Welcome to SMT!
Below are answers to common questions, important info, and lots of tips! Don’t forget you can always reach out to Courtney Kalbacker at courtney@summermusicintuscany.org with questions not found here!
Scroll down for:
Travel/Flight/Train
Passport Info
What to Bring
Phones in Italy
Important Sarteano Info
Detailed Train information - Fiumicino Airport to Chiusi Chianciano Terme Station
TRAVEL/FLIGHTs/train
Travel to Sarteano is not included in the Festival registration. Please plan to arrive in Sarteano on July 14th, 2025 or at the Rome (FCO) airport before noon on July 14th to go with a group led by a faculty member by train to Sarteano.
We suggest arriving to Roma Fiumicino Airport (FCO), but Florence or Bologna Airports are also popular. If coming from USA or North/South America, this means you will likely need to book a flight that leaves the day before, on July 13th. If you arrive before noon in Roma (FCO) on the 14th, a faculty member will be available to guide you to Sarteano on the train. We will all be heading to the Chiusi-Chianciano Train Station. The Italian train system is comfortable, reliable and an excellent way to experience the real Italy! If you prefer to travel on your own, you can consult Trainline.com to easily plan and purchase tickets for your trip by train from any of the airports. The trip takes about 2 hours from Rome, depending on the train schedule; our train guides can help the group purchase tickets online that morning once everyone arrives.
SHUTTLE/TAXI/CAR RENTAL
Once you reach the Chiusi-Chianciano train station, our provided shuttle will be available to bring you to Sarteano in the afternoon of July 14th from noon-4pm only OR you may take a white taxi to Sarteano outside of this window. A taxi stand is just outside the Train Station in Chiusi; the official taxis are white. It's roughly a 10-15 minute trip. The taxi from Chiusi to Sarteano is sometimes expensive (€25-€35), but very convenient.
Car rentals are available in the town of Chiusi as well: http://www.aesserent.it/AesseRentsrl/default.html
PASSPORT INFORMATION
If you do not currently have a valid Passport, make appropriate steps towards obtaining appropriate documentation for your travels immediately. If you are a citizen of the USA, visit the Department of State's Passport and International Travel page. Processing time is generally around 10-13 weeks, or you can trim it down to 7-9 weeks if you pay for expedited processing.
If you already have a passport, be aware that your passport must be valid for up to 6 months after your trip. If your Passport is set to expire before the end of this time (roughly anytime in 2023), please renew your passport before traveling. Plan accordingly!
What to bring
- Rule #1 - Pack light! I travel for 3 weeks with just a carry on and highly recommend this; luggage can easily be lost or delayed! There are clothes washers in Sarteano and lots of great shops!
- clothing for warm sunny weather (it will be in the 80s or 90s most days and about upper 60s at night)
- sturdy sandals or sneakers that can handle cobblestones, and a pair of dressier shoes for performance
- a sun hat and sunglasses
- a bathing suit if you want to utilize the beautiful town pool
- refillable water bottle
- one or two nice (but cool!) outfits for performance (sundress or short sleeve shirt and slacks)
- Italian plug adapter Type L or C like this or like this - Info: https://www.asherfergusson.com/italy-power-adapter/
- toiletries/medication
- passport
- Paper or digital vaccine card and some masks (sometimes still necessary in medical facilities)
PHONES IN ITALY
Depending on your service provider, using your phone while in Italy can be very expensive. Check with your provider about international plans to be sure. You cannot depend on wi-fi accessibility everywhere you go. The wi-fi at La Gustea is very good, but elsewhere it can be slow or spotty elsewhere.
There are three major providers of cellular service in Italy: Vodafone, Wind and TIM. They all work, but I have found TIM to be the most reliable. Depending on what type of phone you have, you should be able to purchase a SIM card and convert your phone from your US service provider to an Italian provider. Your phone must be “unlocked” in order to be able to do this. A locked phone is carrier-specific and cannot be used with a different SIM card.
Most iPhones are unlocked when you get them. Newer iPhones (starting with series X) have an eSIM, or electronic SIM that takes the place of a physical SIM card. They also have a slot for a physical card that you can use for a different carrier. In other words, your phone can be used with two separate phone numbers.
Android phones may or may not be unlocked, and some of the newer models have eSIM capabilities. If you bought your phone through a carrier (i.e. AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile) and have paid it off, it can be unlocked. Check with your carrier. You should wait until you get to Italy before buying a card. I usually buy a TIM or Vodafone card at the airport right after I get through customs. It costs about $35 for a month of calls, text and about 20 gigs of data. Here is an article. It can take at least 30 minutes from when you install the card until you can use it. You can also get a card from a store in Chiusi, but you will need to get a shuttle ride.
SARTEANO info
Grocery store: Co-op Sarteano - behind Bank - Via degli Spartitoi, 34, 53047 Sarteano SI, Italy; Hours: 8am-1pm and 4-8pm, but only 8:30-1pm on Sundays
There are several ATMs in Sarteano. Most prominently, an ATM is located outside of Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena. Behind parking lot on Via di Fuori. (This parking lot becomes a Farmers Market Friday morning)
Don’t miss the Friday Morning Market in the center of town - clothes, fresh produce, meats and cheeses, household goods!
