Italy, Part III: San Marino

I had never even heard of it, but Brendan really wanted to go to San Marino, so we went...and I'm so glad we did! Even though it was a pain to get there (two trains and a bus). But there's a reason for its remoteness; San Marino is a beautifully preserved medieval country situated on top of a mountain! Along with being the world's oldest republic (founded by Christian refugees escaping Roman persecution in 301) it's also the third smallest state in Europe (after Morocco and Vatican City). It's roughly the size of a small town, although we only explored the capital, also called San Marino (like NY, NY?)



Along with preserving their ancient traditions (we caught a military parade and band as it went by) and their love of liberty, the Sammarinese just seem like a really nice people. Again, the kind of people you might find in a small town. Everyone was so nice to us, smiling and saying "Ciao!" And it seemed like all of the shopkeepers knew each other and were good friends---I suppose because they're all neighbors. San Marino is also probably the only country in the world with a virtually non-existent crime rate. In other words, it was a wonderful, fairy tale land.



And the scenery was spectacular. We climbed up the towers of medieval castles that were built to defend the country from attack, and through the mist saw the Italian countryside stretching for miles. The air was so clean up there, and we wandered through the forest that connected each of the three towers together.





If only the requirements for citizenship weren't so difficult...you either have to be born there to parents who are already citizens (clearly too late for that now), or women can marry Sammarinese men. Of course, because it's so awesome lots of people want to live there, and in 1999 a law was passed that requires female servants to be under age 50---so that young women don't marry their much older employers for their money! But maybe if I go back there and meet a Sammarinese guy...I can dream! ;)