The Oldest Republic - Carpegna to the Republic of San Marino

​The morning of our departure from Carpegna and the delightful Bnb Il Bughetto we receive a knock on the door with a plateful of freshly baked croissants.  What a surprise and what pleasure we had eating them.  

We finish packing the bikes and head out for another chilly ride.  It was probably in the low 40’s much of the morning.  The first climb started pretty quick and it helped to get us warmed up.  We immediately started being passed by bikers.  It was Easter Monday which is a really big deal in Italy.  It is a holiday and most people try to include some outdoor activity with friends or family.   

The scenery was once again stellar. I won’t say too much more about it other than wow which passed my lips many times that day.  




There were a few climbs but also some fast rolling hills. Overall, a great ride.  We get to the outskirts of San Marino and this being Easter Monday we were expecting a lot of activity but after all our time all day with birdsong and bucolic farms and vineyards it was a bit of a shock to the senses.  Upon entering the historic center we had to get off our bikes and walk as there were so many people.  We found our hotel which was at the very tippy top of this very tall historic center and a bit off the main tourist roadway so it felt blessedly peaceful.  It was a bit early to check in so we sat at one of their outdoor seating spots and had our lunch and relaxed for a bit. 


So during this brief lunch intermission a few facts about San Marino.  They are the self proclaimed oldest republic in the world.  The country is landlocked by Italy being surrounded by the Marche and Emiglia Romana regions.  The country is 24 square miles.   They remained neutral in both world wars.  They use the euro but are not a Schengen country.  They have open borders with Italy 

 So after checkin we wandered about a bit.  The streets were so mobbed with people and the kitchy gift shops and tourist attractions were a bit of a turnoff.  We were very hungry and went into a crowded sandwich shop where we were seated immediately.  However our order was screwed up and it took forever to get our food.  When it finally came it was really exceptional.  We were not expecting anything for our long wait but they apologized and did not charge us for about half the meal which was very kind. 

So our first impressions of this country were not terribly enthusiastic.  However the next day the crowds were gone and we could actually see the town.  Our big activity of the day was to do some laundry.  We packed up and headed to the laundromat and did some sightseeing enroute. 



The laundromat was amazingly sophisticated.  I won’t go into the boring details but it was big on technology! Of course it took some figuring out how to do it!


Then some more sightseeing.  The town is on top of a mountain that has three peaks and there is a tower on each peak of which there are towers and fortresses on each one.  






We found a very atmospheric restaurant and unlike yesterday there were only a few people there and had a wonderful meal.  



The view from our hotel is pretty impressive as well. 


So San Marino is definitely a quirky town in some ways, different than Italy in many ways but very alike in others.  It is certainly worth visiting if you are ever in the area.  

Our evening concluded with cocktails, scopa, and a view.  


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Solitude and Destruction - Pioraco to Visso to Norcia

Image
​The roads from Pioraco and for most of the day to Visso are very quiet and remote.   We are deep into the earthquake prone part of Italy and the powerful earthquake of 2016 which this day happens to be the anniversary of reveals the magnitude of what the residents of this area have lost.   The ride out of Pioraco involved a lot of gravel and broken pavement roads and nary a car to be seen with the exception of a farm vehicle or two.   A long gravelly climb puts us at this atmospheric spot with an ancient church and watering trough.    The other side of the mountain takes us into deep forest with the occasional verdant green farm field.  We check into our bnb which seems oddly new and wooden or so it seems in this land of stone and antiquity!  The town appears to be a newly built town to house the displaced residents and businesses of Visso which were totally destroyed in the earthquake.  It feels a little strange but also you can feel the sense o...
Read more

Another Croatian Seaside Port- Rovinj to Pula

Image
​We reluctantly say goodbye to picture perfect Rovinj.  After leaving the city limits we reach a pedestrian cycling only path that clings to the sea.  The Adriatic Sea is so inviting and the path is lined with what looks like some kind of red pine giving us cool shade for many miles.  Most of the day is right on the sea’s edge with a few deviations slightly inland.   We take a dirt road that is very pleasant with a few puddles from yesterday’s deluge.  We come across a rider who tells us it is too muddy to continue.  He looks at Diane and I and says , I don’t want to insult you but I think the path ahead is too muddy.  It is probably alright for you ( then looking at Al and Jim) but you (looking at the females again) might lose your balance in the mud and fall.  We chat a bit further and waiver on whether to push onward into potential danger or to turn back and find another route.  We agree let’s try it. It turned out to be nothing and we had...
Read more

Another Voice Heard from Castelluccio

Image
​ Hello, this is Doug and I'm writing in the hope that Betsy will "publish" this as a guest entry to her blog. If you've been reading the blog you will know that Shawn and I have been traveling with Betsy and Jim on this amazing trip for the past 5 weeks. Today is our last day together, and I want to tell everyone how great it's been to be here. Tomorrow, Shawn and I part ways with our dear companions to ride to Spoleto where we will catch a train to Rome. There, we reverse the process from the start … go to Jim and Betsy's rented storage bin (EasyBox) disassemble and pack the bikes, get a ride to the airport … then fly home. What could possibly go wrong? One thing that stands out about this month-long trip is how little has gone wrong! Yes we've been VERY fortunate with the weather (although today's hailstorm was not ideal), but besides that the smooth flow of things has been because of our tour guides. The routes that Jim has been planning (literally...
Read more