Rome and its Microstates: 3 Countries in 1 Day

Rome and its Microstates: 3 Countries in 1 Day
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On any given day, thousands of tourists, and probably most of the locals, walk right by this place, unaware that there’s a sovereign country, just inside. The street, broad and lined with fashionable boutiques, today was busy with a crush of foot traffic, and everyone pushing their way through to the Spanish Steps, just a couple of blocks away. It’s a little after midday, but everyone’s looking a little tired and hot from their tourist travails, making their way around The Eternal City.

Only able to find scant bits of information on the internet, and a location on Google Maps, I walked slowly, seeking out the correct entrance. And then, there it was, a little alcove, sandwiched between a Hermes and a Jimmy Choo, two red flags hanging over the front.

Tim Johnson
Tim Johnson
Author
Toronto-based writer Tim Johnson is always traveling in search of the next great story. Having visited 140 countries across all seven continents, he’s tracked lions on foot in Botswana, dug for dinosaur bones in Mongolia, and walked among a half-million penguins on South Georgia Island. He contributes to some of North America’s largest publications, including CNN Travel, Bloomberg, and The Globe and Mail.
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