city center is car-free, so you can let your kids run around freely. And finally, against the backdrop of the medieval fortifications, every child feels transported back to the time of knights and princesses – a great setting for role-playing games and adventures. There is also great and relatively inexpensive food. What more could you want?
There are buses in the country itself to get from A to B – there is also a connection from Rimini. If you are traveling by car, be sure to park in a parking lot BEFORE the city center. Once you are on Monte Titano, you can explore the wonderful city on foot. But beware: there are lots of stairs and steep paths. This is not suitable for wheelchairs or strollers.
Unfortunately, we are not aware of any books about San Marino.