The day in six blocks
Indicative times for an effective day of nine hours, from early morning to after dinner.
| Time slot | Stop | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 09:00 · 09:30 | P11 car park and Cableway | 30 min |
| 09:30 · 11:00 | Contrada del Pianello and historic centre | 1 h 30 |
| 11:00 · 13:00 | Public Palace and Basilica of Saint Marinus | 2 h |
| 13:00 · 14:30 | Lunch break | 1 h 30 |
| 14:30 · 17:30 | The Three Towers and the ridge path | 3 h |
| 17:30 · 18:30 | State Museum or Crossbowmen's Quarry | 1 h |
| 19:00 · onwards | Sunset aperitif and dinner | free |
From the P11 to the Cableway
Those arriving by car are best advised to leave the vehicle at the P11 car park in Borgo Maggiore, a few steps from the Cableway station. The ride lasts a little over two minutes and covers a height difference of 166 metres. The alternative, slower but suggestive, is the old Borgo-Città path that climbs through ancient hairpins in about twenty minutes.
On arrival at Contrada del Pianello, the belvedere overlooks the valley and the Romagna Riviera. The Monument to Bartolomeo Borghesi, a nineteenth-century Sammarinese epigrapher and numismatist, marks the starting point of the walk.
The historic centre
From Contrada del Pianello the route enters Contrada Omerelli, the commercial spine of the capital. The walk passes alongside the Small Church of Saint Peter carved into the rock, touches Piazza Garibaldi and opens into Piazza della Libertà. Ahead stands the façade of the Public Palace, with the civic tower and the Statue of Liberty in the centre of the square.
At noon, on weekdays, the Changing of the Fortress Guard takes place in front of the Public Palace. The ceremony lasts a few minutes but is one of the most photographed moments by visitors.
Public Palace and Basilica
The guided visit to the Public Palace, seat of the Great and General Council, passes through the Council Hall, the Hall of the Regency and the Hall of the Twelve. Stained glass, coats of arms and celebratory canvases tell the institutional history of the Republic. Just afterwards, a few steps above the square, the Basilica of Saint Marinus in neoclassical forms (1838) holds the body of Marinus beneath the high altar. Beside it, the small Church of Saint Peter carved into the rock represents the most ancient part of the religious complex.
«I have seen larger squares, but none that was at the same time Roman forum, abbey courtyard and belvedere over the sea.»
The Three Towers
After lunch, the climb to the Three Towers is the heart of the itinerary. The Guaita is reached in ten minutes on foot from the centre via the Salita alla Rocca. Inside, the route touches the seventeenth-century cannon courtyard, the chapel of Saint Barbara and the rampart walk overlooking the coast.
From the Guaita departs the Witches' Pass, a battlemented walk that runs along the rocky ridge to the Cesta. The latter, at 756 metres in altitude, is the highest point of Mount Titano and houses the Museum of Ancient Weapons with two thousand weapons and pieces of armour from the 15th to the 17th century. The Montale, lower down to the south, is visible from the outside along a path through the woods.
An extra touch
Depending on the time left, an additional stop can be added between the State Museum in Piazzetta del Titano, with the archaeological collection and the picture gallery, and the Crossbowmen's Quarry, where the historical archers of the Republic train. Both stops require little more than an hour each.
Aperitif and dinner
At sunset the historic centre changes light. The ridge restaurants offer terraces overlooking the valley; those in the alleys prepare piadina, fresh pasta, rabbit in porchetta and the classic Tre Monti cake. The return to Borgo Maggiore is by the last Cableway run (to be checked seasonally) or on foot along the old path.
Those who stay overnight may extend the evening with the weekend version of the itinerary. Those travelling with children may instead connect to the itinerary of the 5 things to do between San Marino and Romagna.
