As someone who has long had a weak spot for micronations, today I am here to sing the praises of a new favourite: the all-too-underrated republic of San Marino… landlocked and surrounded on all sides by gorgeous Italy… only 10km away from the Adriatic Coast.

Truth be told, many overseas visitors gloss over this tiny but mighty destination… and with tourist heavyweights like Florence, Pisa & Bologna lurking close by, opting to see San Marino might indeed seem like a weird choice for first time visitors.

Luckily for you though, I like weird, and I can now say first hand that San Marino has a lot going for it: not only is it the oldest republic in the world and the 5th smallest country on the planet, it’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and packed with a unique history that will delight any history nerd. Plus views. Absurdly wonderful views for days!

So, read on for a roundup of the best things to do in San Marino, focusing mainly on its capital city conveniently also called San Marino.

1. Stay the night

Okay weird one to start with, but hear me out: because of its compact size, many visitors to San Marino come as a day trip.  Don’t!

Getting to walk the medieval walls is beyond magical at and after sunset, once the tour groups have all gone home. So, as my first must-do, I strongly recommend you actually spend a night or two here to soak everything in. Granted, San Marino isn’t a big place, but enjoying it slowly is a definite must.

I personally stayed at Hotel Rosa and loved it – the views you could enjoy from breakfast were unbelievable.

As a bonus, when you stay overnight in San Marino, you get something called a TuttoSanMarino Card, which entitles you to different discounts around the country, including the excellent deal of the Multi-Museum Pass for only 8 euro!

2. Admire the Three Towers

Now that we’ve established the importance of having a San Marino slumber party, it’s time to tackle the country’s main sight – the iconic Three Towers, as seen on the country’s flag!

Today, visitors are free to peruse the fortress-like structure, although since San Marino is the oldest Republic in the world it has never been ruled by a monarch. These towers on the peaks of Monte Titano were constructed as guard towers, not as part of a castle, and they all date from different periods. As symbols of freedom and defense, they’re considered sacred by many San Marino citizens.

NOTE: If you plan to do a lot of sightseeing, it might be worthwhile to get a Multi-Musuem Pass which includes the main state-run sights including the Towers. When you stay overnight and get a TuttoSanMarino Card, this works out to be only 8 euro.

The first tower (Guaita Tower) is home to some short displays about the tower’s history and the prison it once contained… with some unique prisoner graffiti on display dating back to the 11th century. As you climb, the views of the surrounding hills just get better and better, so it’s well worth it even for the photo opps.

Fun fact: apparently the defense men who used to guard would do so by night then by day go work in the fields. Needless to say, I would not have survived in the medieval ages.

The second tower (Cesta Tower, AKA Fratta) is home to the Museo delle Armi Antiche (“Museum of Ancient Weapons”) which has a really cool collection showcasing the evolution of weaponry from the medieval period onwards. Highlights include swords, shields, guns, and weapons belonging to famous revolutionary leader, Garibaldi (and his handy dandy cutlery set) 

And finally, the third tower (Montale Tower) isn’t open for visitors, but you can make the walk over to admire it from the outside. To be honest, if you’re short on time, this part can probably be skipped but there’s a nice walking path you can take back into town if you want a change of scenery.

3. Visit Liberty Square & the Palazzo Pubblico

Next up: San Marino’s Main Square, Piazza della Libertà, AKA Liberty Square.

There are two main fixtures of this square. First is San Marino’s own Statue of Liberty, which was donated by the Countess of Berlin in the 1800s. Sculpted by the Italian artist Stefano Galletti, she represents freedom and even has three towers on her crown to represent the three towers of San Marino.

And of course there’s the Palazzo Pubblico, home to richly decorated rooms that often host state meetings. It was constructed in the late 1900s to resemble the majestic style of Italian buildings from the 13th- and 14th-centuries, with Gothic arches and a clock tower that’s decorated with a mosaic of the saints Agata, Leo and Quirino.

Inside, there’s an interesting movie upstairs that tells you a bit about the history of the palace (all in Italian, though there are English subtitles most of the way that will disappear at random moments). This will give you more context around the building and help you identify unique highlights including a bust of Abraham Lincoln, who was (fun fact) San Marino’s first ever honourary citizen.

Do be mindful that this is an active government building though, and don’t (almost) walk into a meeting like my boyfriend did.

4. Go for a long walk

Of course, as I’ve said many times now, the main selling point of San Marino is its epic views, so (while it can be quite an uphill workout), I recommend a nice long stroll for taking it all in… preferably in the early morning or later at night so you can avoid the thick crowds of day trippers.

