Reading time: 2min

Last visit: December 2021

Ever wondered what it would be like to step into a fairytale? One with an ancient castle on a hill, beautiful small streets, breathtaking scenery, the smell of waffles and hot chocolate… and of course Christmas decorations EVERYWHERE you look 😍 That’s San Marino 🇸🇲 The smallest and oldest republic in the world 🌍

SAN MARINO FACTS

• founded in the year 301 by Saint Marinus, making it the oldest republic in the world.
• with it’s 61km2 it’s the fifth-smallest country in the world after island nations Tuvalu 🇹🇻 Naura and city-states Monaco 🇲🇨 and the Vatican 🇻🇦
• the 3rd smallest state in Europe 🌍
• one of the wealthiest countries in the world 💰
• one of the least visited countries and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And somehow it’s still one of the least visited countries 🤷‍♀️
• San Marino has 292km of paved roads 🛣️

CHRISTMAS IN SAN MARINO

As I went in December I was lucky to experience the magical atmosphere with the lights and decoration everywhere, the Christmas Market, the smell of waffles, hot chocolate and warm winter wine 🥰 If you’re a fan of Christmas like me, then you’ll LOVE San Marino during Christmas ❤️

UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE

Enchanting architecture, a beautiful basilica, three fortresses and stunning views are all part of why San Marino has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

INSTAGRAMMABLE VIEWS

Apart from the enchanting architecture and picturesque streets which beg you to take a million pictures 📸 the views from San Marino are postcard worthy. Everywhere you look you have beautiful views and on a clear day you can even see all the way to Croatia 😍

PASSPORT STAMP

If you’re like me and trying to fill up your passport with stamps from countries all over the world, you will be pleased to know that though there are no passport control when entering or leaving San Marino you can still get your passport stamped. Head to the tourist office and get a souvenir passport stamp for €5.

HOW TO GET TO SAN MARINO

As I was staying in Bologna for a long weekend, I catched a train from the Central Train Station in Bologna to Rimini (also worth a visit) 🚂
Buy your ticket directly at one of the machines at the station or through the Tren Italia App.

From Rimini I jumped on a bus to San Marino 🚌
The great thing about using public transportation when travelling is that you get to see the country side, explore the local culture and really get a feel for the country you are visiting.