What do Gondor-esque castles, Duff Beer and vintage Fiats have in common?

They can all be found in the Republic of San Marino!

Located within Italy along the border shared by the regions of Emilia-Romagna and Marche, the Republic of San Marino is an independent microstate that rises high into the sky. Constituted in part by the Apennine mountain range, its capital city, the City of San Marino, offers breathtaking views and quite the bit of exercise.

A relatively quick and cheap bus ride took us from Rimini to the entry door for the mountain enclave. A leisurely walk up yields old churches, quiet parks, comfortable cafes and the Fortress of Guaita, a fortification that looks as if it came straight out of the Lord of the Rings.

I didn’t skimp on the photos and videos below. If you like what you see, please follow me on Flickr and YouTube, and do plan on making a trip to this amazing place in the future. It’s both fun and beautiful, and it’s one of the most affordable things you can do in Italy.