San Marino, the Most Serene Republic, is a tiny yet remarkable country set high on Mount Titano, surrounded entirely by Italy. Known as one of the world’s oldest republics, it traces its legendary origins back to the year 301, when Saint Marinus, a Christian stonemason, sought refuge here. Though it measures just over sixty square kilometres, San Marino has preserved its independence for centuries, and at the heart of its identity rise the Three Towers, the proud symbols of its resilience. They appear even on the national coat of arms, each crowned with a white plume, framed by laurel and oak branches, and set above a ribbon bearing the single word Libertas, the timeless motto of the republic. The first and oldest, Guaita, was built in the eleventh century. Standing firmly on the rocky slopes, it once served as a fortress and later as a prison, watching over the valleys below with commanding views stretching to the Adriatic coast. Higher still on the summit of Mount Titano stands Cesta, erected in the thirteenth century. Today, this tower holds a museum of ancient weapons, its stone walls enclosing centuries of martial history. The third, Montale, is the smallest and most secluded. Built in the fourteenth century, it was never meant for display but for vigilance, its elevated entrance once reached only by rope or ladder, a reminder of the dangers that threatened the republic. Linking Guaita and Cesta is the Passo delle Streghe, or Witches’ Pass, a narrow, windswept ridge that carries both history and legend. Locals say that on moonlit nights, shadows of witches once danced along its cliffs, calling to the wind and whispering ancient secrets. Crossing the pass today, visitors feel the thrill of the sheer drops on either side, the wind teasing their hair, and a sense of stepping through centuries of stories where the natural beauty of Mount Titano mingles with myth. A narrow path continues along the mountain’s crest, joining the towers like sentinels in a line. Walking here, with the cliffs plunging dramatically on either side, the visitor feels the weight of history and the freedom of open skies. The Three Towers stand not just as medieval fortifications but as enduring emblems of San Marino itself, a republic that has remained steadfast and independent through the shifting tides of European history. 回