Small is Beautiful
Ten of the world’s tiniest countries and territories with direct links to Manchester Airport
#1 - San Marino
When Ryanair launched the first flights from Manchester to the Italian city of Rimini in June, they also established a direct link to one of the world’s smallest countries. The tiny nation of San Marino is just 45 minutes away via a regular direct bus service. With around 35,000 inhabitants, you could fit the entire country into Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium twice over, with room to spare. Despite its modest size, it has had an outsized impact on history and having been founded in AD301, it is the world’s oldest surviving independent state. Tourism is one of the main industries in San Marino, with quaint medieval streets, historic museums, and stunning vistas from the 11th century fortress on Monte Titano.
Fly to Rimini with Ryanair from £50pp return.*
#2 - Andorra
A direct bus from Toulouse Airport in southern France will take you high into the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain, and into the independent principality of Andorra. Less than 100,000 people live here but the tiny country boasts some of Europe’s most spectacular scenery and in recent years has made
its name as a ski destination. It’s beautiful in summer, too – and popular with mountain bikers. While you’re here, dine in a traditional borda, a converted rustic stone storehouse. These atmospheric eateries nestled on the mountainsides specialise in rich, grilled meats and game.
Fly to Toulouse with Ryanair from £54pp return*
#3 - Luxembourg
One of the larger nations in this list, Luxembourg is the richest country in the world by GDP. Its powerhouse banking and investment sectors mean that many international visitors are here for business, but it’s well worth a visit as a tourist too. The city of Luxembourg gave its name to the country, and its Old Quarter and Holy Ghost Citadel are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Luxair launched direct flights to the country from Manchester for the first time in 2024, with three-times-weekly flights still operating today.
Fly to Luxembourg with Luxair from £132pp return*
#4 - Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein is a tiny Alpine nation that shares borders with Switzerland and Austria. Just over 41,000 people live in the country, which is less than eight miles across. On 15th August, its national holiday, the reigning Prince famously invites all residents of the principality to a beer reception at Vaduz Castle, one of the country’s top tourist sites. The Prince also has a personal winery, which is open for tours.
Liechtenstein is just over an hour’s drive from the Swiss city of Zurich, with direct flights from Manchester.
Fly to Zurich with easyJet from £85pp return*
#5 - Vatican City
The smallest independent nation of them all, Vatican City is the seat of the Catholic Church, and the Pope is the head of state. It occupies just under half a square kilometre in the middle of Rome and is the remnant of a much bigger Papal State that held large swathes of central Italy in the medieval period. Despite its small size, there’s a lot packed in for visitors to see – including Michelangelo's Pieta, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the iconic frescoes of the Sistine Chapel.
Fly to Rome with Ryanair from £48pp return*
#6 - Monaco
Monaco is the second-smallest sovereign state in the world and also the most densely populated, with nearly 40,000 residents living in mostly high-rise luxury apartments clinging to a cliffside overlooking the Mediterranean.
The city is less than three miles across and just a quarter of a mile deep, but its winding streets are famous as the home of Formula 1’s most iconic race, the football club AS Monaco, and Monte Carlo, which boasts a world-famous casino that has served as a James Bond backdrop.
You can reach Monaco by flying into Nice and then travelling about 20 miles by road or rail along the Cote d’Azur.
Fly to Nice with easyJet from £59pp return*
#7 - Gibraltar
Not strictly speaking a country – but a place that very much has its own identity – Gibraltar has been a British Overseas Territory since 1713. It’s dominated by the Rock of Gibraltar, a towering limestone mountain that juts into the Mediterranean from the southern tip of Spain. The Rock is home to a nature reserve populated by Barbary Macaques – Europe’s only wild monkeys – and a network of natural caves and man-made tunnels that sheltered Allied troops in World War II. A glass floored skywalk, suspended over 1,000ft above sea level at the top of the mountain, is not for the faint-hearted.
Fly to Gibraltar with easyJet from £95pp return*
#8 - Malta
Malta is only 122 square miles in size but is home to more than half a million people. Valletta, its capital, is the smallest capital city in the European Union. Its jagged coastline boasts stunning beaches and striking sea caverns. The megalithic temples at Hagar Qim date back more than 5,000 years and are some of the world’s oldest surviving freestanding man-made structures.
Fly to Malta with Ryanair from £81pp return*
#9 - Singapore
Singapore has more than six million residents, but they’re packed into a modern metropolis city-state, with a land area less than a third the size of Cheshire. Sights beloved by tourists include the Gardens by the Bay - a massive, futuristic urban nature park famed for its ‘Supertree Grove’ of vertical botanical gardens – and the Marina Bay Sands SkyPark, an observation deck perched across the rooftops of three skyscrapers at a height of almost 700ft, with stunning views across the bay.
Singapore Airlines flies between Manchester Airport and Singapore five times per week.
Fly to Singapore with Singapore Airlines from £757pp return*
#10 - Barbados
The island nation of Barbados has a degree of public recognition that outstrips its size – all rooted in its long-standing status as a magnet for winter sun seekers, with some of the Caribbean’s best beaches. The island only has a population of around 280,000 people and a land area of just 166 square miles. That said, it boasts the world’s oldest rum distillery (Barbadians also lay claim to having invented the tipple), a UNESCO World Heritage-listed capital city, and it’s the birthplace of pop star Rihanna.
TUI and Virgin Atlantic both fly to Barbados from Manchester throughout the winter.
Fly to Bridgetown with Virgin Atlantic from £749pp return*
*Prices quoted are the cheapest available between now and 31 December 2026 when booking directly through the airline’s website from Manchester and are accurate at the time of publication
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