Reader\'s Digest AU NZ 03.2020

hima lettercongratulatinghimon

hispresidency,andheverykindly

wroteback:“Althoughyourdomin-

ionissmall,yourStateisneverthe-

lessoneofthemosthonouredinall

history.”Endorsementsdon'tcome

muchbetterthanthat.

Today,thismosthonouredcountry

isa havenforday-trippers,whocome

fortheCityofSanMarino’sthree

imposingdefensivetowersandthe

splendidviews.

Thechangingofthelocalguard

isalsoamajordraw.Takingplace

hourlyinsummermonths (these

areclearly guards who cherish

change),theceremonyshowcases

thebeautifullyplummedGuardians

oftheRock,whosebrightlycoloured

uniformsfeatureredpompomsand

ostrichfeathers.

TOURISTAPPEAL:it’sallaboutthe

views,themedievalpublic square

(and the red pompoms).

PHOTOS: VISITSANMARINO.COM; PONGSAKORN CHAINA/SHUTTERSTOCK

SAN MARINO

AREA: 61 sqkm

POPULATION:around33,400

A

landlocked micronation

perched inthe mountains

overlookingRimini onIta-

ly’sAdriaticcoast,theMostSerene

RepublicofSanMarinohasmain-

taineda proudindependencesince

itsfoundingbackinAD 301 – unlike

therestofItaly’serstwhilecity-states.

Itistheworld’soldestrepublic.

SanMarinoisnota memberofthe

EuropeanUnion,butit maintainsan

openborderwithItaly.Ifyou’redis-

appointedthatyouwon’tget a stamp

in your passport,

don’tworry:youcan

buyoneinthelocal

touristoffice.

SanMarinoleads

theworldinhaving

the highestrate of

car ownership– it

hasmorevehicles,in

fact,thanpeople.In

itsornateparliament

building, there’s a

bustofAbrahamLin-

coln.Backin1861,the

Sammarinese wrote

SanMarino’sGuaita

fortressdatesbackto

the 11th century

Small Country, Big Attraction

103