The Fairytale Republic of San Marino: Italy’s Mountaintop Microstate
Why the magical microstate of San Marino is well worth a visit. Plus: Everything you need to know to plan your trip.
Perched atop Mount Titano in central Italy, the charming Republic of San Marino is often overlooked on Italian itineraries in favor of more famous destinations like Rome, Florence, and Venice.
But don’t sleep on this little gem just because it doesn’t have a convenient train station. It’s well worth the extra effort to get there.
I should mention that while San Marino is completely surrounded by Italy, it is not part of Italy.
Also known as the “Most Serene Republic of San Marino,” the world’s fifth smallest nation is an enclaved microstate.
Founded in A.D. 301 by a Christian stonemason named Marinus, San Marino is the lone survivor of Italy’s ancient city-state network.
Incredibly, this tiny, landlocked nation near the Adriatic coast somehow managed to outlast more powerful kingdoms like Genoa and Venice.
And that alone is reason enough to visit!
On our recent trip to Italy, my husband and I spent a terrific week island-hopping from Procida to Ischia and finally, to the sun-splashed Amalfi Coast before heading north to San Marino.
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To get there from Sorrento, we took the train to Naples and picked up a rental car. To visit San Marino, it’s best to have your own wheels!
Which brings me to…
How to Get to San Marino
The Republic of San Marino has neither an airport nor a train station so driving is the easiest way to reach it.
But driving in Italy can be a challenge. Tickets often arrive in the mail months after you return home (just ask my husband, who has never had a speeding ticket in the United States).
The most common culprits for tickets are sneaky automated speed cameras and ZTL zones “Zona Traffico Limitato” in city centers. Unique to Italy, ZTL zones are restricted areas where only local residents are permitted to drive (Florence’s historic district is a good example).
But it is possible to drive in Italy and not encounter any issues if you’re prepared. If it’s your first time, this insanely helpful video guide to driving in Italy by Tripiamo will teach you everything you need to know.
Tripiamo’s Expert Guide for Driving in Italy
If you’re planning to drive in Italy, this is a must! This series of expert instructional videos and 360-degree Italy video tours will have you fully prepared to survive Italy’s motorways and ZTL zones!
If you’re driving to San Marino:
From Florence: The drive takes 3 hours.
From Rome: The drive is a little longer at 4 1/2 hours.
If driving in Italy isn’t your thing, take the train to Rimini which is about 20 km away. From there, Bus 72 gets you to San Marino for about EUR 10 round-trip. The bus does make several stops and can be crowded in the summer months.
A taxi from Rimini is a faster (though more expensive) option and only takes about 30 minutes.
Now that you know how to get to San Marino, you might also be wondering…
Do I need my passport to visit San Marino?
Since San Marino is an associate member of the Schengen Area, there are no border controls. So entering from Italy is a piece of cake.
No passport check is required.
Though you will need your passport to check into a hotel if you decide to spend the night (and you should!).
San Marino’s Claim to Fame
San Marino lays claims to the title of the world’s oldest extant sovereign state and the oldest constitutional republic.
The historic center is enclosed by a protective wall and the state’s dramatic skyline is defined by three distinct towers.
San Marino’s historic center was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2008. At just over 24 square miles, San Marino has a population of approximately 33,000.
Tip: You can easily explore San Marino Italy on your own. But if you want to fully appreciate its fascinating history, I highly recommend this 2-hour Private Tour of San Marino: UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Arrival in San Marino
The route from Naples takes us across the center of Italy to the eastern Adriatic coastline past Ancona and Pesaro and ultimately to our turn-off near Rimini.
This part of Italy is quite flat so it’s easy to spot the dramatic profile of San Marino high atop Mount Titano from several miles away.
As we start our ascent up the mountain (crossing the border along the way) the roads begin a corkscrew path to the summit. Within 15 minutes, we spot the city walls of San Marino’s historic city center.
Hotels in San Marino
For our one night in San Marino, we chose the top-rated Hotel Rosa San Marino.
Located just inside the city walls, the Hotel Rosa is situated right at the base of the first tower. The hotel has free parking, however, the roads within the city walls are closed to cars from 7:00pm – 10:00am each day.
Luckily, we arrive just a few minutes after 7:00pm. Perfect timing!
