TOWN OF CHIUSI | SIENA PROVINCE

This small hill town, once one of the most important Etruscan cities, lies near the key train junction on the Florence-Rome line. This is one of the key places you might consider as a start point or ending for your Bike Tour in Tuscany.  It is close to some of the classic routes of the Siena province and very easy to get from Roma without a lot of extra transfers.

WHAT TO SEE

Highlights include the Archeological Museum, and the Etruscan tombs just outside of town near Lago di Chiusi (€4, daily 9:00-20:00, Via Porsenna 93, tel. 0578-20177). One of the tombs is multichambered with several sarcophagi, while another, the Tomba della Scimmia (Tomb of the Monkey) has well-preserved frescoes. Visiting the tombs requires a guide, arranged through the Tourist Office or the Archeological Museum (5 people allowed to view at a time).

The Cathedral Museum on the main square provides access to the underground labyrinth of Etruscan tunnels (dark, so bring a flashlight). The mandatory guided tour ends in a large Roman cistern, from which you can climb the church bell tower for an expansive view of the countryside (museum-€2, labyrinth-€3, combo-ticket-€4, daily 9:30-12:45 & 16:00-19:00, tours 11:00-16:00).

The Tourist Office is on the main square (Mon–Fri 10:00–13:00, maybe afternoons in summer, closed Sat-Sun, tel. 0578-227-667, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

GETTING THERE

Trains connect Chiusi with Rome, Florence, Siena, and more. Buses link the train station with the town center two miles away.