San Marino & Emilia-Romagna: 5 Days Republic & Gastronomic Heartland

Tour Overview

Itinerary Highlights

Day 1: Arrive San Marino

Transfer from Bologna to San Marino (2 hours). Evening walk through the medieval streets of the world’s oldest republic. Overnight in San Marino.

Day 2: Three Towers & Medieval Republic

Full exploration of the UNESCO-listed historic center: Guaita, Cesta, and Montale towers. Basilica of San Marino and Palazzo Pubblico. Afternoon: stamp and coin collector’s paradise. Traditional Sammarinese dinner: pasta e ceci, coniglio in porchetta, and bustrengo (polenta-apple cake). Overnight in San Marino.

Day 3: San Leo & Romagna Vineyards

Visit San Leo fortress-village, then three stops on the Romagna food trail: Parmigiano-Reggiano dairy, traditional balsamic vinegar acetaia (some barrels aging 50+ years), and a Sangiovese vineyard. Lunch at an agriturismo. Overnight in San Marino.

Day 4: Ravenna — Mosaics of Byzantium

Drive 1 hour to Ravenna, the last capital of the Western Roman Empire and home to the finest Byzantine mosaics outside Istanbul. Visit the Basilica of San Vitale (547 AD), where glittering gold mosaics of Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora gaze down with a presence undiminished by 1,500 years. The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, small and cross-shaped, has a ceiling of midnight blue mosaic with gold stars — allegedly Cole Porter wrote “Night and Day” after visiting. Continue to the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo with its 26 mosaic panels of 6th-century saints. Overnight in Ravenna.

Day 5: Rimini & Depart

Morning in Rimini: the Roman Bridge of Tiberius (21 AD), still carrying traffic, and the Arch of Augustus (27 BC), the oldest surviving Roman triumphal arch. Transfer to Bologna airport.

Inclusions

• 4 nights (3 San Marino + 1 Ravenna)
• Daily breakfast + 3 gourmet dinners
• San Marino Three Towers, Palazzo Pubblico
• San Leo Fortress
• Ravenna mosaic sites: San Vitale, Galla Placidia, Sant’Apollinare
• Food trail: Parmigiano, balsamic, Sangiovese tastings
• All private transfers + guide

What’s Not Included

• Entrance fees to attractions
• Tour Guide
• Meal (lunch and dinner)
• International flights
• Travel insurance
• Personal expenses