Situated Between Rome And Florence Is A Tranquil Tuscan Town With Underground Secrets And Countryside Charm

Before the Roman Empire, there were the Etruscans. This ancient civilization dominated the area known today as Tuscany in the 6th and 7th centuries B.C., building a robust agriculture and trading network that set the stage for Rome. Much of what is known about the Etruscan civilization today has been gleaned from archaeological sites scattered around Tuscany. Few are as well preserved as the Tuscan town of Chiusi, once the seat of power for the Etruscan King Lars Porsenna. Visitors today can climb down into the tunnels of the Etruscan city buried beneath Chiusi. 

Chiusi is midway between Rome and Florence, less than a 2-hour drive from either, making it an easy day trip. However, it has a special appeal for travelers intent on getting the most out of their money-saving Eurail or Trenitalia passes. Chiusi station is the transfer point for train passengers traveling from Rome and heading to the history-rich city of Siena, considered the friendliest in all of Europe. That makes Chiusi a good candidate for a train-friendly base in Tuscany. 

The place to start any Etruscan exploration in Chiusi is at the National Archaeological Museum or the Civic Museum, which are just a few minutes walk from each other in the old hilltop town. Buses from the train station will drop you off nearby, or you can drive there in under 10 minutes. "These two excellent collections lie just a stone's throw from one another and together, they represent an unparalleled dive into the world of the Etruscans," wrote art historian Laura Morelli on her website, recommending the Civic Museum's "spine-tingling" tour of the Underground City.

The Civic Museum tour begins at the Palazzo delle Logge and introduces visitors to the legend of King Porsenna, taking visitors through fascinating archaeological finds, including sarcophagi and ossuaries used in funeral rites. The tour descends into narrow tunnels that extend 30 meters below street level, catching a glimpse of the underground lake that once supplied the city. "Porsenna's Labyrinth" is another part of this subterranean city, a network of cisterns that composed the Etruscan aqueduct. Visitors can access it through the San Secondiano Cathedral Museum with a guided tour to the underground water source, emerging just at the Cathedral's impressive bell tower. 

"We were shown how to read the Etruscan names on the ossuares, from right to left," wrote Monika Wolf on her travel blog about the tours, but she warned that both can get claustrophobic. "Some of the passageways are very narrow, and the robust Italian family that was taking the tour with us had to turn back because one person in their party could not fit through the thin tunnel."

Foccaccia, Italy's delicious traditional flatbread, may have been an Etruscan invention, historians believe. This theory is an excellent reason to sample some while visiting Chiusi, along with a healthy splash of the locally-grown Podere Ricavo olive oil. The 2024 harvest won the award for "best light fruity" oil, using a heritage olive varietal once cultivated by the ancient Etruscans. For a traditional Tuscan meal, Osteria La Solita Zuppa is a local institution in the heart of Chiusi's old city and is mentioned in the Michelin Guide.  "We were greeted with a local version of onion soup and spinach dumplings that were not only unlike any we have ever had, but sauced with a light and lovely cream," wrote CanCanoe on TripAdvisor. "The owners are so personable, spending time sharing the true pride they have in their village and guiding us to especially well-executed dishes on their menu like duck ragu."

The Residenzia dei Ricci in Chiusi's old city gets high marks for its luxurious rooms in a historic setting. The hotel can also arrange gourmet cooking classes, wine tastings, and access to the nearby Fonteverde Thermal Spa. If you want to explore more of Italy away from the crowds of Tuscany, head to the next-door region of Umbria. Accessible from Chiusi by car is the charming medieval town of Gubbio.