Brief information
More than 2 million tourists visit San Marino every year. At the same time, in San Marino itself there are only a little more than 30 thousand inhabitants. This means that San Marino is, albeit small, but a wonderful country for tourists. So, here are still preserved several medieval castles, which are considered the most interesting in Europe.
Geography of San Marino
The Republic of San Marino is located in the northeastern part of the Apennine Peninsula, 10 kilometers from the coast of the Adriatic Sea. San Marino is an Italian enclave (i.e. it only borders Italy). The total territory of this state is 62 square meters. km.
The highest point in San Marino is Monte Titano (749 meters). In general, most of this small country is occupied by mountains and hills, and only a small area has valleys.
Capital
According to itypejob.com, the capital of the Republic of San Marino is the city of San Marino, which is now home to more than 4.5 thousand people.
Official language
The official language in San Marino is Italian, which belongs to the Romance group of the Indo-European language family.
Religion in San Marino
More than 93% of the population of San Marino are Roman Catholics.
State structure of San Marino
According to computerminus.com, San Marino is a parliamentary republic, where the main executive power belongs to two captains-regents, who are appointed for 6 months by the local Parliament.
The Parliament in San Marino is called the Grand General Council (it consists of 60 people elected by direct popular vote for 5 years). Thus, the political system of San Marino is very similar to the ancient Roman one.
The main political parties are the “right” party “San Marino Christian Democratic Party”, as well as the “left” parties of socialists and communists.
Administratively, San Marino is divided into nine districts.
Climate and weather
The climate in San Marino is Mediterranean with elements of a continental climate. Summers are warm (average air temperature is +24С), and winters are cool (average air temperature is +4С).
History of San Marino
According to legend, the first settlement on the territory of modern San Marino appeared in 301 AD, when the stonemason Saint Marin and his friends came there. It was in the year 301 that Saint Marin built a church on Mount Titano, and this is considered the beginning of the history of San Marino.
By the middle of the 5th century AD. in San Marino, a local community of people has already been formed, who began to position themselves as residents of an independent state. However, San Marino gained independence from the Italian Duchy of Urbino only in the middle of the 9th century.
In 1600, the people of San Marino adopted the Constitution, and in 1631 the Pope recognized the independence of this state.
During the Napoleonic Wars, the armies of Napoleon Bonaparte did not occupy San Marino, although Italian lands were conquered.
In the XIX century, supporters of the unification of Italy, including Giuseppe Garibaldi, found refuge in San Marino. After the unification of Italy, the independence of San Marino was preserved. In the same 19th century, the government of San Marino made US President Abraham Lincoln an honorary citizen of his country.
During the First World War, San Marino was a neutral state, but some of its inhabitants fought in the Italian army. During World War II, San Marino was also a neutral state, although the Fascist Party was in power there. In September 1944, German troops briefly occupied San Marino.
In 1992, San Marino became a member of the UN.
Culture of San Marino
Despite the fact that San Marino is an independent state, the culture of this country is very similar to Italian culture. But this is not surprising, given that San Marino is an enclave in Italy.
Folk dances and music in San Marino are typically Italian. Literature in this country is also published in Italian.
The inhabitants of San Marino carefully preserve their traditions, considering themselves to be the real descendants of the ancient Romans. Perhaps this is partly true, because this country is ruled by two captains-regents, just like two consuls in ancient Rome.
San Marino has a lot of traditions and folk festivals. Tourists will be interested in the changing of the guard of the local Guard at the State Palace of San Marino in Piazza della Liberta, which takes place every hour from May to September.
Every year in San Marino on July 26-29, the festival “Giornate Medievali” (“Medieval Days”) is held, which turns into a continuous carnival. Every year on September 3, the Palio delle Balestre crossbow festival takes place.
Kitchen
The cuisine of San Marino is reminiscent of Italian cuisine, although of course it has its own traditional dishes. As in Italy, pasta is very popular in San Marino.
We advise tourists to try the following traditional dishes in San Marino:
- “faggioli con le cotiche” – thick bean soup with bacon;
- “bustrengo” – a cake with raisins;
- “cacciatello” – caramel cream made from milk and eggs;
- “zuppa di ciliege” – cherries stewed in red wine.
San Marino produces excellent quality wine. The most famous of the local wines are the fortified red wine “Sangiovese” and the dry white wine “Biancale”.
Sights of San Marino
San Marino, of course, is a very small country, but it has a long history. San Marino rarely participated in wars, and therefore interesting architectural and historical monuments have been preserved here.
Tourists in San Marino, we definitely advise you to see the following attractions:
- government palace
- Basilica in San Marino
- Church of St. Francis
- Chesta Castle
- Guaita Castle
Cities and resorts
In San Marino there are several large, by local standards, settlements, which are commonly called cities. The largest of them are Serravalle (more than 9.3 thousand people) and the city of San Marino (more than 4.5 thousand people).
A visit to San Marino is probably included in the mandatory program of all tourists who come to rest in Italy. For tourists, San Marino is the same attraction as the Vatican.
Souvenirs/Shopping
Tourists from San Marino are advised to bring handicrafts (forged iron souvenirs, ceramics), furniture, jewelry, and local wine.
Office Hours
Banks are open:
Mon-Fri: 08:30-16:00
Shop opening hours:
Mon-Sat: 10:00-19:30
Visa
Ukrainians need to get a visa to enter San Marino.
Currency
In San Marino, the euro is used as currency. All major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) are widely accepted.
Customs restrictions
Import and export of currency in San Marino is not limited. An amount of 10 thousand euros or more must be included in the declaration. Customs regulations in San Marino are the same as in other Western European countries.
Useful phone numbers and addresses
The interests of San Marino in Ukraine are represented by the Italian Embassy in Ukraine:
Index – 01901, Kiev, st. Yaroslavov Val, 32-b
T: (044) 230-31-00
F: (044) 230-31-03
Email. email: [email protected]
The interests of Ukraine in San Marino are represented by the Embassy of Ukraine in Italy:
00198 Rome – Via Guido d’Arezzo, 9, Italy
T: (3906) 841 26 30
F: (3906) 854 75 39
Email. address: [email protected]
Emergency numbers
112 – gendarmerie
113 – general emergencies
115 – fire service
118 – ambulance
Time
The difference with time in Kyiv is -1 hour. Those. if in the city of San Marino, for example, in the summer it is 9:00 am, then in Kyiv it is 10:00 am.
Tips
In hotels, restaurants and bars in San Marino, tips are 10-15% of the bill.
The medicine
No special vaccinations are required to enter San Marino.
Security
The people of San Marino are very friendly and hospitable. However, in this small country there are Italian pickpockets. Therefore, tourists in San Marino still need to be careful with their belongings, money and documents.
