01San Marino at a glance
A day trip into the hills from Hotel Viking, the Antonioli family's 3-star hotel in Viserbella di Rimini. San Marino, on Monte Titano, is the oldest republic in the world. Its old town and the Three Towers, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, look out over the whole Riviera to the sea.
It's 29.0 km from the hotel, about 45 minutes by car. Make it a half-day or full-day trip and be back by the sea in the evening for our Romagna cooking. For food festivals and local fêtes during your stay, see 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; 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 a free republic that has carried on since the Middle Ages. The old town is still lived in and keeps all its institutional functions.
- Tradition says that in AD 257 the stonecutter Marinus left the island of Rab in Dalmatia, climbed Monte Titano and founded a small Christian community there. The founding of the Republic is traditionally dated to AD 301 and celebrated on 3 September, the patron saint's feast day, 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 serve for six months. They hand over on 1 April and 1 October, in a ceremony that hasn't changed for centuries.
- The Three Towers, Guaita, Cesta and Montale, are the three "feathers" that symbolise Monte Titano. The Guaita, or First Tower, is the oldest (probably 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 woods. You can only see it from outside; inside is 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 gave his speech "on perpetual liberty". The names of the new Captains Regent are announced from its balcony.
In summer the Guardie di Rocca, in their distinctive green and red uniforms, change the guard every day in front of the Palazzo Pubblico.
The neoclassical Basilica del Santo was rebuilt from 1826 to a design by the Bolognese architect Antonio Serra, and it appears on San Marino's 10-cent euro coins.
From 1932 to 1944 an electric railway ran from Rimini to San Marino in about an hour. Today the restored AB-03 railcar stands in the Galleria Montale, a tunnel cut into the rock of Monte Titano.
Local specialities include San Marino piadina, the thinnest in Romagna, Torta Tre Monti (wafers layered 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 wander round, entry to the Basilica del Santo is free, and so is the Galleria Montale with the historic train. The First Tower, the Second Tower and the other State Museums are covered by the Pass ticket, valid for all the 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 shortly before closing; entry is free up to age 18, and free 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 takes under 2 minutes to reach the old town (single €4, return €7, every 15 minutes; closed for safety testing from 21 to 23 October 2026). There are also daily 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 handiest car parks, and we'll make you a packed lunch if you ask.
Your space back at the hotel stays free in our private car park, which is fenced and has CCTV. You'll find other villages to see on the same day 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: villages to visit in the hills. For more ideas, see 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?
Leave the car at the P11 car park in Borgo Maggiore and take the cable car, which reaches the old town in under 2 minutes (€4 single, €7 return in 2026). Or use the P9 multi-storey car park, whose panoramic lifts 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: €11 full price and €8 reduced in 2026, free up to age 18. The Third Tower (Montale) can only be seen from 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 covers the village and the castle. Add lunch at an osteria and another village nearby and you have a good full day out.
Where should I stay to visit the villages of the Valmarecchia and Valconca?
Hotel Viking in Viserbella di Rimini is a 3-star hotel 150 metres from the sea, with a private car park, open all year and well placed for trips inland.
Is San Marino worth visiting in autumn?
Yes. Autumn brings food festivals, chestnuts and the colours of the changing hills. Check the dates on the town council's website.
