The tiny country of San Marino is the example that proves that modest proportions may still have a big effect.
San Marino is the world’s smallest republic and the fifth smallest country overall. It is landlocked by Italy, making it one of only three European countries smaller than itself (the other two being Vatican City and Monaco).
San Marino is a historic city located on Mount Titano. The city has centuries-old defensive walls and fortresses, as well as a stunning panorama that overlooks the Adriatic Sea. San Marino is also home to the world’s oldest republic and some of the best tax-free shopping!
One of the great things about Italy is that you can easily visit other countries while you’re there. San Marino is a great option if you’re looking for somewhere to go!
If you want to learn more about the small country of San Marino, keep reading!
This blog post contains all the relevant information you’ll need to easily plan your visit to San Marino:
- Historical and archaeological background for a specific area or period;
- This is a list of the significant things to discover and do in and around San Marino;
- What was my experience like in the world’s fifth smallest country?
This, and much more, is covered in depth throughout the course.
This is information that I discovered when I visited San Marino myself! Hopefully you will find this helpful as you plan your own vacation!
A Travel Guide to San Marino – The Oldest Republic and Fifth Smallest Country in the WorldWhere is San Marino?
You’ll locate the country of San Marino within the Emilia-Romagna region in Italy. To give you some perspective, know that there are twenty regions in all which comprise Italy. So yes,San Marino is a very small country completely surrounded by another larger one! When I first learned this factoid myself, I have to admit it took me a minute to process–but then I found it rather fascinating and unique!
San Marino is a city located on top of a mountain thatis three-quarters of a kilometer high, which references the city-statesof Europe during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. If you have trouble understanding how those cities functioned back then, San Marino isa good present-day example.However, you’ll be able to see San Marino near the border between Emilia-Romagna and the Marche Central Italian area. From the historic center of San Marino’s capital city, you may enjoy a magnificent view over the rolling countryside of these two Italian provinces.
The green hills eventually give way to a vast and flat plain that extends all the way to the sparkling Adriatic Sea. San Marino, located on Mount Titano’s peak, offers a remarkable vantage point to take in all the sights.
If you’re planning a drive to San Marino from Rimini, know that the journey will take roughly an hour. Rossini was born in Pesaro, which is relatively close by Marche-side.
How big is San Marino?
The Republic of San Marino is the world’s fifth smallest country, after Vatican City and Monaco. It covers 61 km2 (24 sq miles). The nation has nine administrative districts known as castelli, which are served by Dogana and Borgo Maggiore, the country’s first and second largest towns.
San Marino’s capital city is commonly called Citta’ di San Marino, or City of San Marino in English. It has its own administrative district referred to as a castello, specificallySan Marino. The names of the other eight districts are: Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino Montegiardino and finally Serravalle.
The City of San Marino is the historic center of the Republic of San Marino, which clings to the slopes of Mount Titano in picturesque style. There are other castelli in San Marino located on lower slopes and plains at the foot of Mount Titano – a mountain of the Apennines with a height of 739 meters above sea level. The population in the city is around 4,000 people.
What is the history of San Marino?
San Marino is the world’s longest surviving republic. It has an interesting and rich in events history which can be summarised in four words – from Saint to State.
Here are some important historical facts tracing the fate of San Marino through the centuries:
- Since time immemorial, the territory of San Marino has been inhabited. Artifacts from the Iron and Bronze Ages have been recovered there.
- Marinus, a stonecutter from the island of Rab in Croatia (nowadays Croatia), sailed to Rimini in 257 AD. He went into seclusion on Mount Titano to become a hermit after that. His strong Christian beliefs quickly attracted several followers, who built up a monastic community around him.
- According to tradition, Saint Marinus died in 301 AD, leaving Mount Titano to his followers, and he thus established the state of San Marino and bequeathed it its Libertas – Freedom – a fundamental part of San Marino’s culture and way of life.
- In the 9th to 10th centuries, a monastery existed on Mount Titano. The existence of the monastery is confirmed by an 11th-century document named Placito Feretrano (which is actually a replica of an original text from 885 AD). The Placito Feretrano is one of the oldest documents kept in San Marino’s State Archive.
- San Marino became a free and independent city-state with its own legal Statutes in the late 13th century. That is when the historic centre of San Marino was built.
- In the 15th century, San Marino fought on the side of Duke of Urbino Sigismondo Malatesta against Lord of Rimini – Sigismondo Malatesta. In 1463, after vanquishing Malatesta, San Marino was given even more territory, bringing its current area to about 61 square kilometers.
- The next couple of centuries were marked by repeated attempts to suppress the independent state of San Marino and absorb it into the Papal State. However, against all odds, San Marino managed to preserve its independence in spite of suffering several temporary setbacks along the way.
- When Napoleon arrived in the 18th century, he gave San Marino several economic advantages.
- After the Roman Republic fell in 1849, Garibaldi took refuge in San Marino. However, this led to the Papal and Austrian armies besiegingSan Marino. Fortunately, Garibaldi was able to escape at night with his wife and a few soldiers who remained loyal to him.
- A few years marked with political tension passed before, in 1862, San Marino was officially recognized as its own sovereign State after signing a treaty with Italy’s King Vittorio Emanuele II. Since then, San Marino’s fate has been inexorably linked to Italy’s–even though the Republic of San Marino is adamant about preserving its political and social independence.
- During World War II, San Marino remained neutral. Despite its tiny size, the republic sheltered 100,000 people fleeing from adjacent Italian territories due to heavy Allied bombing. The Allied Forces heavily bombed San Marino, resulting in a large number of deaths and infrastructure damage. The railway system of San Marino was among the casualties.
- Today, millions of people visit San Marino every year to discover one of the world’s smallest nations and the world’s oldest republic.
When to visit San Marino?
San Marino is a fantastic all-year destination! If you enjoy spending long, sunny days away from home, there’s plenty to see and do during the peak season, which extends from Easter to the end of September. During the off-season, if you want your tour of San Marino to be free of big crowds, make plans for it.Most tourist shops and restaurants are closed during the off-season, which can present uncertain weather conditions ranging from sunny days to cold rain or snowfall. However, this is also when you can explore San Marino without contending with large crowds and appreciate the beauty of its centuries-old fortifications without having to wait in line for a picture.
