Location: Chiusi
Top Things to do in Chiusi
What to do and see in Chiusi, Italy: The Best Places and Tips
Chiusi (Etruscan: Clevsin; Umbrian: Camars; Ancient Greek: Klysion, Κλύσιον; Latin: Clusium) is a town and comune in province of Siena, Tuscany, Italy.
Restaurants in Chiusi
1. Museo Archeologico Nazionale
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 247 reviews
Reviewed By alh065 - Houston, Texas
During our recent visit to and stay in Chiusi, we were fortunate to take the recommendation of the town's excellent Tourist Information office and visit the Museo. The museum documents in a very understandable, well captioned guidance through the Etruscan civilization that had developed there more than three millenia ago. The exhibits are logically staged over the timeline of the cultural development and English translations make following the record quite easy.
2. Museo Civico La Citta Sotterranea
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 132 reviews
The two main characteristics of the Underground museum, are the spring water lake situated at 25 m below the ground level and the Etruscan epigraphic collection which is the largest in the world with more than 500 urns and tiles.You will enjoy guided tours through an interesting millennial path unchanged over the years.
Reviewed By ColleeninPiegaro - Piegaro, Italy
Not much is about this elusive, but powerful civilization that preceded the Roman Empire, but they left behind many tombs and artifacts. The best place to see this incredible piece of history is in Chiusi. Visit the museum which is centrally located in the centro storico and then ask for the key to visit the network of tombs just outside Chiusi on the road to Lago Chiusi. If you love history, you should take the time to visit the museum and the tombs. Fascinating!
3. Labirinto di Porsenna - Chiusi
Overall Ratings
4 based on 65 reviews
Reviewed By dmnickel - Virginia Beach
Be sure to visit this underground labyrinth, which is really a cistern and aqueduct system. Note that an English guide might not be available unless requested in advance. We arrived about noon and were able to make the last visit of the day. The Italian guide spoke slowly and clearly in a way that I could grasp the gist of what she said and explain to my family. Walking through the tunnels is fun, especially for kids, even if you don't grasp every engineering detail.
4. Museo della Cattedrale
Overall Ratings
4 based on 81 reviews
Reviewed By Brun066 - Florence, Italy
The complex of the Cathedral Museum is the sum of many different interesting items.
The visitor who buys a ticket for the Museum is first introduced to the visit of the Museum itself. This is small, but contains some precious pieces. Among them stand out a late ancient mosaic floor; a Roman sculpture with war scenes, discovered by chance during an excavation; and (upstairs) a large number of precious illuminated manuscripts. These have come to the bishop of Chiusi from the famous Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore (which is a few tens of kilometers away), when the Abbey (in Napoleonic times: 1810) was suppressed and its heritage was spread out. As illustrated by captions, these manuscripts saw the intervention of artists also very famous (as, say, Francesco di Giorgio Martini).
In addition, at scheduled times, the entrance fee allows guided tours to the so called "Labyrinth of Porsenna". In fact this is a system of tunnels to carry water, which has pierced the underground of Chiusi at Etruscan times, and which was not many years ago equipped for visiting.
This underground path is interesting (and not recommended for those suffering from claustrophobia); but overall it isn't much impressive to those who have seen - for example - the underground city of Naples, or - to mention a closest city - the underground tunnels dug under Siena in the Middle Ages (the latter, however, more difficult to be visited).
Instead two features that come together at the end of the path, are outstanding: the view from below of a powerful Roman cistern, connected with these tunnels and perfectly preserved. And also the climb - directly from the end of the path - at the cathedral's bell tower, which allows a sweeping view on Chiusi, on neighboring cities and villages, on the Mountains and the hills around.
And here comes the most negative element of the visit. A notice is placed both at the entrance of the Museum, and on the Museum's web page, which informs that, in connection with the museum and by reservation (on payment of an additional fee) the so-called great catacomb of Santa Mustiola, in the surrounding countryside, can be visited. This huge catacomb, dating at the third century AD, is of enormous importance because (apart from its monumental aspects) it represents the first evidence of Christianity in Tuscany.
Then in the early morning, just arrived at the museum, we asked the staff if we could book a visit for the afternoon, at any time. The caretaker, very kind, called all morning and for the first part of the afternoon the number of the staff member who was supposed to accompany us; but he never managed to speak to him.
So in our day in Chiusi we visited many interesting sights; but we were unable to visit the Catacombs, and probably we will not see them ever again ....
5. Concattedrale di San Secondiano
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 39 reviews
Reviewed By AJJS1 - London, United Kingdom
The Cathedral of Chiusi stands close by to the Etruscan museum. The church is quite simple inside with a beautiful fresco in the apse behind the altar. Simple, but beautiful.
6. Centro Storico di Chiusi
Overall Ratings
4 based on 40 reviews
7. Tomba della Pellegrina
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 28 reviews
Reviewed By Hilarywears - London, United Kingdom
An excellent insight into how the tomb must have looked when first found and a worthwhile visitt for those interested in Etruscan archaeology and culture. Do remember these visits need to be booked in advance -you can't just arrive and walk in.
8. Tomba della Scimmia
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 13 reviews
Reviewed By Hilarywears - London, United Kingdom
This tomb is not usually open and must be visited with a guide from the museum who is an Etruscan archaeologist. No photos are allowed to preserve the amazingly vivid tomb painting - make sure you spot the little monkey. Very well worth a visit so make sure you book. The guide was excellent, both informative and friendly.
9. Azienda Agraria San Gregorio
Overall Ratings
5 based on 8 reviews
Reviewed By dudeski - Weymouth
Sara our host was very enthusiastic about the vineyard and the pork production. She was both knowledgeable about the wine and olive oil production on the vineyard. We had a tour around the vineyard and then were taken to the cellar where Sara described in detail the process of their production, we did not realised that wine 'gets stressed' so they use gravity to move the wine. The wine tasting followed where we tasted 3 different wines and learnt about their individual characteristics
10. Tomba del Leone
Overall Ratings
4 based on 15 reviews
Reviewed By Llywinda - Lima, Peru
There are three tombs together in a cluster outside of Chiusi, Leone, the Tomb of the Monkey and the tomb of the Pellegrina. Leone is the poor sister. There is no tomb furniture and no frescos, just a looted Etruscan tomb. If it's included in your tour of the other two, go for it, but otherwise you won't miss a lot by skipping it.
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