# [RSM] San Marino



## Coccodrillo (Sep 30, 2005)

Apparently there isn't a thread about this European microstate. So, here it is:























































I have been there when I was a child but I didn't take any photos, maybe one of the Italian users living nearby will contribute  (or, why not, one of the few San Marino's citizens)


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## Luki_SL (Apr 11, 2005)

^^This photo from border is old. This road is in very good condition now I was there month ago, this road had to be renewed recently, I think in 2009-2010


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## Fargo Wolf (Oct 23, 2009)

San Marino... Isn't that the name of an F1 racecourse?


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## Satyricon84 (Feb 3, 2009)

^^ Yes but the motor speedway is in Imola, Italy. It was called Grand Prix of San Marino cause Grand Prix of Italy is already here in Monza. Imola is far 100 Km from San Marino....


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## Fargo Wolf (Oct 23, 2009)

Ah. OK. So the racecourse has nothing to do with San Marino then, aside from the name. Interesting.


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## Comfortably Numb (Dec 19, 2007)

Fargo Wolf said:


> San Marino... Isn't that the name of an F1 racecourse?


It's a republic and also the home of 1/4 of my ancestors!


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## bogdymol (Feb 4, 2010)

Crossing the border from Italy into *Republic of San Marino*:



















Romanian-registered car in front of me (BT = Botosani, maybe the Romanian most-distant county from Italy):


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## bogdymol (Feb 4, 2010)

I see that there are almost no pictures of roads in San Marino, so I will post some more pictures that I did during my trip:


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## bogdymol (Feb 4, 2010)




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## bogdymol (Feb 4, 2010)

There are a lot more pictures from *San Marino* on *my travel thread*.


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## Pascal20a (Dec 8, 2012)

I had also the idea to start this thread


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## Blackraven (Jan 19, 2006)

The road layout seems somewhat similar to very dense places such as Monaco, Macau, Gibraltar, Malta, Vatican City and so on so forth.

P.S.
Btw, what's the visa policy for San Marino?

Does your Schengen Visa need to be of 'multiple entry' status? (similar to Andorra)

Or is it like Monaco? (no immigration, customs and border control procedures.......except for its international seaport)


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## g.spinoza (Jul 21, 2010)

As a matter of fact, San Marino isn't as dense as those other places.

I guess the visa policy is like Monaco one, as San Marino and Italy have custom union.


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## Blackraven (Jan 19, 2006)

g.spinoza said:


> As a matter of fact, San Marino isn't as dense as those other places.


Hmm.........actually from what I'm seeing, it seems somewhat similar.

However, based on the pics, it looks like there isn't much traffic or vehicular congestion. That's why I'm think that even if San Marino has narrow and tight roads (ala Macau, Monaco, Malta, Gibraltar, etc.), it doesn't feel jam-packed since the vehicle population isn't high..............at least from what I'm seeing.

Anyone who has access to the automobile population data of San Marino could care to double-check on this (?)



> I guess the visa policy is like Monaco one, as San Marino and Italy have custom union.


Ah ok. So it's open border then(?)

And if police ask, I would just present my/our passport(s) with Schengen visa attached and we're good.......

And no need for the multiple-entry type Schengen visa, correct?


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## g.spinoza (Jul 21, 2010)

Blackraven said:


> Hmm.........actually from what I'm seeing, it seems somewhat similar.


Well Monaco and San Marino has the same population... but the latter is 30 times larger. Malta density of population is 2.6 times higher than San Marino's, Gibraltar's 8 times, Singapore's 15 times, Macao's 40 times. 

San Marino's density of population is only slightly larger than the Netherlands, for instance. 



> Ah ok. So it's open border then(?)
> 
> And if police ask, I would just present my/our passport(s) with Schengen visa attached and we're good.......
> 
> And no need for the multiple-entry type Schengen visa, correct?


Correct, for what I know.


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## bogdymol (Feb 4, 2010)

When I drove in San Marino I noticed the traffic as very light. I mean, there were many other cars on the streets, but the infrastructure is good for this AADT. There are also a lot of roundabouts that help the traffic comming from the side streets.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Well, San Marino has a population of only about 30,000 people. That doesn't generate that much car traffic, especially given the isolated location of the country. Few through traffic passes through it.


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## Blackraven (Jan 19, 2006)

If France is to Monaco and Austria/Germany is to Liechtenstein, then Italy is to San Marino 



bogdymol said:


> When I drove in San Marino I noticed the traffic as very light. I mean, there were many other cars on the streets, but the infrastructure is good for this AADT. There are also a lot of roundabouts that help the traffic comming from the side streets.





ChrisZwolle said:


> Well, San Marino has a population of only about 30,000 people. That doesn't generate that much car traffic, especially given the isolated location of the country. Few through traffic passes through it.


Wow that really looks interesting.

I guess a low local population of vehicles helps.......and even combined with vehicle traffic from nearby Italy, it looks as if San Marino doesn't have congested roads or whatnot.

I guess this should make for a very peaceful and relaxed driving experience


I also like the placement of signs with red and green traffic lights to indicate availability of vehicular slots in numerous public parking places.










A nice touch indeed imho


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## g.spinoza (Jul 21, 2010)

Blackraven said:


> If France is to Monaco and Austria/Germany is to Liechtenstein, then Italy is to San Marino


Liechtenstein has much closer ties with Switzerland.


