I have book-ended a conference trip with some short forays to bite sized European destinations. The tiny Republic of San Marino sits atop Mt Titano in the northeastern Italian landscape. Through geographic fortune rather than might and power the enclave survived Christian and papal wars. Its 3 defensive watch towers built on a sheer escarpment between the 11th and 15th centuries are now the enduring symbol of its existence.
But the drawbridge has been thrown open now and I traipsed with the modern crusaders zigzagging up and down its steep medieval laneways. I visited the petite Public Palazzo and climbed to the top of the towers for sensational panoramas of the Italian countryside below – San Marino explored from top to toe all in a day!
