Latest news with #SanMarino
Travel Weekly
5 days ago
- General
- Travel Weekly
Towers and curiosities: San Marino rewards a detour
Europe is a good hunting ground for collectors of microstates: Andorra, Liechtenstein, Vatican City, Malta, San Marino and Monaco qualify by dint of size and population. Two are completely within Italy's borders. The smallest of the small, Vatican City (less than a fifth of a square mile in size) gets almost 7 million visitors a year. Only a fraction of that number makes it to the 24-square-mile Republic of San Marino, located 18 miles southwest of Rimini and 80 miles southeast of Bologna. Its status as an independent republic was a fluke of history: When Giuseppe Garibaldi was trying to unify Italy in the 19th century, he ran into trouble and took refuge in San Marino, which had been independent for some 1,500 years at that point. When he asked for refuge, it was granted, but conditional: San Marino must not be incorporated into Italy. Garibaldi agreed and kept his promise. The altar at the Basilica di San Marino has a statue of Saint Marinus, the microstate's namesake. Photo Credit: Arnie Weissmann Today, it is among the more interesting microstates, in large measure owing to its centuries-old defenses. The walled part of the state rises quite steeply and is topped by towers and fortifications that are picturesque and command stunning views. On a clear day you can see the Adriatic, 6 miles away. The fortified towers, and the paths between them, are the main attraction of San Marino. They can be visited upon purchase of an 11-euro ticket (a bit more than $12). The first two feature courtyards, prison cells and museums; the third can be visited but not entered. The town's basilica, still in use, can't compare to St. Peter's in Vatican City (or, frankly, dozens of others in Italy) but is worthwhile entering for its architecture, statuary, paintings and relics. Like most of the other smallest countries, San Marino makes a fair amount of its revenue from the sale of stamps and coins (there are 10 post offices). Should you want the tourist office to put a stamp on your passport, it will cost just over $6. And similar to other microstates, San Marino relies heavily on tourism. Part of what makes these countries interesting to visitors is how, ultimately, they differentiate themselves. Unlike Andorra, it doesn't rely on duty-free shopping, but shopping is a distinguishing factor nonetheless: Its liberal gun laws mean that a significant percentage of the shops next to souvenir stands and toy stores sell weapons, from pistols and rifles to sinister-looking knives and swords. (There is a store that comes close to trademark infringement, calling itself "Target.") San Marino has liberal firearm laws, and weapon shops sit cheek-by-jowl with souvenir and toy stores. Photo Credit: Arnie Weissmann There's also a distillery in San Marino that turns out a surprisingly good vodka and amaro, an herbal liqueur. The liquor store I went into also had a variety of wine bottles with labels featuring world leaders from Hitler to Stalin, Obama and Trump. It would be no surprise that San Marino has a Stamp and Coin Museum and exhibits and multimedia presentations featuring its history, but it also has private museums that are, to put it mildly, quirky. There's the Museum of Curiosities, featuring oddball inventions. There's a wax museum that has a special focus on re-creating scenes of torture, perhaps to compete with the Museum of Medieval Criminology and Torture, which is just an easy stroll from the Museum of Creatures of the Night -- Vampires and Werewolves. The main street entering the walled city with the Palazzo Pubblico in the background. Photo Credit: Arnie Weissmann Restaurant menus in San Marino are indistinguishable from those in nearby Italian towns, and the grocery stores are stocked primarily with Italian products. But keep your eyes open for locally produced olives, olive oil and ricotta cheese. The town punches above its weight when it comes to festivals, with several every month. A wine, food and music festival, car and bicycle races, jazz and classical music festivals are somewhat similar to what's held in surrounding Italy, but San Marino also veers into unexpected territory, hosting a steampunk party, a board game convention, archery contests and gatherings for fans of comic books and Vespas. I completed my collection of European microstates with San Marino and would add it to the list of those that merit clients going out of their way to see. It's within Italy, but it's not Italy. And despite its focus on weapons and the macabre, it ultimately lives up to its former formal billing: "The Serene Republic of San Marino."
