01San Marino at a glance
A day trip into the inland hills from Hotel Viking, the Antonioli family's 3-star hotel in Viserbella di Rimini: San Marino is the oldest republic in the world, on Monte Titano. Its old town and the Three Towers, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, look out over the whole Riviera to the sea.
It is 29.0 km from the hotel, about 45 minutes by car: half a day or a full day out, and in the evening you are back by the sea for our Romagna cooking. Food festivals and local fêtes at the time of your stay are on the events in Rimini page.
| Where | Piazza della Libertà, 47890 Città di San Marino (Republic of San Marino). Pay car parks P1–P10 around the old town (P9 multi-storey with lifts, entrances from via Piana and via Napoleone Bonaparte); P11 in Borgo Maggiore, next to the cable car station |
|---|---|
| From the hotel by car | 29.0 km, about 45 minutes |
| When to go | all year round; food festivals and fairs in autumn |
02History
- The Historic Centre of San Marino and Monte Titano have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008, as evidence of the continuity of a free republic since the Middle Ages: a historic centre that is still lived in and keeps all its institutional functions.
- According to tradition, in AD 257 the stonecutter Marinus set out from the island of Rab in Dalmatia, climbed Monte Titano and founded a small Christian community there; tradition dates the founding of the Republic to AD 301, and it is celebrated on 3 September, the feast of the patron saint, with a procession, the historical parade of the Crossbowmen and the Palio delle Balestre (crossbow contest).
- Since 1243 the Republic has been led by two Captains Regent who hold office for six months: the handover takes place on 1 April and 1 October with a ceremony that has remained unchanged for centuries.
- The Three Towers – Guaita, Cesta and Montale – are the three "feathers" that symbolise Monte Titano. The Guaita, the First Tower, is the oldest (thought to date from around the year 1000); its name means "to keep watch", and it was used as a prison until 1975.
- The Second Tower, the Cesta, stands on the highest point of Monte Titano, at 755 metres, and is linked to the Guaita by the atmospheric "Passo delle Streghe" (Witches' Pass). Since 1956 it has housed the Museum of Ancient Weapons, with around 700 weapons from the 13th to the 19th century.
- The Third Tower, the Montale, is the smallest and most isolated, surrounded by woodland: it can only be seen from the outside and contains an 8-metre-deep prison known as "the bottom of the Tower".
03What to see
The Palazzo Pubblico in Piazza della Libertà was built between 1884 and 1894 to a design by Francesco Azzurri; at its inauguration on 30 September 1894, Giosuè Carducci delivered his speech "on perpetual liberty". The names of the new Captains Regent are announced from its balcony.
In summer, the Changing of the Guard takes place every day in front of the Palazzo Pubblico, performed by the Guardie di Rocca in their distinctive green and red uniform.
The neoclassical Basilica del Santo was rebuilt from 1826 to a design by the Bolognese architect Antonio Serra and appears on San Marino's 10-cent euro coins.
From 1932 to 1944 an electric railway linked Rimini to San Marino in about an hour; today you can see the restored AB-03 railcar in the Galleria Montale, a tunnel carved into the rock of Monte Titano.
Local specialities include San Marino piadina, the thinnest of the Romagna varieties, Torta Tre Monti (wafers filled with cocoa and hazelnut cream), Torta Titano and bustrengo; wines from the Cantina San Marino include Brugneto, Tessano, Biancale and Roncale.
Sources: whc.unesco.org · visitsanmarino.com. Information checked in October 2026.
04Visitor information
The old town is free to explore on foot; entry to the Basilica del Santo is free, and the Galleria Montale with the historic train can always be visited free of charge. The First Tower, the Second Tower and the other State Museums are visited with the Pass ticket, valid for all state museums: full price €11, reduced €8 (over-65s, university students, groups of more than 25), and a "last slot" ticket for €5 sold at the ticket desk towards closing time; entry is free up to age 18, and for everyone on 5 February, 7 July, 3 September and 27 September. 2026 opening times: 2/1 to 28/3 and 27/9 to 31/12, 9:00–16:50; 29/3 to 27/6 and 6/9 to 26/9, 10:00–17:50; 28/6 to 5/9, 8:30–19:45 (last entry 30 minutes before closing). In October 2026 the Palazzo Pubblico is temporarily closed for restoration. 2026 car park rates: €1.50 for the first hour, €3 for two hours, €4.50 for 3 to 5 hours, €8 for the whole day (charges apply 8:00–24:00 from April to September and 8:00–20:00 from October to March). From the P11 car park in Borgo Maggiore the cable car climbs to the old town in under 2 minutes (single €4, return €7, departures every 15 minutes; closed for safety testing from 21 to 23 October 2026). There are also daily scheduled buses from Rimini.
Opening times and prices may change: always check the official website before you go.
Sources: visitsanmarino.com. Information checked in October 2026.
05How to get there from Hotel Viking
By car: 29.0 km, about 45 minutes. At reception we can suggest the best route and the most convenient car parks, and on request we will prepare you a packed lunch.
Your space at the hotel stays reserved in our private car park, which is fenced and covered by CCTV. Other villages to combine on the same day are listed below.
06Nearby
- Borgo Maggiore, linked to the old town by the panoramic cable car
- Verucchio, the Rocca Malatestiana and the Archaeological Museum (about 10 km)
- San Leo and its fortress (about 22 km)
- Santarcangelo di Romagna and the Valmarecchia
- Rimini and the Riviera (reachable by car on the SS72 or by bus)
- Verucchio
- San Leo
All the villages on one page: the hinterland and hilltop villages to visit. More ideas in things to do in Rimini.
07What our guests say
What our guests say about their trips into the hills.
Day trips
«You can book trips inland with the help of the reception staff»
Sea and hills
«great view from the balcony, towards the sea on one side and the hinterland on the other»
08FAQ
How do you reach San Marino's old town without hunting for a parking space at the top?
You can leave the car at the P11 car park in Borgo Maggiore and ride up on the cable car, which reaches the old town in under 2 minutes (€4 single, €7 return in 2026). Alternatively, the P9 multi-storey car park has panoramic lifts that take you into the centre in a few minutes.
How much does it cost to visit the Towers of San Marino?
The First Tower (Guaita) and the Second Tower (Cesta) are included in the State Museums Pass ticket: €11 full price and €8 reduced in 2026, free up to age 18. The Third Tower (Montale) can only be seen from the outside.
How far is San Marino from Hotel Viking?
29.0 km, about 45 minutes by car from Viserbella di Rimini.
How long do you need to visit San Marino?
Half a day is enough for the village centre and the main monument; add lunch at an osteria and another nearby village and it becomes a lovely full day out.
Where to stay to visit the hilltop villages of the Valmarecchia and Valconca?
At Hotel Viking in Viserbella di Rimini: a 3-star hotel 100 metres from the sea, with a private car park, open all year round and handy for day trips into the inland hills.
Is San Marino worth visiting in autumn?
Yes: in autumn the hinterland has its food festivals, chestnuts and the colours of the hills; check the dates on the town council's website.
