214Reviews0Q&A
Reviews
Traveller rating
- 91
- 92
- 29
- 2
- 0
Traveller type
Time of year
Language
More
Selected filters
- Filter
- English
A real escape from the sometimes awful crowds in Tuscany. Relaxing and quite with some good restaurants and craft shops.
Read more
Date of experience: April 2018
Helpful
The ancient center of Chiusdino tells us about a settlement that already announces the Maremma, ie an area of coastal Tuscany little populated and poor since the early Middle Ages (although Chiusdino is small, it's the largest settlement for dozens of Kms around). It features old houses very developed in height, as if the few inhabitants in the past were forced to crowd in the narrow area closed by the walls. These characters are very evocative, and help us to distinguish Chiusdino from the many other ancient centers of which Tuscany is rich. The main attraction of Chiusdino is precisely the overall character of its urban planning; In fact, the town doesn't have significant monuments, and it seems to live in large part (the birthplace, the small museum) of the memory of its most illustrious citizen, Galgano Guidotti, the knight who in the twelfth century turned to the hermit life, was proclaimed a saint in 1185, and whose name was attributed to the now ruined abbey, which is by far the most famous monument into Chiusdino municipality. But precisely the mention of the abbey gives me the opportunity to report a flaw, which I believe is serious, of Chiusdino's charm. I visited the town on a cold but sunny day in February, planning to then walk the trail - 8-10 kms - which leads, mainly downhill, to San Galgano Abbey, because it seemed to me the most pleasant way to enhance the visit of both the town and the abbey itself. I got news of the possibility of this trail from the "Wikiloc" website, browsing the "Chiusdino" name. Well, this trail was a big disappointment. It isn't signposted at all, so without GPS it is not walkable. Moreover, it provides to wade a stream, which wasn't possible and forced us to walk back; and, worst of all, in the last stretch (from "Palazzetto" hamlet up to the Abbey) is closed to transit - illegally? - from newly built fences. I think this is a serious malfunction in the municipality management, giving a negative stigma to Chiusdino and especially to its ancient center; which would have much to gain from this potentially much pleasant trail between the town and the famous Abbey.…
Read more
Date of experience: February 2018
Helpful
We didn't stay very long, as we had only a couple of hours to have lunch, and quickly walk around the town, before getting ready for a wedding. We didn't get into the church and we heard it is pretty. But we felt like we were back in time, and loved just walking and taking in the (for us) unusual sights and sounds of Tuscany.…
Read more
Date of experience: September 2017
Helpful
The historical centre of Chiusdino appears largely unchanged since the last building was constructed many centuries ago. A maze of alleys, steps and steep streets covers the top of the hill on which the town is built. They seem proud of their local saint and former hermit Galgano who stuck a sword in a rock (near the ruined abbey -- sword and rock still visible) and was subsequently beatified. His house and a museum can be visited in the town and there is a small chapel which has a memorial in a side chapel commemorating the sword incident. The whole village looks like a film set with elegant decay built in and, unlike so many other Tuscan hill top villages delightfully free of tourists and tourist tat shops. A genuinely pleasant experience. …
Read more
Date of experience: August 2017
Helpful
This lovely gem of a town offers breathtaking views of the valley, and a new museum housing the liturgical artifacts of the abbey of San Galgano.
Read more
Date of experience: May 2016
Helpful
