The first Grand Prix event to take place at Misano was in 1980 and the venue has become a permenent fixture on the MotoGP calendar since 2007, after it was completely revised and remodeled. The San Marino Grand Prix was first held at Imola in 1981, has also taken place at Mugello and is now hosted by Misano as the Gran Premio di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini.

The local area has produced some great riders. The late Marco Simoncelli was from the nearby town of Cattolica, and Valentino Rossi, Andrea Dovizioso and Marco Melandri all grew up in the region as well.

Located roughly 25 km southwest of Rimini, the Republic of San Marino is said to be the world’s oldest constitutional republic, having been founded in 300 AD.

Part of the Apennine mountain range, San Marino’s highest point is Monte Titano, 749 m (2,457 ft) above sea level, providing great views of the beautiful surrounding area for the 30,000 inhabitants of this tiny country.

The nearby Riviera Di Rimini in Italy’s fantastic northern Emilia-Romagna region is a big draw for Italian holiday-makers and those visiting from abroad.

Rimini evokes thoughts of summer fun. Picture yourself enjoying an Italian ice cream strolling along a beachside promenade or partying until the sun comes up and then doing it all over again the next night. This is a place for long, lazy days lounging in the sun on the beach and laid back lunches in the local pizzeria.

Misano sits around 20 km South East of Rimini along the Adriatic Coast and around 30 km from the inland enclave of San Marino.

There are more than a thousand hotels dotted in and around the city of Rimini, so reserving a place to stay should be no problem.

Expect to pay over €200 a night for luxury hotels, €150-£100 for a standard three or four-star hotels or under €100 per night for a budget hotel. Many of the hotels offer nice swimming pools and spas, and even decent restaurants onsite.

Another option is camping, and there are numerous campsites up and down the Riviera. Further afield, north and south of Rimini on the Adriatic Coast there are lots of towns with their own ranges of hotels, or moving inland as you search for somewhere can provide even greater opportunities and often at a cheaper rate than on the beachfront.

San Marino is also a big draw for sightseers and offers many additional options in terms of hotels, from luxury five-star to boutique, mid-range and low budget. There is something for everyone.

San Marino is visited by many an intrigued tourist each year - wanting to discover the secrets of this ancient, tiny hilltop republic.

San Marino’s waxworks museum, its restored medieval-style citadel, the surprising 1960s Giovanni Michelucci church and the rocce castles along the elevated ridges of the Città di San Marino are all worth checking out.

As for Rimini city, it has a population of 150,000 and has plenty of life all year round, with a huge amount of cultural heritage, in addition to being the focal point of this summer holiday hotspot.

Indeed, Rimini’s tourist office sets out a ‘Roman Itinerary’ of sites to be visited (The Amphitheatre, Tiberius Bridge and Augustus Arch for example), before setting out a Medieval Itinerary, Renaissance Itinerary and even a Fellini Itinerary for fans of the late, great Italian film director Federico Fellini, who was a Rimini native.

However, if you only want to lounge on the sand or drink cocktails and enjoy great Italian food by the beach you can do just that, and you will be spoiled for choice up and down the Riviera.

If you want a break from the beach then head inland to some of the province’s many pretty villages, such as Santarcangelo di Romagna or San Leo, which are amongst the most picturesque in Italy.

1. With some serious footfall in the busiest summer months, San Marino and Rimini get very busy, so it can be pleasant to visit outside the most hectic summer period.
2. There are many guided tours of San Marino’s main sights, whilst going solo and driving or riding into the Città is no big issue - once you are there it is easy to get around the compact city center on foot. There is a very Italian feel to San Marino, but it is a completely independent nation and the locals do not like to be classed as Italians.
3. Once you are back in Italy, you must try one of the piadinas from Rimini, widely available in street kiosks. Rimini piadina is a thin and crispy bread which can be filled with ham and Italian cheese, salads or even chocolate.
4. The Adriatic Coast’s “pesce azzurro” fish – often mackerel, mullet or sprats cooked on the grill or BBQ - just have to be sampled. The Rimini province sits within the Emilia-Romagna region which specializes in an array of pasta dishes featuring Tagliatelle, Lasagne, Ravioli or Tortellini, so do try some of those, and why not accompany your meal with a glass of Sangiovese red wine?

San Marino (61 km²) is the third-smallest country in Europe after Vatican City (0.44 km²) and Monaco (2 km²), and the fifth smallest in the world after Nauru (21 km²) and Tuvalu (26 km²).