Uncasting the Dye

Back up to our usual antics we started exploring not only a new country today but also a new city: San Marino. What I had mistakenly assumed would be a very expensive and exclusive micro state was actually really cheap and super friendly

Starting the day with some public transport we took the cable car from the base of the main mountain in San Marino, Monte Titano, to the top. 

Its safe to say that no one living on this mountain is wanting for views. Given its very narrow nature and sprawling squares and medieval walls, wherever you are in this old city there is a breath-taking view of the surrounding countryside. From the heights you can get a really clear impression of the different terrain present here from the other side of the Apennines in Tuscany. Where Tuscany had gentle rolling hills down to a coastal plain, Emilia Romagna has these sharp rocky precipices all around making large settlements away from the narrow coastal strip rare.

One of our first stops in the old town was the medieval torture museum. Despite more than a few historical inaccuracies and exaggerations there were some really cool, if I can say that, exhibits. For instance I have never thought that since they were only used for chopping, executioner's swords did not have points giving them this strange butter-knife look.

Thoroughly traumatised by the torture museum, we made our way up to the oldest part of this microstate: the three towers. All along the main ridge of the mountain there were these three impressive medieval structures from the 13th century.

Sightseeing, shopping, and museum-ing all done we headed back into Italy and along the coast to Ravenna, our destination for tomorrow. After leaving San Marino we did our worst Caesar impression and crossed the Rubicon the wrong way. With Moira chores to do we stopped off in Punto Marina to fill up our water and came across these little fellas. Some googling later it turns out that 150 of the birds moved into the town and live around causing much amusement, and damage with their 18kg bodies and habits of sleeping in strange places.

Peacocks, towers, and cable cars behind us, we settled into a lovely park up in Ravenna ready to explore the ancient capital tomorrow