There are so many great Restaurants in town (no need to tip, but you may need to ask for the bill "il conto" to get your check at the end)
Casual Favorites (all located along Via di Fuori):
Bar Milano (pizza, pasta, near theatre)
Bar Pegaso (gelato, pastries, coffee)
Bar I Diavoli (homemade gelato, coffee)
Peccati di Gola (Pastry Shop)
Favorites:
La Gustea Ristorante (pizza, pasta, meats, salad)
Locanda dei Tintori (pizza, pasta, meats, salads)
Chiostro Cennini
Santa Chiara (for residents only)
Respect "Risposo," the after resting time every day — no making any sound heard outside your room or apartment from 12:30-3pm. Only exception is the Sala Filarmonica and the Villa, with Courtney's permission.
The Pool - Nadia at La Gustea Hotel and Restaurant (Via Adige 19, it's off of Via di Fuori - 15-20 min walk from Teatro) has discounted tickets for the Pool. It is beautiful - spring-fed cool water! Day passes are for 9am to 7pm, afternoon passes 1-7pm. You might go to La Gustea for dinner one day and pick up tickets from Nadia while there!. Please use cash for the tickets. Day pass in 2023 were 17 euro pp (20 euros on weekends); evening pm pass: 10 Euro pp (12 on weekends). Includes umbrella, chair, changing room services/showers.
Sarteano has an automatic laundry and full laundry services.
Detailed Train information from Rome’s Fiumicino Airport to Chiusi-Chianciano Terme Station if you choose to arrive on your own:
Below are detailed instructions for those arriving outside the morning (before noon) timeframe on our arrival days with the Train Guides on July 14th.
If you have decided to arrive on a different day/time, we would definitely recommend taking the train from the Fiumincino Airport to Chiusi-Chianciano Terme Station in 2 separate steps, to allow for flight delays, rather than pre-purchasing tickets:
1. First take the Leonardo Express from FCO to the Roma Termini Station. It runs every 30 mins or so and is a 32 min direct train to Roma for 14 Euro. Follow the Train signs after you get through security to the train station in the Airport.
Here is a video: https://youtu.be/SVi6acnmn_M?si=xryIzXkYEAkZDhhz
Please read this page carefully for instructions on buying tickets:
More info:
Note that you can easily buy tickets at the red kiosk at the airport. If you do this (you can also buy online Trenitalia.com or at the booth) you will need to validate your ticket by scanning it in a smaller machine right after you go through the turnstile. (If you don't do this, you can get a fine.) Keep your ticket with you to scan as you exit the station in Rome. You usually arrive at platform 23 or 24 in Rome. Exit the turnstile to purchase the tickets for the next leg of the trip at a Trenitalia kiosk, eat some food, or use the restrooms. There are also Tim and Vodafone stores in the station to get a tourist sim card for your phone.
2. Once you arrive at Roma Termini, use the Trainline App or Trainline.com OR purchase at a Trenitalia kiosk to buy your next leg of the journey. You can view train schedules and purchase tickets right on the Trainline app, and simply scan your QR code at the turnstile and then show your tickets to the conductor on your phone after you board. This app also has a tracker so you can tell when you are getting close to the station, since the announcements on board the train are usually only in Italian.
I recommend downloading the Trainline app (for Android or iphone) before you leave home, and then using it in Italy, as long as you have a charged phone and can connect to the free station WiFi.
Here is detailed info on the Roma Termini Station:
https://www.seat61.com/train-travel-in-italy.htm#ticket-machines
Note that restrooms in Termini do cost money, usually a 1 Euro coin!
From the Trainline app or a kiosk, get a DIRECT (or 0 stops) train from Roma Termini to Chiusi-Chianciano Terme Station. To avoid confusion, please do not get a ticket that changes trains or leaves from Tiburtina (that's a different station in Rome). It should be about 1.5 or 2 hours in duration!
Here is an example of the Trainline App ticket:
After you purchase your ticket to Chiusi, watch the Electronic Boards to see the platform or "Binario" from which your train will leave. In the example above, you'd be looking for Train # 18722. Sometimes, the train that goes through Chiusi leaves from platform 1est or 2est. (1 east, 2east). This is a satellite platform that is past Platform 1, over 500 meters down the left hand side of the rest of the platforms. It can take 15 mins to walk to this platform!! Leave lots of time to walk there! Sometimes the electronic Board announces this platform with barely enough time to walk there, so I like to go through the turnstiles, and go halfway there and then confirm at another electronic board which is in a hallway on the left just after the Post Office and before the SalaBlu. See the images below. Halfway point is starred in red. This is a good spot to hang out while your platform is confirmed, since you can then go underneath to the other platforms if it turns out the satellite platforms aren't where you need to go!
Tip: you can see the Planned Platform for each train on this website, sometimes before it even gets posted to the Electronic boards in the station: http://www.viaggiatreno.it/infomobilita/index.jsp
After you board your train and find your seat, you will have to show your kiosk ticket or Trainline app QR code to train worker. Listen carefully or follow the Trainline App tracker to know when to exit the train, ready with your luggage. Once you arrive at the Chiusi Chianciano Terme Station, you can take a white taxi to Sarteano from the Taxi Stand out front. If it is a travel day (July 8, July 15 ) our Shuttle Van with the SMT logo will be available in the afternoons to pick you up! Fill out the Travel Questionnaire so we can anticipate your arrival and message driver Colin Johnson on WhatsApp to alert him to your arrival.