What Tourists?

Today I had a full day to spend in San Marino. Since I’m not in the market for perfume, leather bags or fake(?) guns, I decided not to spend the day perusing the tourist shops. But I also didn’t feel like getting back in the rental to drive somewhere. Instead, I decided to just see what I could find on foot in San Marino.

The tour buses don’t arrive until mid-morning, so leaving my hotel around 8am, the town was empty. Just shop owners getting ready for the day and delivery vans coming and going. I stopped in the alimentari near my hotel to grab some picnic supplies, which met with approval from the lady behind the counter.

My next stop was a pasticceria down the mountain – I made the bet that there would be better baked goods outside the tourist zone. It was about a 45 minute walk, and was quite pleasant as the day hadn’t gotten too warm yet. And the baked goods were indeed quality.

I’d seen a couple spots on Google Maps referring to a cave and a waterfall. I couldn’t find a great trail map, but I found a reference to a trail starting “behind the tennis club” so that was my next stop, partway up the mountain.

The first trail I found was wrong – a pleasant loop past the apiaries of a local group, but bringing me back where I started. Eventually I found the right trail though, which brought me to the Grotta di Canepa. This is a “caver’s cave,” not an “oh neat!” cave. See the linked video if you’re not claustrophobic. Even though I’m a fan of doing stupid things, I’m not dumb enough to go explore a cave system alone. So, I poked my head in, enjoyed the cool air whooshing out, and continued to my next stop.

Another hour or so of hiking brought me to Cascata di Canepa, a waterfall and pool below an old mill. Ice cold water, no bugs, and zero tourists: this was a major win. I spent a couple hours reading, eating my picnic supplies, and dipping into the water. I kept expecting other folks to wander in, especially given the heat, but it wasn’t until I was hiking out that I met a local couple on their way in. Pretty great!

In the afternoon, I made the long and sweaty hike back up to the old town, showered, and then wandered up to the ridgeline with the towers. I found a scenic spot and got out my laptop to work for a while. There were paragliders soaring past, and at one point, a rock climber popped up right behind me. Again, it seems like most of the tourists in the town never bother hiking up to the towers.

I wrapped the day with dinner at the restaurant next to the hotel (it was fine) and did some logistical planning for tomorrow.

So, should you visit San Marino? It’s fun to be in a microstate and to learn more of the unique history. And as one of the wealthiest countries in Europe, there’s great support for the arts and plenty of special events. You probably don’t need to spend a couple nights, but there’s adventure to be found no matter where you visit.