The City of San Marino is incredibly compact, so you’ll more than likely see all the nice spots as you go, but don’t forget to take quieter side streets to find your own hidden gems, and keep an eye out for the following highlights:

• The Giardino Panoramico, located on the edge of the city and right next to a gelato shop, conveniently!
• Punto Panoramico, a spot a bit further up the hill from the third tower, where you can look back over the city or out over the incredible landscapes
• Piano dei Mortai (ex cisterna), a scenic area with built-in viewfinders to zoom in on some of the views
• The views by the Monumento a Bartolomeo Borghesi

… Just be on the lookout for crossbows while you’re at that last location! On that note…

5. Stop by the Cava dei Balestrieri (Crossbowmen’s Quarry)

Crossbows and San Marino go way back. Evidence of crossbowmen defending the country date as far back as the 14th century, and even today the country still has a corps of crossbowmen as part of the official army.

… This was something I learned first-hand when I was innocently admiring the views by the Monumento a Bartolomeo Borghesi and suddenly heard a crossbow go off, a piercing sound that (very nearly) made me pee my pants.

But very innocently, it was just a local crossbowman practicing his aim in the Cava dei Balestrieri (AKA the Crossbowmen’s Quarry), situated right below all the unsuspecting tourists. With ample stone seating in the quarry, we decided to stop and watch for a while… which made for some excellent entertainment. I’d definitely recommend stopping here if there’s someone practicing – crossbows are no joke.

As for why crossbowmen set up shop in this quarry, it’s helpful to know that they have been doing so since the 1960s, once the quarry was no longer being used to provide stone for the city.

6. Enjoy a quiet hike

A very underrated thing to do in San Marino for those with a bit more time is a hike through the country’s many lush green trails.

Some popular ones include…

• La Rupe di San Marino: This route takes you all around the edges of the city of San Marino, with some parks that are quite narrow and steep. Check out this guide for more info.
• Ciclabile Torrente San Marino: A beautiful hiking or biking trail along a river near the town of Acquaviva. Check out this guide for more info.
• The Waterfalls of Canepa – Cave of Canepa loop: A fairly easy hike to see some gorgeous waterfalls and a cave, plus it starts from a car park. Check out this guide for more info.

7. Have an amazing meal 

With its location surrounded on all sides by Italy, it should come as no surprise that the food in San Marino is unbelievably delicious. The Emilia Romagnan influence is especially felt here, with ample representation of many Bologna food classics, like ragù bolognese and tortellini in brodo (tortellini in broth).

If you’re looking for a recommendation, we had a really great dinner at Ritrovo dei Lavoratori XXVIII Luglio. Our visit lined up with Mother’s Day, so the people watching was adorable. Seeing all the big families set up there to enjoy their dinner gave me great assurance that we chose the right spot to eat… and as with most places in San Marino, the views were sublime.

We also had a nice aperitivo with local cheeses and wines at La Loggia, which has a great location right in the middle of town.

8. Explore the National Museum

Most countries have a national museum that details the country’s history from pre-historic days to now, and San Marino is no exception.

At the San Marino National Museum, you’ll find almost 5,000 different artifacts relating to the history of the Republic, including archaeological items dating from the Neolithic to the Early Middle Ages, paintings, sculptures, coins and medals. There are also Egyptian, Etruscan and Roman collections on display that have been donated over the years.

While I don’t think this is necessarily the most exciting thing to do in San Marino, it’s worth a stop if you have the museum pass already, especially if you want to learn a bit more about the country’s history.

9. Admire the Stamp and Coin Museum

More interesting for me (maybe because I’m a bit of a stamp nerd) was the Stamp and Coin Museum, which is also included in the multi-museum pass.

This museum is home to stamps and coins from the Republic dating from the 1800s up until the present day. Many of these items feature Saint Marinus, who founded a chapel and monastery on Monte Titano, which later grew to become the country of San Marino. There are also many stamps and coins with other symbols of the Republic (like the towers) on them, or natural scenes.

It’s a small but well organised museum, so it doesn’t take too long to explore but is fascinating if you’re into that kind of thing. As well as stamps and coins there are also some medals on display, along with information about San Marino’s history. In particular, a display about how they used to dig into the mountain to get clean water was also very interesting!

10. Stop by a weird niche little museum 

I was truly shocked at the number of museums I saw in San Marino, considering the country’s tiny size.

And yes, despite being the 5th smallest in the world, San Marino is actually home to a dozen state-run museums and 6 more private ones. 

