Mysterious European country of San Marino – tiny landlocked nation you’ve never heard of that’s competing in Eurovision
OF ALL the countries in the world, San Marino is the fifth smallest but has a lot to boast about.
Completely landlocked and surrounded by Italy, San Marino is the world’s oldest surviving sovereign state.
It is close to the Adriatic Coast and the closest Italian city is Rimini.
Despite only being 24-square-miles, the capital – Città di San Marino – is home to a wealth of history and views, due to being located 739 metres above sea level.
Located in the city, travellers will find Monte Titano – one of the nine Castelli which make up San Marino.
As if ripped out of a storybook, Monte Titano features an extravagant tower with has panoramic views of the surrounding landscape and beyond into Italy.
On Monte Titano, visitors will find the most famous spot in San Marino – the Cesta tower.
Cesta is part of the Three Towers in the Old Town, which is pedestrian so involves walking along narrow cobbled streets.
The Three Towers – also known as Guaita, Cesta and Montale – are located at the very top of Monte Titano.
The towers are depicted on San Marino’s coat of arms and national flag.
The first tower – Guaita – is the oldest of the three.
It was constructed in the 11th century and served briefly as a prison.
The second tower – Cesta – is a museum to honour Saint Marinus and showcases over 1,550 weapons dating from the Medieval era to the modern day.
The third tower – Montale – is located on the smallest of Monte Titano’s summits.
However, unlike the others, it is not open to the public.
Between the first and second tower, there is the Witches Path – a cobblestone walkway which leads directly up to the Guaita Tower.
Tickets to enter both the Guaita and Cesta Towers costs €9 (£7.58) per person or a combined ticket, which includes both towers and several museums in San Marino, costs €11 (£9.26).
One recent visitor said: “The Old Town of San Marino is really nice, spotless, tidy and although full of shops of all kinds it doesn’t give you the feeling of being in an outdoor shopping mall at all.
“Nice buildings, nice alleys and toilets everywhere.”
Getting to San Marino is not the easiest though.
The small country has no airport or train station, meaning it is only accessible by car or bus.
The closest major international airport is in Bologna, about 80 miles away.
Most travellers will head to San Marino via the Bonelli Bus, which travels from Rimini – it takes just under an hour and costs €6 (£5.05) each way.
San Marino also has no border control, but you will still need a valid passport to visit and the same entry requirements apply in San Marino as in Italy.
One thing worth noting, if you do plan to visit San Marino, is that there are a lot of steps, narrow paths and cobblestones – so it is not the most accessible place to visit and you will definitely need a comfortable pair of walking shoes.
The hottest month to visit is July, where temperatures can reach up to 25C.
Nearby, in Italy, there is an underrated city with fewer crowds than Venice and £26 flights from the UK.