I visited quite a few new countries this summer and the first one on the long list was…
Times visited: 1
Towns and villages visited: San Marino and Borgo Maggiore
UNESCO sites visited: 1/1
In the summer of 2019, I set out to explore southern Europe with a special focus on tiny nations and geographic oddities. Naturally, San Marino, the fifth smallest country in the world and the third smallest in Europe, made its way onto my itinerary. What I didn’t expect was that it would become one of my favourite stops of the entire trip. Most travellers visit San Marino on a quick day trip from Italy, which completely encircles the microstate. But I wanted something more – specifically, to witness sunset from this mountaintop country. So I booked two nights at the cheapest hostel I could find, tucked about a half-hour’s downhill walk from the capital.
I spent my first afternoon and evening exploring the capital city, perched dramatically atop Monte Titano at 749 metres above sea level – far above the rest of the country. As golden hour approached, I hiked up to the three medieval towers that still stand as sentinels from San Marino’s fortress days. With most of the day-trippers already gone, I had the breathtaking views nearly to myself. The sunset was pure magic.
The next day, I had hoped to visit the small countryside village of Faetano, but I couldn’t find a bus connection. As I was rethinking my plans, a sudden storm rolled in – thunder, lightning, the works. I started making my way back to the hostel but decided on a detour to the nearby village of Borgo Maggiore, nestled just below the capital. Despite the weather, I was glad to see a bit more of the country. When the storm worsened, I took refuge indoors for the rest of the day – grateful I had explored under clear skies the day before.