Seborga

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Does this count?:
Okay this is an interesting one, as far as I can see no other country recognises Seborga, however there is definite historical case for the principality, it's not something that someone has just invented. The locals have voted on the subject and the result was a landslide, they issue their own currency, and have their own flag.

Where? Seborga is in the hills above the Mediterranean on the Italian French border, and it's just about five square kilometres large. I caught the bus up from Bordighera in Italy which only took about a half hour, and there was only one other passenger. The road up the hill was one hairpin turn after another, giving some great views of the Mediterranean and Monaco in the distance.

The bad news was that I went very early in the year, so not many of the tourist places were open, and I didn't manage to exchange my Euros into any Luigino which is the local currency, or manage to get any stamps.

Seborga crest

The musical instrument museum was open and I went in and had a good look around, as well as all the trumpets and accordions, where a number tiny little wind up record players. So small that you could put it in your pocket, it had a fold up paper cone. Another beautiful record player had a glass cone with a slight blue tint to it.

I spotted a tour group being shown around, and because the local bus wasn't going down the hill for another two hours I asked if I could hop on their coach and hitch a lift, the good news was that the tour leader agreed and that's how I found myself on a coach with a bunch of Italian pensioners!