Chiusi

Italian comune

Chiusi is a city in the Val di Chiana region of Tuscany, Italy. It was one of the twelve cities of the Etruscan League. In 391 BC it was besieged by the Gauls, which led to its decline as an Etruscan center. It later became a Roman province, and in 89 BC its people were given Roman citizenship. In the Middle Ages the city declined, in part because of its support for Siena in its battles with Florence. Today, however, it is a flourishing town, with excellent communications.

Get in

By road

Chiusi is easily reachable by road. From Rome it is just over half-way to Florence on the A1 Autostrada.

By train

There are regular trains to 🌍 Chiusi C.T. (short for Chiusi - Chianciano Terme) from Rome and Florence.

The hilltop portion of Chiusi is 2 km from the station and, since some of the road has no sidewalks, you should take either a bus or taxi if you need to get there.

By bus

If you are going to or coming from another Tuscan town, see Tuscany#Get_around for more info on bus service.

Local and interurban buses all seem to stop by the railway station (Chiusi C.T.). You can buy bus tickets at the newsstand within the railway station. The bus stops are to the left of the station doors facing town. The orange local buses stop near those doors while the blue interurban buses are further to left. Keep in mind that a blue interurban bus might serve your local stop as well as an orange local bus. The bus stops serve both directions of travel, so check the destination sign or confirm with the driver.

The website for Siena Mobilità (http://sienamobilita.it/orari.html ) has bus schedules (orari) for local routes in Chiusi. Click the tab Servizio urbano Chiusi. Also check the tab Servizio extraurbano as there are several interurban routes that also serve Chiusi.

Get around

An Etruscan sarcophagus at the Chiusi museum

See

  • 🌍 National Archaeological Museum, Via Porsenna, 93 (to the east of the town), ☏ +39 0578 20177, fax: +39 0578 224452, . 09:00-20:00. Chiusi was a major Etruscan center and this museum has numerous Etruscan artifacts (many urns!), many of which display the Greek influence on the Etruscans. This one of the most important repositories of Etruscan remains in Italy. A nice way to spend twenty minutes. €4 with usual reductions. 
  • 🌍 San Secondiano Cathedral (Duomo di Chiusi), Piazza Duomo. The cathedral is the oldest in all of Tuscany (6th-century), although the architecture is predominantly Romanesque. A small museum next door has a few beautiful choir books. The bell tower outside is of medieval construction. (updated May 2023)
    • The Labyrinth of Porsenna. Etruscan tunnels, probably used for water supply and drainage. These are quite extensive and run under the city. Guided tours start from the Cathedral. Entry fee. (updated May 2023)

Do

Buy

The hilltop portion of Chiusi (around Via Porsenna) is a quaint but somewhat sleepy town. Stores seem to have short opening hours. On Wednesdays, all fruit, grocery and delicatessen shops seem to be closed for the entire day.

Eat

  • La Solita Zuppa. Via Porsena 21. Moderately expensive, but one of the best dining experiences in Southern Tuscany. The Cinghiale in salmi is particularly good but ask the owner (he is almost always there) for a recommendation. 
  • Zaira. Via Arunte 12. Advertised as Etruscan Cuisine, Zaira is good value for hearty fare. Children welcome. 

Drink

Sleep

  • La Sfinge, Via Marconi 2, ☏ +39 0578 20157. The hotel is located in the old quarter of the hilltop town. The rooms are quiet, and some may have a view of the valley. There is no breakfast service but the bar Caffè Venezia is nearby. The rooms come with a kettle and a basket with a complimentary selection of instant coffee and tea. The hotel is close to bus stops. 

Go next

  • Cetona - is a medieval village just southwest of Chiusi after you cross the A1 Autostrada.
  • Montepulciano - is a hilltop town located north of Chiusi. There is bus service from Chiusi. See Tuscany#Get_around for info.
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