What to do and see in Chiusdino, Tuscany: The Best Sights & Landmarks

Reviewed By Tualie - Varese, Italy

We decided to have a stop here, thinking we could make it in half hour (because we thought that it was ONLY the abandoned abbey in the middle of nowhere) but as 1st timers we did some mistakes. Any normal visit, may take 1.5 hours, because looking a place to park the car, figure out where to go, buy the tickets, pictures, contemplation time, drinks and toilets easily is gone the hour or more for both places (abbey and chapel). To start, if coming with own transport, the area addresses everybody to park in the huge parking lot where there are tourist buses (the left side) this one is fine if have plenty time; a small tip (to save some walking time); if going to the chapel to see the similar Excalibur keep driving forward through the cypresses road and park by the chapel; then to visit the abbey, drive back and get the road to the abbey, there is a restaurant bar with parking places. It is said that St. Galgano was born in the area (town of Chiusdino) and lived lavishly; after a couple of celestial visions involved with Archangel Michael, he started to change in favour of a humble life of prayer and isolation. While he was looking some wood to plant a cross, he plunged the sword in the ground since then nobody could removed it. When he died in XII century, the chapel was built in his honor and a number of miracles were reported; a century later, the cross-shaped abbey was built by Cistercian monks in his memory, lived for century and decayed. P.S. The chapel is another attraction listed, the Eremo di Montesiepi