Chiusi
CHIUSI, located at 14 km east of Montepulciano, is a convenient transport hub, with trains and buses south to Orvieto and Rome and north to Castiglione del Lago, Cortona and Arezzo. Not an interesting excursion destination, but passing by it is worth including the Etruscan museum and the cathedral, which will take an hour or two. These buildings stand more or less opposite each other in via Porsenna, a bit on foot from the bus stop; tourist office is located on the same street under the number 61. The train station is about 3 km east of CHIUSI SCALO, where all long-distance buses stop.
One would expect, że Etruscan Museum (Tue-Thu. 9.00-14.00, sb. i nd. 9.00-13.00) it will be nice, because the region is teeming with ancient tombs. However, many of the exhibits have disappeared to Florence and Rome, and what's left, does not make a great impression: numerous sarcophagi, several terracotta tiles with traces of ancient paintings, cupboards full of granki (including one with erotic dance scenes). The only valuable relic is the mysterious Gualandi urn. Those interested in visiting Etruscan tombs should ask one of the guides in the museum to take them to Tombas della Pelegrina e Leone, 3 km north of the city. The guides have the keys to them. Other local graves (including the more famous, covered with Scippio's frescoes) have been closed for some time.
Further evidence of the ancient origins of Chiusi can be found in the Romanesque catheter. The building itself consists almost entirely of Etruscan and Roman stone blocks, and from the museum (1000 L) you can enter the catacombs below. W V w. Christians made use of them. The interior of the cathedral is covered with an apparent mosaic, in fact painted in the Byzantine style in 1915 r.
If you have more time, go to a trendy bar-pizzeria, Osteria dei Bonei, on via dei Bonci, block via Porsenna. You can also walk via Porsenna to the square at its end, Piazza Graviano, where Ristorante Zaira offers "Etruscan dishes" — wild boar, pigeon, etc.. — at prices from 10000 L up. If you would like to spend the night here, there is only one hotel in Chiusi, Albergo La Sfinge at via Marconi 2 (*0578/20157); deuce from 40 000 L. Other cheaper hotels are located in Chiusi Scalo, unattractive modern suburb, which lives off the income of a large slaughterhouse and cold store.
Chiusi Lake
The lake is located 5 km north of the city, access by road running next to Etruscan graves. Buses run there sporadically (4 times a day on weekdays), but traveling by car or planning a few days' camping, it's worth going there. Buses go to connected restaurants, bar and Pesce d'Oro campsite (• 0578/21403), located among trees near a small rowing boat dock; in summer, the water is pleasantly warm.