"San Marino – The oldest Republic in the World" Top 5 Page for this destination San Marino by MikeAtSea

The above title was written on the postcards that I sent from there. Reaching San Marino from Ancona where our ship docked was relatively fast. The Italian highways are quiet packed, however every one drives like a maniac – and I simply joined in.

An hour drive from Ancona one leaves the highway and heads a few more kilometers to the border crossing. No controls take place here, and simply a sign that says “Frontiera del Stato” indicates that one is leaving Italy and now is in another country. For me amazing was that I always imagined San Marino as this tiny place consisting of maybe a castle and a few houses.

The more surprised I was after passing the countries border to find several towns and a rather windy road that took us all the way up to San Marino the main town.

After parking the car we headed via several elevators from the parking areas right up to the old town. A neat, medieval and very clean town awaited us. Picturesque narrow roads let around buildings that re-count the history of this the oldest Republic in the world.

I read before that one could get ones passport stamped, hence we hunted for the tourism information office who at a fee of EUR 2.50 glued two revenue stamps in the passport and stamped it with a Tourist Visa stamp of the Republic of San Marino.

The tiny country is also a duty free zone, offering a number of shops selling perfume, cigarettes and electronic items at duty free prices.

Having someone collect coins in our family I hunted to get some San Marino Euro coins. Several shops were visited and astonishing the price difference was rather big – the shop where I got the set at the cheapest rate was very close to the Government Palace for Euro 85.

San Marino was my 97th country and territory visited – and again my eyes opened and changed from what I had expected to what I discovered. If you are in the area visit it – I think it is really worse while!