San Marino is…

Things to do in San Marino

San Marino is…Activities

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UNESCO World Heritage

Historic Centre and Mount Titano

Since 7 July 2008, the historic centre of San Marino and Mount Titano have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List: the only medieval city-state of northern Italy that is still alive, where the Republic's institutions still work in the same historic buildings.

2008
Year of inscription
55 ha
Protected core area
167 ha
Buffer zone
1463
Borders unchanged since
Why it matters

UNESCO recognised San Marino as an exceptional testimony to a living democracy: a free community that has governed itself through the same institutions for centuries.

Read the full story on Oldest Republic
The Guaita tower on Mount Titano at sunset, above a sea of clouds

What is protected

01The Three Towers

Guaita, Cesta and Montale, built between the 11th and 14th centuries on the three peaks of Mount Titano.

02Walls, gates and bastions

The rings of fortifications, built between the 13th and 16th centuries, that still wrap the Old Town.

03Palazzo Pubblico

The seat of government, completed in 1894 on the site of the medieval Domus Comunis Magna.

04Basilica of Saint Marinus

The neoclassical basilica of 1855, which keeps the relics of the founder.

05Convents of Saint Francis and Saint Clare

Religious complexes dating from the 14th to the 17th century.

06Teatro Titano

The 18th-century theatre, still at the heart of the Republic's cultural life.

07Mount Titano

The mountain itself: the landscape that shaped the city and protected its freedom.

Passo delle Streghe

Hiking

Passo delle Streghe

Città di San Marino

If you're walking around the historic centre of San Marino, you can't miss this breathtaking spot. Its name means “Witches' Pass”.

Legend has it that during the witch hunts, people suspected of witchcraft were pushed off this very ridge… A bit dark, and probably not true.

What we do know for sure is that from up here you'll enjoy one of the most stunning views in San Marino. On clear days you can even see the sea shimmering in the distance. Pure magic (no witchcraft!).

Fun fact

Check the live “sea view” indicator on our home page before you go: it tells you whether the Adriatic is visible today.

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Cable Car (Funivia)

Experiences

Cable Car (Funivia)

Borgo Maggiore

One of the most scenic ways to reach San Marino's historic centre is also the most convenient. The cable car connects Borgo Maggiore to the heart of San Marino Città in just under two minutes, with spectacular views of the Adriatic coast along the way.

The lower station is in Borgo Maggiore, with a car park accessible from Via 28 Luglio and Via Oddone Scarito. The upper station, 166 metres above, sits right next to Contrada del Pianello: a perfect gateway to the Old Town.

With rides every 15 minutes and extended summer hours, it's a great alternative to driving or hiking uphill.

Round trip
€5.00
One way
€3.00
Ride
≈ 2 min
Departures
every 15 min

Prices may change: check before you go.

Good to know Discounts for students, seniors and holders of the Tutto San Marino Card. Dogs are welcome on a lead and with a muzzle (or in a carrier).

Fun fact

The original funivia opened in 1959 and has since carried over 14 million people to the top of the mountain. The latest renovation, in 2017, brought brand-new cabins and upgraded safety systems.

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Palazzo Pubblico

Landmarks

Parliament (Palazzo Pubblico)

Piazza della Libertà

The Palazzo Pubblico, literally the “Public Palace”, is where the country's most important ceremonies take place, including the twice-yearly investiture of the Captains Regent, the heads of state, every 1 April and 1 October.

It stands in Piazza della Libertà (also known as Pianello), on the site of the original Domus Comunis Magna from the late 1300s. The current building was designed by the Roman architect Francesco Azzurri and inaugurated in 1894 with a speech by the poet Giosuè Carducci, who praised San Marino as a land of “perpetual liberty”. In 1996 it was carefully restored by the world-renowned architect Gae Aulenti.

What to look for

  • The facade, with the coats of arms of the Republic and its municipalities.
  • The crenellated bell tower, with images of Saint Agatha, Saint Leo and Saint Marinus and a bronze statue of the founder.
  • The atrium, filled with inscriptions, trophies and busts, including Carducci himself.
  • The Council Hall, where the 60 members of parliament govern the Republic beneath a large fresco of Saint Marinus.
Fun fact

Above the councillors' seats are Saint Marinus's legendary words: “Relinquo vos liberos ab utroque homine”, “I leave you free from both men” (the Pope and the Emperor). And in the square outside, you're standing above the ancient rainwater cisterns that once supplied the town.

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National Museum

Museums

National Museum (Museo di Stato)

Città di San Marino

Opened in 1899, the National Museum of San Marino is a treasure trove of history, culture and art. Since 2001 it has been housed in the elegant Palazzo Pergami Belluzzi, right in the heart of the Old Town, with nearly 5,000 items on display.

Ground floor
International donations
First floor
Local archaeology and coins
Second floor
The Republic's myth and history

What to see

  • Archaeological finds from the Neolithic to the Early Middle Ages, including the votive bronzes from Tanaccia and the gold Domagnano Treasure.
  • Coins and medals from 1865 to 1938.
  • Paintings and sculptures by Italian masters such as Guercino, Pompeo Batoni, Elisabetta Sirani and Bernardo Strozzi.
  • Egyptian, Etruscan and Roman art, plus religious artefacts from the Santa Chiara Monastery and the ancient Pieve.
Fun fact

The founding donor was Count Luigi Cibrario, an Italian minister and adviser to the Sammarinese government. His gift inspired politicians, writers and admirers of San Marino to send precious objects from all over the world.

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