Everyday practical information for San Marino

Italian in practice

• Italian is the language and Sammarinese life is Italian life with a different flag.
• English is spoken in the tourist centre, less so below it.
• 230 V, 50 Hz, sockets type C, F and L - the Italian three-in-line plug (type L) appears alongside the round European ones, so an adapter is worth having.

The republic

• San Marino claims to be the oldest surviving republic in the world, founded in 301, and takes the claim seriously.
• Two Captains Regent serve as joint heads of state for six months at a time, a system running since the 13th century.
• The three towers on the ridge are the national symbol and the walk between them is the thing to do.

Practicalities

• The old town is steep and cobbled. Wear something sensible on your feet.
• It is a day trip for almost everyone, and it empties in the evening when the coaches leave - which, as in Mostar, is an argument for staying the night.
• Weather on the ridge is different from the coast - it is 700 m up and can be in cloud when Rimini is in sun.