The day started with us getting told off, twice. We thought we’d get off the ship early for our tour and get some fresh air and look around before getting on the bus. We first got told off because we wandered over the yellow lines. Within 2 minutes we got told off again for straying too close to the ship lines (we were some distance from them to be fair) because apparently Captain Costa, who was outside, was watching us!
This tour was marked up as ‘active’ which means people with mobility issues shouldn’t really go on it. So of course the last people to get on the bus were both panting like they’d just run a marathon after climbing the steps to get on and one of them had a walking stick!
The countryside between the port and San Marino was very flat and very boring and so was our guide so to be frank I can’t tell you anything. But as soon as you passed the border there’s almost an instant change. If you think about San Marino at all the first thing that might pop into your head is the Grand Prix which doesn’t take place in San Marino. The next thing you may think of is the towers but these are actually a very small part of it right up at the top. It’s actually made up of 9 villages (I think, as I said she was very boring) all clustered around the mountain.
We had exactly 3 hours in San Marino and the guide said we didn’t have to go on the tour with her so as soon as the coach stopped we headed in to try and get our passports stamped. This is done in the tourist office on Garibaldi Square. After asking a policeman for directions, it is a confusing layout, we finally got to the right place and I said to Lyn ‘This must be the right place, there’s a bust of Garibaldi’ Lyn’s response to the man responsible for uniting Italy was ‘He makes shit biscuits’.
After parting with €10 for a stamp and a sticker we had a wander round and I think ended up outside the main bit. There was a tourist map that I was trying to look at but it lacked a ‘You are here’ so a bit pointless. We were then approached by an old Italian man who very vigorously spoke Italian at us despite me saying I was English. I like to think was being helpful but he was probably just saying ‘fuck off back to the tourist bit.’
We stopped for coffee but really to use the facilities as there aren’t any public toilets. And then headed for one of the 3 towers to get a photo. It’s a long climb. Once in the tower there’s what can best be described as a dodgy loft ladder to the next floor. Lyn wasn’t going to go up but I thought I’m probably not coming back here so I went up. It was a great view but coming back down was a bit heart stopping as the metal runs weren’t really big enough for my feet. I was very brave.
San Marino is a tax haven so we did some shopping and I got Lyn a new backpack/bag for her birthday. It must be good because you get a bag to put your bag in. It’s a lovely place and I would highly recommend a visit but take some good shoes.
Once back on the boat we walked through the pool deck with all the sunbathers. Lyn made the comment that pensioners shouldn’t go sunbathing because they just look like Magda from Something About Mary and a bit dirty… She’s not wrong.
Tomorrow a free day in Ancona.
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