From the endless beaches of Rimini to the gastronomic corridor of Bologna, Modena and Parma, visitors from the Emilia-Romagna region in northeastern Italy have a lot to explore. They can also stumble accidentally in a completely different country.
Hidden in the mountainous interior, a few kilometers from the Adriatic coast, is one of the smallest nations in the world – the centenary republic of St. Marino.
There are no borders or control posts to mark the border of this short state, just a sign throughout the highlight to welcome those who reach the “old land of freedom.”
Those who travel may think they are just another picturesque Italian city at the top of a hill, but despite their tiny size and the fact that the locals speak and eat Italian, it is a completely separate country with a long and certain history of independence.
Founded in the fourth century, San Marino is, in fact, the oldest republic of the world. It covers an area of only 61.2 square kilometers. Although it is larger than the European city-states of Monaco and Vatican, it is the smallest democratic nation on the continent.
It has its own heads of state -unusually two at the same time -its own surprisingly successful football team, its own flag and a population of 34,000 Sammarinesi who proudly clings to their identity and traditions.
It is a peculiar place, full of contradictions, which attracts beloved but relatively few Italians, most of which have never seen it and does not know how it came up.
Independent and free
“What is special about São Marinho is its uniqueness,” says Antonia Ponti, the official tourist guide of the micro-state, to CNN. “This republic has been independent and free for centuries, and although the local dialect and food have been typical of Italy’s Romagna (subregion), it never calls ‘Italians’ to the locals because they would feel insulted.
“They have their own flag, arms coat of arms and passport; they adopted the euro, although they are not part of the European Union.”
The city has its own government and traditions (Vincenzo Pinto/AFP/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)
Ponti admits that St. Marino can be rivalry from other places around Italy – “It is certainly not the most beautiful place in the world …” – But tourists are attracted by the perspective of seeing this small country within a country.
“St. Marino is like any other Italian city amhalked at the top of a hill in Toscania, the area of Lazio, Marche or Umber, but has a special environment, rich in history, and has unique views thanks to its geographical position,” says Ponti.
But just as visitors want to explore small European principalities like Liechtenstein or Monaco, St. Marino seems to attract enchanted people with the idea of a microscopic republic. Once there, they are often delighted with their medieval architecture, adds Ponti.
“Many foreign tourists who visit Emilia-Romagna, especially to delight in their emblematic recipes, often decide to jump and visit Saint Marino. At the end of the visit, they never thought they would discover such a charming place, full of old monuments, craft boutiques and traditional shows,” he says.
A medieval maze
The country’s main attractions and monuments are concentrated in the old town, a place classified as a world heritage by UNESCO, located in the panoramic rock of Monte Titano, where the views extend to the Adriatic coast and, on clear days, to Croatia.
It’s like walking in an outdoor museum.
The imposing medieval stone walls end the original village, a maze of narrow and carlinted alleys without cars. There are three massive towers linked by a path that runs along the summit of the mountain. Once used as military watchmen for protection against enemy invasions, towers are open to public and include dungeons, a museum of historic weapons and the so -called “Witch Way”, which offers excellent views.
According to legend, St. Marino was founded in 301 AD by a bricklayer named São Marino, a natural primitive Christian from Rab Island, Dalmácia, currently in Croatia.
The medieval city center is a maze without cars (Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)
It is said that he fled to Italy and climbed Mount Titano to escape the Christian persecution of the Diocletian Roman emperor. The saint’s bone relics are stored in the Basilica, which also contains what is said to be the “stone bed” where he slept and which is believed to have healing powers.
Marinus’s bricklayer profession was continued by the following generations of Sammarinesi, according to Ponti.
“The cutting of stones in the Monte Titano flanks was the main activity for centuries and families were poor,” he says. “After World War II, progress led to the flourishing of different handcrafted industries, such as ceramic, tiles, furniture and role.”
As they live on such a small piece of land, the sense of community is strongly meaningful among the Sammarinesi, who remain united and proud of their secular identity of “free people,” adds Ponti.
The ancient protocols and rituals survive.
The Parliament of St. Marino, the Public Palace, is open to visitors and welcomes daily, during the summer, a great guard exchange ceremony, which takes place from hour to hour. It is a show: the guards wear multicolored medieval uniforms with red pants and pompous hats.
The country has other old and unusual institutions.
There are both heads of state. Known as Captains Regents, they have been elected every six months since 1243. Held every year, on 1 April and 1 October, the elaborate appointment ceremonies are regulated by a rigorous protocol that has never changed over the centuries.
Despite their dimension, St. Marino’s democratic principles reach the foundations. The country is divided into nine districts, known as Castelli, each headed by a captain also elected on a regular basis.
Ponti explains that all these controls and balances, which may seem paradoxical in a tiny republic, were put into practice to ensure that no leader in the hierarchy could limit the power of others.
Visitors may have an idea of these different geographical jurisdictions by picking a panoramic cable car that goes down from the old town to Borgo Maggiore Castle, at the foot of Mount Titano.
Borgo Maggiore, at the foot of Mount Titano de São Marino, can be reached through cable car (ISTOCKPHOTO/GETTY IMAGES via CNN NEWOURCE)
Another attraction in the old town is the Seal and Mint Museum, which displays commemorative medals, historical seals and the first Sammarinenses coins dated from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
In addition to its ancient center, worthy of a fairy tale, San Marino is surrounded by nature and mountain rails. It is ideal for the practice of trekking, cycling, climbing and shot with arc.
And, as you would expect from a place surrounded by some of the best gastronomic destinations in Italy, St. Marino’s culinary traditions are very similar to those of the neighboring regions of Romagna and Marche. This means all kinds of homemade pasta and flat bread stuffed with piadine.
It is also known for its liqueurs, such as Amaretto and PneadaCchione, made with pistacies.
Traditional desserts include the TRE Monti pie, or “Cake of the Three Colinas” – whose name comes from the three town of the city -state – made with thin layers of crackers that involve chocolate and hazelnut cream.
For the tour who exceeds each other, fortunately the return trip to Italy is always going down.
