San Marino / Repubblica di San Marino – Let’s explore here
The Most Serene Republic of San Marino is a tiny landlocked country completely surrounded by Italy. Don’t you love it when countries set themselves apart from the norm – check out that title! If you’ve never been to its capital – the City of San Marino, you should definitely put it on your list. It’s a really interesting place with loads of cultural sights to see. It sits atop Monte Titano in the Apennine Mountains and can be easily accessed by cable car. The highest point is Monte Titano, at 2,425 ft (739m) above sea level.
The country is the fifth smallest in the world, being about half the size of Leeds or Jersey in the UK. It has a population of around 35,000 people (2023). It also has the world’s highest rate of car ownership, being one of three countries with more vehicles than people, the others being Andorra and Liechtenstein.
Current travels
On our current road trip we’ll be travelling from Italy to explore the wider countryside and towns of the country, before heading back to Italy on the next stage of our journey. Whilst we’ve been through the country several times, aside from the capital, it doesn’t feel like we have a good sense of what else it has to offer. Hopefully this route will improve our knowledge of this intriguing and beautiful little country, and enable us to meet some interesting people. We’ll be updating this page at that time – don’t forget to check back 🙂
What currency do they use in San Marino?
In San Marino they use the Euro. The use of credit / debit cards is now widespread. Traveller’s cheques are accepted. There are lots of ATMs.
You should make yourself aware of the amount that your bank charges you for using credit and debit cards abroad. Often credit cards are cheaper for purchasing items directly, and for withdrawing cash from ATMs.
What language do they speak in San Marino?
They speak Sammarinese and Italian in San Marino, although many also speak English, especially in the capital.
What time zone is San Marino in?
Remember, when you’re planning your next trip to take a look at what time zone it’s in.
Do I need a visa to visit San Marino?
We’ve created a dedicated, more comprehensive page on visas, which you should find helpful. Check it out!
What’s it like to drive in San Marino?
San Marino has the world’s highest rate of car ownership, being one of three countries with more vehicles than people, the others being Andorra and Liechtenstein. Although this may be true, we didn’t notice an overabundance of vehicles outside of the capital. We took a cable car to the capital and it was very busy with tourists – we would not recommend attempting to drive in the city. Outside of the capital is pretty quiet, and much the same driving conditions as Italy – unsurprisingly!
We’ve also created a dedicated page to driving abroad, which you might find helpful 🙂
Is wild camping legal in San Marino?
No, wild camping is Illegal in San Marino.
Is it safe to drink water in San Marino?
Yes, it is safe to drink tap water in San Marino. Bottled water is also readily available across the country.
Our best places in San Marino
City of San Marino
As you wander around the city, you’ll notice that there are a number of castle towers that are well worth a visit. You should be aware though that it gets pretty busy with tourists – so bear that in mind. There are loads of shops and restaurants, although we did notice that there are a large number of shops that sold leather wallets, guns and weapons, which is, well … unusual!
If you’ve got some awesome pictures, or some useful info that you’d like to share, let us know!
And don’t forget to check out all the other pictures!