To be honest, visiting one of these smaller museums shouldn’t necessarily be a priority on your trip to San Marino, but as someone who loves niche things, I feel obliged to tell you what they are just in case: insert 1-2 lines about what there is for each of these

• Wax Museum: A museum of wax figurines depicting famous people from around the world, in clothing of their time to take you back to the past.
• Museum of Curiosity: A unique museum filled with all sorts of odd things, AKA curiosities, like Venetian clogs, a 19th century flea trap and a cup for people with moustaches!
• Museum of Vampires and Werewolves: Also known as the Museum of the Creatures of the Night, this is one for anyone who loves hearing folk tales, myths and historical anecdotes about lycanthropy and vampirism. Even though it can be a spooky subject matter, apparently this museum is appropriate for kids…
• Torture Museum: Definitely not for kids though is this museum filled with all kinds of horrible items used for torture throughout the years. I’d only recommend this one if you have a strong stomach.

11. Get a souvenir San Marino stamp

For the ultimate San Marino souvenir, it’s also possible to grab a souvenir passport stamp at the tourist office, for €5. Of course, this isn’t actually a ‘real’ stamp as the borders between San Marino and Italy are open and don’t require any kind of visa or security checks, but it’s a cool bragging right if you like collecting stamps from visiting new countries!

You can just rock up to the tourist office and join the queue that’s usually there, since it’s pretty popular. Hand over your passport and your €5 and they will hand you back your passport with a stamp to show that you’ve been to San Marino.

NOTE: Depending on your passport, there may be somewhere in the official rules that state only authorized officials can add anything to your passport, in which case souvenir stamps like these can be cause for invalidation. Practically speaking, I don’t think this would be an issue and I travelled for years with one from Liechtenstein in my passport before getting it changed. That said, if you’re paranoid, then get a stamp in a notebook or something instead.

They even make souvenir passports like these meant for collecting stamps.

12. Mail a postcard

Another unique souvenir might be to buy and mail a postcard from San Marino – after all, how often can you say you’ve used the postal system in the world’s 5th smallest country?

Sending postcards to yourself also makes a fun way to record your travels, especially if you combine them all into a little book to look back on and reminisce. Of course, you can also just send a postcard to someone else to show them how pretty San Marino is, and say hi!

13. Try a local wine 

Given its location, it should come as no surprise that San Marino has plenty of tasty local wine to offer.

While the country is very small, it’s main agricultural products are cheese and wine. Wine grapes have been grown on the slopes of San Marino for nearly 2,000 years and while the wine industry is small, it’s still quite profitable.

There’s only one main wine producer in the country though, Consorzio Vini Tipici di San Marino. Their tagline translates to “so small, so unique,” and you’ll definitely feel very smug drinking a local wine within the country. You can enjoy a variety of intense, ruby red wines or crispy whites, which pair beautifully with the local cuisine.

14. Visit San Marino Basilica

 Over in Piazzale Domus Plebis, you’ll find the main church in the City of San Marino: San Marino Basilica.

This church is dedicated to Saint Marinus and contains some of his remains under the main altar. The original church was constructed in the 4th century, but what you see today was built in 1836 in the Neoclassical style, to replace the mostly destroyed first building. The Corinthian columns on the front porch are particularly impressive, and the interior is also beautiful.

NOTE: Next door is the much smaller Church of Saint Peter, which is worth a quick stop too if you’re in the area.

15. Do some tax free shopping 

Of course, a common draw to any micronation is the tax-free shopping! While that’s not usually my go-to activity, it’s worth noting that there’s plenty of shopping opportunities in San Marino, including…

• San Marino historic center: The main historic center of the city is filled with shops, many selling unique things like pottery, stamps, clothing and shoes
• Borgo Maggiore Market: On Thursday mornings there’s a traditional market in the old town of Borgo Maggiore, selling everything from food to clothing
• San Marino Outlet Experience: For the best discounts, check out this outlet mall along the highway

If you plan to buy designer goods and are making a day out of just shopping, it may be worthwhile for you to book this VIP shopping experience which gives you discounts, vouchers, and a VIP experience at the San Marino Outlet. 

16. Or just enjoy some random souvenir shopping 

I will say: as much as I enjoyed San Marino, there were some interesting quirks… like for instance the highly random selection you could get at all the souvenir stalls, particularly around the towers.

Where else in the world can you buy everything from shields and swords to geeky bobble heads and airsoft guns, all in one place? I obviously wouldn’t prioritize buying all these random things as part of your San Marino experience, but it’s worth a quick perusal just to see what they (weirdly) choose to stock.  

17. Take the cable car

Another popular activity in San Marino is taking the cable car from Borgo Maggiore to the historic center of San Marino city, a ride that takes just two minutes. From the cabins you can see all the way out to the Adriatic Sea, and they depart every 15 minutes.

To be honest, given how short the ride is, I wouldn’t do this unless you need it as a mode of transport because while the views are nice, you get pretty much the exact same views from all over the city. 

I Hope You Enjoyed This Guide on Things to Do in San Marino!

Let me know in the comments if I’ve missed any of your favourite activities 🙂