#46 SAN MARINO

San Marino isn't usually at the top of the average traveler's list of countries to visit in Europe. Most people I know who have seen the microstate regard it as a glorified duty-free shop filled with day tourists from Rimini looking for discount perfume. For sure, it's a quirky place filled with kitschy museums and shops selling strange fairy figurines, but at night, once all the tourists have left, it transforms into a tranquil and empty medieval town that's a joy to explore at sunset.

I was traveling with Zoran and our Colombian friend Sandra, and we stayed at the lovely Hotel Bellavista, right in the heart of town but with a tranquil garden overlooking the historic Cava dei Balastrieri. Just a short walk from the hotel were the famed three towers of San Marino. One of these towers, La Guaita, used to be a prison back in the day, and you can still see graffiti drawn on the walls by prisoners. We were also around the corner from the Vampire Museum, which included all sorts of bloody mannequins on display, much to my delight!

Between sightseeing, we gorged on pizzas, cheeses, prosciutto, fried seafood, and pastries, washed down with ample Aperol spritzes. For dinner, we dined on a gargantuan Bistecca alla Fiorentina before heading out to walk the now-empty streets as the sun went down. With all the tourists gone and all the shops closed, the atmosphere in town was completely different, almost like being on an abandoned movie set. So, for all the haters who would scoff at a visit to San Marino, you don't know what you're missing out on by not spending the night in this most serene country!