BBC News
27-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Pompey keeper Schmid gets Austria call-up
Portsmouth goalkeeper Nicholas Schmid has received his first international call-up for Austria ahead of their World Cup qualifying 28-year-old has made 35 Championship appearances for Pompey since joining from Austrian side BW Linz in August 2024, keeping eight clean side will face Romania on 7 June before heading to San Marino the following Terry Devlin has also been selected for international duty, linking up with Northern Ireland for their upcoming friendlies against Denmark and Iceland.
E&E News
19-05-2025
- Business
- E&E News
NRDC co-founder, Obama Commerce boss dies
John Bryson, who teamed up with Yale Law School classmates in 1970 to launch one of the nation's leading environmental organizations, died last week. He was 81. Bryson died May 13 at his home in San Marino, California, according to an obituary published by the California Institute of Technology, where Bryson served on the board of trustees. The cause of death was not specified. After co-founding the Natural Resources Defense Council with his law school classmates, Bryson went on to serve as chair of the California State Water Resources Control Board, president of the California Public Utilities Commission and as chair and CEO of Edison International. Advertisement Bryson served as President Barack Obama's Commerce secretary from October 2011 until June 2012. He resigned from his post after he was involved in two car accidents while suffering from a seizure. President Barack Obama meets with John Bryson, former secretary of Commerce, in the Oval Office of the White House on June 21, 2012. | Susan Walsh/AP 'NRDC is part of the vast legacy that John leaves behind,' the green group's president and CEO, Manish Bapna, said in a statement. 'We will honor his memory by continuing to pursue the vision that John and his friends shared in creating NRDC. The work we do to protect people and nature continues in no small part because of his generosity of spirit,' Bapna said. Gus Speth, another NRDC co-founder, described the group as a 'ragtag group of law students' who had 'entered college as the civil rights movement was in full swing.' They 'shared the 1960s' sense of hope and the desire to bring about serious change in American society,' Speth recounted in a 2014 article. Speth and other NRDC co-founders John Adams, Richard Ayres and Edward Strohbehn called Bryson a 'natural leader, innovator and a dedicated environmentalist,' in a statement this week. 'He possessed a perfect mix of brilliance, determination and charm. At NRDC and elsewhere he leaves behind a record of remarkable accomplishments,' they said. When Bryson took the helm of Edison International in 1990, the Los Angeles Times reported that the pick was 'widely viewed as an inspired public relations move for the image-conscious utility.' Bryson was confirmed in 2011 as Obama's second Commerce secretary, despite objections from Senate Republicans who criticized his environmental roots. Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) called Bryson an 'environmental extremist' as he sought to rally GOP opposition to the nomination. 'John is the rare nominee to present himself to Congress with endorsements from the [U.S.] Chamber [of Commerce], military suppliers, and the nation's leading environmental organizations,' then-Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) said during Bryson's confirmation hearing. 'If ever there was a time for someone who can bring us all together, this is that moment in history.' Obama praised his outgoing Cabinet member when Bryson resigned in 2012, saying the Commerce secretary had 'fought tirelessly for our nation's businesses and workers, helping to bolster our exports and promote American manufacturing and products at home and abroad.' Prosecutors declined to file criminal charges against Bryson in relation to the traffic accidents, saying his seizure had been responsible for the incidents. Bryson was born in New York City and raised in Portland, Oregon. He graduated from Stanford University and Yale Law School. He is survived by his wife, Louise Henry Bryson, and four daughters.
