Discover San Marino: The Perfect Day Trip from Italy

Things to do in San Marino

Like Vatican City, the microstate of San Marino lies “in” Italy, encircled entirely by its neighbor. We visited on a day trip as part of our Italy itinerary, walking along the city’s medieval stone walls and popping into the alleys lined with cafes, restaurants, and shops selling ceramics and duty-free products.

1. San Marino Castle (Guaita Tower)

Perched high up on the hill overlooking the beautiful Umbrian landscape stands the Guaita Tower, the eye-catcher of San Marino. Of the three that sit atop Monte Titano, this 11th-century fortress is by far the most iconic. 

To us, it feels as if it’s straight out of a fantasy story; the impressive stone building towers over its surroundings, with the city of San Marino at its feet.

Over the years, San Marino Castle has been rebuilt several times for various uses; it even once served as a prison. Now, you can admire its history and incredible views. It’s a bit of a climb, but so worth it!

Exploring San Marino: Get a combo ticket to see most of the things to do. You can get these at one of the sites, such as the towers, and they cost 6-8 EUR. Included are the towers, the Public Palace, and up to four museums.

2. Basilica of Saint Marinus

The 19th-century Basilica of Saint Marinus, full of valuable statues and paintings, is a must-see when visiting San Marino. This beautiful religious building stands atop a pre-existing Romanesque church and is dedicated to the city’s patron saint, St. Marinus. 

Inside, you’ll find a long nave lined with altars, intricate paintings, sculpt work, and at the very front, a high altar with the relics of St. Marinus. Entrance: Free.

3. Second Tower (Cesta)

Not too far from the iconic Guaita Tower stands the second tower of San Marino, Cesta. Perched even higher than its older sibling, it offers breathtaking views over the surrounding countryside. On a clear day, you can even see as far as the Apennine Mountains!

The ancient building sits right between the other two towers, along a panoramic mountain route. Inside, the tower houses a traditional weaponry museum, where you can discover about 700 different weapons from various periods in time.

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• You can buy a combo ticket to enter the San Marino Castle (Guaita) and Cesta.
• At the top, you’ll also find some food and drink stands and a couple of tourist kiosks.

4. Palazzo Pubblico

In the heart of the old town, on Piazza della Libertà, you’ll find one of the most popular places in San Marino: the Public Palace. Covered in small, elaborate details, the stone building with its grand doorways is San Marino’s government town hall.

We only saw the outside, but inside, a staircase leads up to the Council Hall, which is richly decorated with a large fresco on the wall.

• In summer, the guards change in front of the building, a ceremony that takes place several times a day between June and September.
• In San Marino during July? There are so many festivals happening! Visit the Adriatic Music Festival, San Marino Jazz, or the quirky Medieval Days that celebrate the country’s roots with costumes, food, and games.

5. The State Museum

Small San Marino has a total of 12 (!) museums to choose from. The State Museum in the stunning Palazzo Pergami Beluzzi houses some impressive archaeological artifacts of the region’s past. It’s one of the best things to do in San Marino, with over 5,000 items from different times in history.

Other Museums to Visit in San Marino

A few other museums included with a combo-ticket are: 

• The Stamp and Coin Museum: Discover beautiful postage stamps and coins. Although the country has adopted the Euro, it continues to mint limited-edition gold coins for collectors. These coins are only accepted as currency in San Marino. 
• The National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art has over 1,000 works by some of the most renowned artists of the 20th century.
• The San Francis Art Gallery, inside the cloister of the St. Francis church. There’s a collection of beautiful frescoes and paintings illustrating the order’s long history in San Marino.

6. Head to the Beach 

There are kilometers of beautiful soft sand on Italy’s eastern coastline, only 30 minutes from the microstate. This holiday region is dotted with different beach resorts, cute towns, and many colorful umbrellas perfect for lounging under. Most also have lush greenery that offers some shade and are equipped with changing rooms and lifeguards. 

We haven’t gone, but we want to next time to soak up the sun along the Adriatic Sea. The eastern coastline is a great stop on your visit to San Marino or your road trip through Italy.

Is San Marino in Italy?

Though it is often mistaken for a part of Italy, San Marino is actually an independent country with its own government and laws. It’s one of the few microstates in the world, spanning only 61 square kilometers, though Italy completely surrounds it.

It’s also known as the world’s oldest sovereign state, and its capital city (old town) lies atop the rugged Monte Titano, the area’s highest point.

There’s no border control that you need to pass through when you enter San Marino. However, you do need a valid passport when you’re there. You can even buy a passport stamp for 5 EUR! 

Best Cafes and Restaurants in San Marino

The food in San Marino is, as you would expect, heavily influenced by Italian flavors. We loved the many pasta dishes, local products, and rich wines. Our favorite was the incredible seafood or hand-made gnocchi in one of the traditional Osterias with views over the stunning Umbrian hills.

Some of our favorite restaurants were: 

How to Visit San Marino

San Marino doesn’t have an airport. If you’re only visiting the microstate, the closest place to fly is the beach town of Rimini or Umbria’s capital, Perugia. However, note that these are small airports with specific flight schedules. 

By Car: As it lies between the rolling hills of Tuscany and Umbria, we visited San Marino by car. From Perugia, it’s a 2.5-hour drive to get to the medieval hilltop city, and from Florence, it’s about 3 hours.

Getting Around

All the best sights of San Marino lie atop Monte Titano, enclosed within the ancient city, so we explored the medieval city on foot. In the lower Borgo (town), the new part of town, there are plenty of parking spaces to park your car. From there, you can take the bus or funicular up to the old part of the city. 

San Marino’s cable car: It’s quick and convenient, but also an experience in itself with astonishing views. It opens at 7:45 AM and operates every 15 minutes. Cost: 2 EUR (single ride), 3,50 EUR (return ticket).

Where to Stay 

We visited San Marino on a day trip, which is fantastic cause a few hours is all you need. However, the small republic is also an incredible place to stay the night.

Our favorite hotels in San Marino 😴

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Hotel Rosa

San Marino

La Grotta

San Marino

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Watch as the city calms at the end of the day while a glowing sun sinks behind the hills. The most convenient hotels are located in the old town, where you also find most of the sites.

How Much Does San Marino Cost?

San Marino is one of the cheaper destinations to visit in Europe, with reasonably priced hotels, BnBs, and restaurants. Additionally, the country is known as a tax haven, with many (Italian) tourists coming to do some tax-free shopping. 

Good to know: Although the city is known as a great place to go tax-free shopping, be aware that there are also some strange stores selling more questionable products.

Best Time to Visit

The country is relatively quiet year-round, though it gets much busier in the summer when Italians are on holiday.

• Best months: We recommend visiting in April – June or in September – October. During these shoulder seasons, it will still be warm, so you can enjoy the city with plenty of sunshine.