Chiusi
Chiusi lies in Tuscany's Siena province, on the edge of the Val di Chiana and beside the small Lake Chiusi
Updated 19 July 2026
This season · July · Summer
What to do in Chiusi now
The story
The story of Chiusi
Introduction and Location
Chiusi lies in the south-eastern part of Siena province, in Tuscany, right on the border with Umbria and not far from Lake Trasimeno. The historic centre sits on a hill overlooking the Val di Chiana, a broad farming plain that was once marshy and is now drained and cultivated. Below the old town spreads Chiusi Scalo, the modern district that grew around the railway station, a long-standing junction on the lines connecting Florence, Rome and Perugia. This crossroads position between Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio has made Chiusi, since ancient times, a place of passage and exchange.
History and Origins
Known by the Etruscan name of Clevsin, Chiusi was one of the most powerful city-states of Etruria, remembered in ancient sources as the seat of the legendary king Porsenna. Later a Roman municipium called Clusium, it kept an important role for centuries thanks to its position along routes linking the Tyrrhenian coast and the Apennines. The following medieval and modern phases left a compact urban layout gathered around the hill, while the subsoil still preserves traces of the Etruscan and Roman periods, the subject of excavations and studies that have made Chiusi a reference point for central Italian archaeology.
Nature and Landscape
The countryside around Chiusi alternates the gentle profile of the Val di Chiana hills with rows of vines and olive groves lining the rural roads. Just outside the town lies Lake Chiusi, a natural body of water fringed by reed beds, valued for fishing and for birdwatching, since many waterfowl rest there during migration. The proximity of the larger Lake Trasimeno further enriches the area's natural appeal, making the territory well suited to walks, cycling and open-air breaks away from city rhythms.
Things to Do and See
The National Etruscan Museum gathers grave goods, funerary urns and finds from the city's necropolises, offering an overview of a civilisation for which Chiusi was one of its main centres. Some painted tombs, such as the Tomb of the Monkey, can be visited by appointment in the surrounding countryside. In town, the Cathedral of San Secondiano preserves its early-Christian core, while the bell tower, adapted as a civic tower, can be climbed for a panoramic view over the Val di Chiana. From here visitors also reach a stretch of the Etruscan tunnels dug beneath the hill, among cisterns and galleries.
Flavours and Traditions
Chiusi's cuisine reflects its place within the Val di Chiana, an area historically linked to raising Chianina cattle and to prized meats traditionally grilled over embers. Classic Tuscan country dishes are also present, from legumes to bread-based soups, paired with extra-virgin olive oil and wines from the nearby hills. Local markets and trattorias in the historic centre remain the most authentic way to discover these flavours, tied to farming that has shaped the area's landscape for centuries and still marks its seasonal rhythms today.
Not to be missed
- National Etruscan Museum
- Cathedral of San Secondiano and its bell tower
- Etruscan tunnels beneath the Chiusi hill
- Necropolises and painted tombs, such as the Tomb of the Monkey
- Lake Chiusi and the Val di Chiana countryside
To see
What to see in Chiusi
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Routes in Chiusi
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