Daily Mail
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Horrifying moment F1 star crashes into animal while on track in Imola Grand Prix practice
This is the horrifying moment that saw a Formula One star crash into an animal while he was on track. The driver in question was out on circuit for the first practice session at the Imola Grand Prix in San Marino on Friday afternoon. However, his run was marred by a collision with a rabbit, which occurred while he was braking on approach to a hairpin. After navigating the subsequent chicane, he can be heard saying in distress: 'Oh my God, I...I touched an animal.' He was then told to return to the pit lane by his race engineer, who wanted him to box immediately after the crash. However, he still performed admirably enough in the session to finish in sixth place. — F1 edits (@F1F1edit) May 16, 2025 An F1 star horrifyingly crashed into an animal while on track during the first practice session at the Imola Grand Prix on Friday Speaking to Sky Sports after the session at Imola, Pierre Gasly said: 'It's been a very, very good Friday'. 'From the first lap, I could tell the car was in a much better place than in Miami. I'm glad we managed to answer some of the question marks we had after the last race. 'Obviously, we know from Friday to Saturday, others usually keep a bit more in their pocket, but I think it's quite fair to say it's probably been the best Friday so far this year.' Gasly added that he 'very sadly' collided with a rabbit that ran out onto the track, which also reportedly damaged his car and impacted his performance for the rest of the session. 'I couldn't tell if it was a small cat or a big rabbit,' he continued. 'It turned out that it was a big rabbit just jumping across the track. I could not avoid it, so I had quite a big impact on the front wing. 'Unfortunately, that was it for the rabbit and [it] also broke the front wing. It was not ideal, but not the end of the session we wanted.' The unfortunate accident reportedly caused 'quite a bit of damage' to the floor and front wing of Gasly's Alpine. However, the Frenchman was still able to put in 21 laps over the course of first practice and recorded a fastest lap of 1:16.696s. Towards the front of the grid, the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris once again showed their pace as they topped the leaderboards. Meanwhile, the British duo of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finished in fourth and fifth respectively. In FP2, McLaren once again locked out the front row while Gasly improved on his showing from the first session to finish best of the rest in third place. The first European race of the season gets underway at 14:00 BST on Sunday.
The Sun
14-05-2025
- The Sun
Mysterious European country of San Marino – tiny landlocked nation you've never heard of that's competing in Eurovision
OF ALL the countries in the world, San Marino is the fifth smallest but has a lot to boast about. Completely landlocked and surrounded by Italy, San Marino is the world's oldest surviving sovereign state. 7 7 7 It is close to the Adriatic Coast and the closest Italian city is Rimini. Despite only being 24-square-miles, the capital - Città di San Marino - is home to a wealth of history and views, due to being located 739 metres above sea level. Located in the city, travellers will find Monte Titano - one of the nine Castelli which make up San Marino. As if ripped out of a storybook, Monte Titano features an extravagant tower with has panoramic view s of the surrounding landscape and beyond into Italy. On Monte Titano, visitors will find the most famous spot in San Marino - the Cesta tower. Cesta is part of the Three Towers in the Old Town, which is pedestrian so involves walking along narrow cobbled streets. The Three Towers - also known as Guaita, Cesta and Montale - are located at the very top of Monte Titano. The towers are depicted on San Marino's coat of arms and national flag. The first tower - Guaita - is the oldest of the three. It was constructed in the 11th century and served briefly as a prison. I visited the tiny island that is Italy's best kept secret and you can avoid the summer crowds The second tower - Cesta - is a museum to honour Saint Marinus and showcases over 1,550 weapons dating from the Medieval era to the modern day. The third tower - Montale - is located on the smallest of Monte Titano's summits. However, unlike the others, it is not open to the public. Between the first and second tower, there is the Witches Path - a cobblestone walkway which leads directly up to the Guaita Tower. Tickets to enter both the Guaita and Cesta Towers costs €9 (£7.58) per person or a combined ticket, which includes both towers and several museums in San Marino, costs €11 (£9.26). One recent visitor said: "The Old Town of San Marino is really nice, spotless, tidy and although full of shops of all kinds it doesn't give you the feeling of being in an outdoor shopping mall at all. "Nice buildings, nice alleys and toilets everywhere." Getting to San Marino is not the easiest though. 7 7 7 The small country has no airport or train station, meaning it is only accessible by car or bus. The closest major international airport is in Bologna, about 80 miles away. Most travellers will head to San Marino via the Bonelli Bus, which travels from Rimini - it takes just under an hour and costs €6 (£5.05) each way. San Marino also has no border control, but you will still need a valid passport to visit and the same entry requirements apply in San Marino as in Italy. One thing worth noting, if you do plan to visit San Marino, is that there are a lot of steps, narrow paths and cobblestones - so it is not the most accessible place to visit and you will definitely need a comfortable pair of walking shoes. The hottest month to visit is July, where temperatures can reach up to 25C. Plus, the little-known Italian town dubbed the 'city of ice cream', which has sandy beaches and £15 UK flights. 7
