San Marino Nature Park – Adventure in the World’s Oldest Republic

If you plan to stay longer than one day, take an adventure in San Marino Nature Park and see what lies below and around the historical centre.

An adventure in San Marino, the “world’s oldest republic” that sits atop a mountain snuggled within Italy’s Emilia Romagna region, beckons. It’s a Microstate that draws in the day-trippers to tick off another country and experience the spectacle of a medieval masterpiece.

It’s fairytale, unique and sucks you in faster than you can spit yourself out in 24 hours. Yet for those curious to stay at the UNESCO World Heritage Site a bit longer, you can not only live locally and leisurely walk the historical centre, but also experience a whole other world waiting below it.

Nearly one year after my Medieval Days Festival fun (an annual celebration of the country’s legacy), I returned to the Republic of San Marino, after travelling a route that took me from Bologna to Forlimpopoli. I wanted to dig even further into this tiny country and return to a place that I consider to be one of my homes at heart, I have scattered globally.

READ MORE: San Marino Microstate Guide 

I know my way around, and I call some local people friends, this time being able to enjoy catch-ups over great meals and nights out. I also like to pretend I’m on ‘you shall pass’ terms with the Palace Guards.

I always stay with the wonderful Fabrizio of Balsimelli 12, whose old stonemason family home, passed down through generations, is more than just another B&B (the upstairs bedroom with the cool balcony is mine, by the way, and you can stay there), and for the local pink sparkling wine, Briza.

More importantly, I know I will always find something new in San Marino whenever I return, despite its small size of 61 square kilometres. Its claim of being “small enough to be big” is well worth the challenge of further exploration.

Adventure in San Marino Old Town

After clambering to the towers on my previous visit, this time I got to see San Marino from a new panoramic viewpoint – from the roof of the Palace. The Neo-Gothic Palace is pivotal to the Microstate and a symbol of its unique system of government, which has remained untouched over the centuries: an exclusive arrangement with two heads of state (Captains Regent) who share equal power, each in office for only six months at a time.

It is always open to visitors to come and learn more about the country’s distinctive ideals of freedom.

Adventure Activities in San Marino Nature Park

The next day, after a quick catch-up in my old medieval Princess stomping grounds, I got to put on my hiking shoes and undergo a different adventure, spending the day with a great collective of local people who formed E-Bike Experience, who have set up everything from climbing and horse riding to high peak climbing.

On my last visit, I did a short hike with friends up through the woodland pathways that curl around the limestone mound of Mount Titano (in the very footsteps of Saint Marino himself). This short Mount Titano hike began in the San Marino territory of Borgo Maggiore, the second-largest of the nine towns visible from the cable car.

Yet longer hiking and biking adventures await those whose inquisitiveness stretches further afield and who want to get right into the nature and forests that hug the Historical Centre mound from below.

The ultimate aim is to take the cable car down and eventually emerge from the undergrowth, then bike all the way to the very top again!

Biking in San Marino

Biking in San Marino is not all steep forest tracks. As it was a Saturday, we started the day at the local weekly food market not far from the bottom cable car station, where locals gather to sell everything from savoury snacks and sweet treats to cheese and honey. To entice you, each brings a selection of goods to the grand table for everyone to enjoy. It was the perfect fuel for the day ahead.

We cycled for an hour or so, which was a good way to get a sense of how much of San Marino lies below its popular heights. While I wasn’t too keen on getting deep into the woodland gravel (I’m still working on training my balance), it was great to get more into the green and whizz around the hills and through the former rail tunnels.

Hiking in San Marino

Dropping the e-mountain bikes off at the farmhouse (now the museum and home to The Consorzio di San Marino), we started an afternoon hike on well-signposted path 2. It’s mostly dense forest, where you are unlikely to see another soul, with fallen tree trunks, and water pools created only by the touch of nature.  

The abandoned water mills are partly covered by overgrown shrubbery and unkempt grass, but this overgrowth adds to the exploration as you share the space with local wildlife that have taken quiet refuge among the decaying wooden structures. Structures that stand as a testament to the rural life and farming ways that once flourished down here.

Caving in San Marino

For more off-track exploration, we crawled into one of the caves, pretending we were the “San Marinese Goonies” searching for old treasure. You get to learn all about the immense underground grotto system of San Marino Nature Park that was never fully uncovered.  

Showcasing the products of The Consorzio di San Marino (established in 2003 to preserve the territory’s flavours and sustain the production of locally made goods), we found a spot in another abandoned mill and indulged in local bread, cheese, honey, and, of course, a little Briza. What better way to round off the day before the last chunk of the hike with new knowledge, new sights and new friends.

From deserted watermills and cave hideouts to woodland and waterfall-backed hikes, the nature of San Marino is as commanding as its unique existence.

The top of the hill may be pretty, but the world below paints a different picture of this little-known Republic enclave.

Things to Know About San Marino Nature Park

Travel to San Marino. How do I get there?

Getting to San Marino is a little adventure in itself. San Marino is just a short 30-minute bus ride from the Italian seaside town of Rimini, which drops you off at the cable car stop. Or you can drive and reach higher levels of the historical centre, with car parks.

The TuttoSanMarino Card includes a discounted multi-museum ticket to the First and Second Tower, the Public Palace and State Museum, a 50% discount to private museums (including Waxworks, Museum of Curiosity, Torture Museum and the Exhibition of vampires and Werewolves), discount on cable car rides, guided tours, restaurants, coffee shops and local stores.

Do I need a visa to visit San Marino?

While officially visiting a recognised city-state and a separate country, no visa is required. Although Italy surrounds it on all sides, there are no official border controls, so anyone with a valid visa for Italy can enter.

However, if you wish to have an official passport stamp to recognise your time here, visit the Tourism Office, which will stamp your passport for €5.

Where to Stay in San Marino

Looking for something more homely than a hotel? Local house turned B&B called Balsimelli 12 is right in the very heart of the Old Town. This house, built with stone from Mount Titano and beautifully renovated with a stylish interior, has been passed down through generations of the Balsimelli family. The current owner Fabrizio (with his two adorable puppies) keeps the family legacy alive, with a super welcoming and homely space. He also makes great coffee in the morning as part of an incredible breakfast spread. There are two bedrooms, although the bedroom on the top floor has an enviable balcony with views across San Marino.

Further information and reading on San Marino:

Read: Visiting San Marino: The Unique Makeup, History and Political Setup of the Microstate

Read: Attending the Medieval Days Festival in San Marino – The Summer Cultural Festival