(When the roads are closed, the hotel does have parking available, it’s just outside the city walls.)
We easily find the hotel (as I mentioned, San Marino is small) and are greeted warmly at check-in. I immediately notice that the hotel has incredible views from several terraces around the property.
With soaring towers in every direction, it almost feels like we are staying inside a castle.
Sunset is still an hour or two away, so we drop our bags and head out to explore before dinner. The hotel clerk offers helpful directions and a map of the city center and we’re off!
Tip: If the Hotel Rosa is booked when you visit (and it often is!), the Titano Suites is another terrific choice. Slightly more expensive than the Rosa but larger rooms and equally fabulous views.
What to See in San Marino
The top thing to do in San Marino is to visit the three impressive fortresses (towers) anchoring the city walls. The first two are the most impressive and therefore most popular with visitors.
The First Tower
Also known as Rocca Guaita, the First Tower was built in the 11th century directly into the rock.
Throughout history, this is where San Marino’s residents took refuge against sieges. In fact, as recently as 1970, parts of the tower were still used as a prison.
The Second Tower
Dating back to the 13th century, the Second Tower is perhaps the most dramatic, perched atop the highest peak of Mount Titano.
Known as Castello Cesta, it houses the popular Museum of Ancient Weapons (another must-see!).
The Third Tower
Montale, the smallest of the three towers, still played a strategic defensive role in San Marino’s history. It was considered the best lookout point to spot arriving invaders.
The Public Palace (Piazza della Liberta)
The palace is San Marino’s seat of government and can only be visited when the council is not in session. A changing of the guard ceremony takes place during the summer months.
The State Museum (in Piazza Titano)
The Museum is home to artifacts related to San Marino’s founder Saint and the Republic’s history. The St. Francis Museum, built in 1361, houses a collection of paintings and frescoes.
For just 11 euros, you can purchase a “Combined Museum Pass” that allows entry to all of the above sights which can easily be seen in a single day.
Visiting times for all are 9:00am-5:00pm daily.
An evening stroll around San Marino
We missed the 5:00pm closing time so exploring the towers will have to wait until the morning.
Instead, we begin our evening with a walk around the towers and delight in the charming cobbled streets of the historic center. Then we settle into a cliffside restaurant to watch the sunset and grab some dinner.
At more than 2,500 feet above sea level, San Marino has some pretty spectacular views of the surrounding countryside and the Adriatic coast. Not to mention sunset views that are out of this world.
We order a bottle of local San Marino wine (which is delicious) and traditional Italian pasta dishes for dinner (the Republic’s food differs little from that of the rest of Italy).
The sunset is one of the best we’ve ever seen. Between the imposing stone towers, the city walls, and the views of the valley and sea below, the whole scene is like something out of a fairytale.
Exploring San Marino
The next morning, we get an early start to tackle everything we missed yesterday.
We arrive at the First Tower right at 9:00am and purchase our Combined Museum Passes. The views from the towers are even more incredible than from the restaurant last night.
I am really starting to feel like a character in a Disney princess movie.
From there, we visit the Second Tower, Third Tower, and both museums before deciding we’ve covered everything on our wish list.
By mid-afternoon, we’re back on the road for the 3-hour drive to Florence.
We’ll stop there for a night before heading to the coastal town of Piombino. There, we’ll catch a ferry over to Tuscany’s scenic Elba Island for the weekend (rumor has it Elba is the place to find the best beaches in Tuscany!).
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We absolutely adored the Republic of San Marino. It’s well worth the effort to reach this mountaintop gem and that’s why I think it’s one of the most amazing places to see in Italy.
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A night or two is all you need to appreciate the beauty and history of Europe’s third-smallest nation. So be sure to add San Marino to the itinerary on your next Italian holiday.
Looking for more great destinations in Italy? Start here:
Bucket List Italy: How to Visit the Iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa
Rome in 48 Hours PLUS: 7 Things You Can’t Miss!
Italy’s Fantastic 5 – The Seaside Towns of Cinque Terre in 48 Hours
The Best of the Italian Riviera in 3 Days
Pretty Procida is the Best Italian Island You’ve Never Heard Of
Is the Volcanic Island of Ischia Italy’s Hottest Destination?
This is the one destination my family returns to year after year
Tx, you brought me a lot of memories!