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## Blackraven (Jan 19, 2006)

g.spinoza said:


> Liechtenstein has much closer ties with Switzerland.


Hehe yeah I just found out recently (i.e. Swiss Customs Union, usage of Swiss Franc, etc.)

Though yeah, I was just trying to point our the relation of these small countries/micro-estates with their closest father/mother countries. That's all hehe 

But yeah, San Marino looks very interesting to me.

Definitely one of those places to visit in your lifetime


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## bogdymol (Feb 4, 2010)

Blackraven said:


> I guess this should make for a very peaceful and relaxed driving experience


It was a very nice drive on this curvy roads on hilly terrain.



Blackraven said:


> Definitely one of those places to visit in your lifetime


kay:


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## Suburbanist (Dec 25, 2009)

The city of San Marino is quite tight, but the country has some countryside. Not as much as Andorra, but still some farms and open land.


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## Verso (Jun 5, 2006)

I was in San Marino a couple of decades ago.


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## Blackraven (Jan 19, 2006)

Suburbanist said:


> The city of San Marino is quite tight, but the country has some countryside. Not as much as Andorra, but still some farms and open land.


You have a point there.

On the other hand, San Marino seems to be friendlier to non-EU Schengen visa holders (i.e. no confusion between single-entry or multiple-entry types).

I'd still love to visit Andorra someday but I would have to first check with our local Spanish and/or French embassies regarding that.



> I was in San Marino a couple of decades ago.


Dunno if much has changed.

But there was one pic of the Agip/Eni petrol/fuel station near the border. 

Seems unchanged :lol:


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## bogdymol (Feb 4, 2010)

Blackraven said:


> On the other hand, San Marino seems to be friendlier to non-EU Schengen visa holders (i.e. no confusion between single-entry or multiple-entry types).
> 
> I'd still love to visit Andorra someday but I would have to first check with our local Spanish and/or French embassies regarding that.


There are no border checks at the border between Italy and San Marino. So although you exit/enter Schengen area, nobody checks this so I guess it's ok.


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## Corvinus (Dec 8, 2010)

Let's have some recent pics of Sammarinese roads.
Taken by me in September 2014. Unfortunately, part of it in rain ...

Roads are in general of significantly better quality than in Italy. Obviously, you don't have a noteworthy transit traffic with loads of trucks ...

Part 1: From Borgo Maggiore to Faetano

1. Italian cities figure on almost every directional sign in San Marino









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5. There _are _some straight stretches!










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8. Downtown Faetano










9. Heading toward town's end. Thereafter, you can exit to Italy, or head for Chiesanuova.


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## Corvinus (Dec 8, 2010)

Part 2: from Faetano to Montegiardino



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7. Old Town Montegiardino


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## Corvinus (Dec 8, 2010)

Part 3: Fiorentino to Chiesanouva (SW corner of the country)

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5. The _chiesa nuova_ ...


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## Corvinus (Dec 8, 2010)

Part 4: Chiesanuova to Gualdicciolo
northbound ride in the western edge of the country

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8.


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## Corvinus (Dec 8, 2010)

Part 5: from Gualdicciolo to - and through - Acquaviva:

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8. Out of the _castello_, and on to Borgo Maggiore ...


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## Corvinus (Dec 8, 2010)

Part 6: From Acquaviva to Borgo Maggiore

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3. Now on the main "artery" road of the country ... will be staying on it











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9. somewhere in the middle of Borgo Maggiore


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## Corvinus (Dec 8, 2010)

Part 7: From Borgo Maggiore to San Marino - *the *tourist destination of the country

1. Entering Borgo Maggiore castello, we will be just driving through it











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3. One of the many roundabouts intersecting the dual carriageway. The dual carriageway does not have any special status (like motor traffic way, expressway), and it has a speed limit of 50 km/h.











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5. Dual carriageway ends after this roundabout











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8. ... and here we are!











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11. Finally, a ZTL ahead, no entry by vehicle. There are sufficient parking lots in proximity (majority is tolled).


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## Corvinus (Dec 8, 2010)

Some roads in San Marino City

1. Driving past the Italian Embassy (there are 3 embassies in San Marino: of Italy, the Holy See and SMOM).











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4. Parking lots on the right could be used with a parking disc (1h free). This is about as close as one can get by car to the historic town center (_centro storico_), unless holding a special entry/parking permit.











5.


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## Corvinus (Dec 8, 2010)

Some pics of the narrow, winding and very scenic road in the country's interior, leading from San Marino city westward toward Strada del Lavoro.

Photos still from Sep. 2014, I have not moved to San Marino!

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4. Now getting really rural ...










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8. T intersection with Strada del Lavoro ahead, IIRC. Strada de Lavoro is a "major" road running along the Western edge of the country.










9. On Strada del Lavoro - in the immediate proximity, you can leave for Italy, crossing the_ Torrente di San Marino_.


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## Blackraven (Jan 19, 2006)

Dunno if this is correct.....but I found a website featuring a list for the Parking Rates in San Marino

Parking rates
Hours	Car and Camper	Bus
1 hour	1,50 €	3,60 €
2 hours	3,00 €	7,20 €
3 hours	4,50 €	9,00 €
4-5 hours	4,50 €	10,00 €
6 hours	8,00 €	10,00 €
Full Day	8,00 €	20,00 €

http://www.sanmarinoforall.com/default.asp?id=445


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## VITORIA MAN (Jan 31, 2013)

the directional signs are italian , in andorra arent spanish


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