The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: July twentieth, climbing one of the world's oldest and smallest republics.

The citizens of San Marino look down on their neighbors. Just one fourth the size of New York City, the tiny nation of 27,000 people is situated entirely on a mountain a few miles southwest of the Italian Adriatic seaside resort of Rimini. Though just 2500 feet high, in some places Mount Titano is so sheer, it's possible to fall off the country. The easily defendable terrain is a prime reason that San Marino, which dates its origins to the 4th-century, has never been invaded.

Yet this quirky country, which can be seen in an afternoon, attracts tourists aplenty, especially during the busy summer months, when the parking lots at the mountain's base fill up early. A roundtrip on the funicular up to the capital city, also called San Marino, costs about $5. The largest of eight villages on the mountain, it's a quaint collection of stone buildings lining narrow and precipitous streets. Notable structures include the government house, the Saint's Basilica, and the Church of Saint Francis, which dates from the 14th-century. The most outstanding features are guard towers atop the mountain's three peaks, offering superb views of Italian countryside below.

Other than happy tourists and building stone, San Marino's primary sources of foreign revenue are its local currency, stamps and national flags, all of which are prized by collectors worldwide for their curiosity value, rather than their utility. Notably and to abet this trade, San Marino's bank and post office remain open on Sundays.

FMI For information, San Marino visit the country's official website www.omniway.sm (in Italian).

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