People used to go to San Marino to avoid taxes and collect stamps. Now, the micro-state surrounded by northern Italy is banking on a new way to attract visitors - vaccine tourism.

Europe's smallest independent state after Vatican City and Monaco last month began offering the Russian Sputnik V COVID-19 shot to tourists. About 250 have so far received their first dose.

Hotels handle the paperwork after a tourist sends an email. The visitors typically stay three days for both first and second jabs.

"The guest arrives, stays here for three days, the day after his arrival we accompany him to receive the first dose, and then he comes back after 21 days for the second dose," said Francesco Brigante, director of the IDesign Hotel.