Monday July 25, 2005, 53 km (33 miles) – Total so far: 6,777 km (4,211 miles)

We had a short ride down the coast passing some fairly ghastly Italian beach resorts with private sun-beds and cheap hotels lining either side of the road. Rimini itself was nice with the centre sporting evidence of a Roman past. Then we had a 700 meter climb to one of, if not actually, Europe’s smallest country: San Marino.

San Marino has a beautiful old centre surrounded by ancient castles and medieval fortifications. Quite how San Marino remains a separate country is still something of a mystery; and the tourist information brochure we picked up is a little vague, however, it all adds to the charm of the place.

San Marino has its own stamps and even a separate currency (although its main currency is  the Euro). We’re camping in a surprisingly quiet site just below the city on terraces overlooking a distant sea, very tranquil.

Arch of Augustus in Rimini (27 BC)

Palazzo Pubblico in San Marino

The Statue of Liberty in La Piazza

The view from the castle walls

San Marino is a pretty small country, you can see virtually all of it from the old fortified city