Last week I spent a couple of days in the Most Serene Republic of San Marino and it was lovely. If its peacefulness at night is any way of judging, then serene is a good description. It was stunning, the views breathtaking.
I went for two reasons. I'm curious to see the 7 small European states, taking inspiration from Gina’s Interrail trip two years ago (here). I also wanted to investigate its queer culture, if any, and, of course, its food and drink. I’m also fascinated by political geography and constitutional arrangements, too.
You’ll recall I went to tiny Monaco in February (here). San Marino is a bit bigger, although it’s still the fifth smallest country in the world in terms of both population and area (34,000 and 61 sq km). It claims to be the oldest continuously independent state in the world, though it’s not quite clear when it could really claim sovereign independence as opposed to just autonomy. Let’s just say it’s been running its own affairs since the Middle Ages and has never lost that: Napoleon didn’t touch them, nor the unification of Italy; only World War II saw bombing and occupation by allied forces despite its neutrality.
The location is incredible: Mount Titano dominates the surrounding land, peaking at 750m (2500 ft), with a sheer outcrop up to 200m (650 ft) high on which the capital is built with its three defining forts.
Needless to say the views from the top are breathtaking, with the Apennine mountains south and west, and the plain of Romagna and the Adriatic Sea stretching away east and north. Here are some amazing views.
This is a trans blog so let’s talk about stuff of direct interest to trans people. I stayed in the pleasant Hotel Cesare on the heights of San Marino city and, yes, I did choose this room because of the pink bathroom tiles!
Although its gay rights are progressive (homosexuality was decriminalised as early as 1865), and they even had the world's first openly gay head of state in 2022, there's never been a Pride event there and there are few specific trans rights. Amazingly, almost the first person I saw on arrival was a British trans woman on a bench on her phone. Now it’s always tempting for one trans woman to try to engage another: “Hi! You’re trans and I’m trans so, hey, we could like totally hang out and do trans stuff together!” But no, we do not do this. We don’t interrupt people on phone calls either. So, blonde British trans lady with phone, I hope you had a nice visit to San Marino. It’s full of young people, school trips and the like, so I’m sure it’s a safe place for TGirls who want to go out dressed. I remained in my everyday andro mode.
Two other things of possible trans interest were in the cabinet of curiosities. (My Lonely Planet guide sees the weird museums as a highlight of San Marino, i.e. museums of vampires and werewolves, waxworks and illusions, among others; the cabinet of curiosities is particularly recommended.) Here are 18th-century wig spectacles that attach under your wig and therefore can’t fall off, and (behind) a wig stand and basin for hanging your outsize wig à la Marie Antoinette. You fill the basin with water and this stops mice and insects from climbing into it. I think both these items are a must have!
This lady with the smallest waist ever is merely aspirational!
As for this item for ladies who need to deal with gentlemen who get too close, I'd say it's a must for any trans club with admirers in!
Although I also wonder if it wasn't on loan from the werewolf museum!
The rest of this entry is about history, constitution and food.
As an independent state it has all the trappings of government, just very tiny, like in Monaco: the government house with chambers for its Council of 60 and its Council of 12, the tiny ministry buildings, the tiny embassies and military HQ, the tiny museums …
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| The Parliament House |
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| The Chamber of the Council of 60 |
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| The Ministry of the Environment. San Marino has all the ministries any other country has, but they're all about this size. |
All very cute, but it works.
I enjoyed the local food very much. Where I live, on the coast near the French border, the emphasis is on fish; here, though, it’s meat and I enjoyed cappelletti (like ravioli) in broth, home made and excellent, meatballs in tomato sauce with quantities of roast potatoes, and an outstanding mixed grill cooked before me. The local Brugneto wine is very heavy and put me to sleep immediately I got back to the hotel! Lighter is the Valdragone. I also tried the sweet dessert wine, Oro dei Goti (Goths’ gold) to wash down some really tasty fruit sorbets. All better than the tiny sandwich I was offered on the train there!
A lovely trip altogether. The weather was springlike and I wish I’d stayed longer as I only saw San Marino city and there’s more to see in the surrounding villages. I took hundreds of photos so I've posted just a small selection.
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| Paraglider above the oldest fort |
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| A bar with an amazing view |
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| Prison cell with elaborate 19th-century graffiti. San Marino was one of the very first countries to abolish the death penalty altogether, in 1865, more than 200 years after the last execution actually happened. |
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| This is what an almost sheer drop of 600 feet (200m) looks like! This fort is impregnable! |
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