Any Travels

When it comes to tiny, San Marino (its official title, The Most Serene Republic of San Marino, is more of an endorsement than a title) is a colossus of the miniaturised: in its entirety it's not much bigger than two or three suburbs strung together. But it is the world's oldest surviving republic.

Originally relying on a subsistence economy, the sheep and vineyards were ditched for kitsch and tourist souvenirs at about the time that Darryl Zanuck 'rented out' the entire republic as an authentic medieval backdrop for his film The Prince of Foxes.

Sensing a unique marketing opportunity, the city reinvented itself as a prime tourist destination, and these days San Marino is packed to the gunwales with tourists buying souvenirs and 'genuine reproductions' of medieval relics. It also took advantage of its proximity to the seaside resort of Rimini to ramp up its postcard production, becoming something of a 'Margate of the Mediterranean' as it churned out generic seaside postcards of the massive-mammaries-and-double-entendre type.

San Marino is comprised of native Sammarinese and Italian citizens. Crop farming sheep farming and the working of stone from the quarries formed the early backbone of San Marino's economy. San Marino has no mineral resources and today most of the land is cultivated or covered by woods.

In San Marino the evocative traditions are based on authentic, documented history which saw the ancient standard raised, the sound of the clarions blaring and the cross-bows taking aim, never attacking, but ever defending ancient freedoms.

Every year for a full week the various districts of the historic centre undergo a metamorphosis; the multi-coloured daytime tourist paths become a sort of evening living theatre where the actors are a series of parading processions, creating a climate of colours, notes and emotions.

Between the rolls of the drums and the blare of the trumpets, more than five hundred people in splendid historic costumes, picturesque processions, multi-coloured standards and flag waving offer highly suggestive moments, quite spectacular and set on the suggestive background of the Cava dei Balestrieri.

Musicians, street players, jugglers and acrobats engage the public in the fun of itinerant performances.

Celebration of the medieval tradition sings the praises of the typical culinary traditions of the foods of the past. For the entire period of the manifestation, for those who desire it, restaurants in the centre offer delectable menus inspired by ancient recipes, deliberately drawn from accurate, in-depth historic research, reworking in a modern key the fruits of our ancestors' imaginations.

The medieval market, seething with dim lights and a warm atmosphere, is a wonderful setting where shops selling Ancient Crafts show off the artistry and creativity of ancient traditions, the uses and customs that modern times have nearly wiped away.

Besides evoking the aura of ancient times with spectacular staged events and providing the opportunity to relive the most ancient traditions of the San Marino history, the 'Medieval Days' are the most breathlessly awaited appointment on the calendar of events organized by the Republic of San Marino.