Today Asciano is a small sleepy town 30 km south east of Siena. The town dates back to Etruscan times and its small archaeological museum displays finds from this era.
Apart from the museum, the town also has a splendid church from the Roman period and several good restaurants. It has a train station as well as bus connections to Siena, so if you want to be able to visit some of the best-known towns in Tuscany without staying with all the other tourists then Asciano is a good choice.
Read more about Asciano
City Festivals: One of the most important events in Asciano is "Palio dei Ciuchi" a donkey race which is usually held on the second Sunday in September at the old stadium G. Marconi. The donkeys that race each represent one of the city's seven districts, just like in Siena and Buti: il Corso, il Prato, la Tranquilla, la Corona, La Stazione, Piazza del Grano and la Pergola.
Also during the month of September, the locals hold a competition called 'La Sbandierata', a kind of performance/display with flags. The winner is the one who gets the loudest applause from the crowd.
The town hosts a local market every other Sunday in the hostorical centre where you can choose from a wide selection of local produce, crafts and antiques.
