I'm interested in hearing the chanting at the Abbazia di Sant'Antimo. I've seen the schedule of prayers on their website, but don't understand exactly where I would be during it, since it says visits are not allowed during prayers. Are you allowed inside during the chanting? Can you attend mass? Thanks for any advice.

I do not recall the details, but you can see more at slowtrav.com--click on Italy and then south Italy.

TOMMY,
I've visited Sant'Antimo twice....a friend is a parishioner of Sant"Antimo, he took us around on a quiet afternoon......and then we attended Mass. We didn't have the opportunity to hear the chanting live...we have to ,make due with a CD.
SANT'ANTIMO is the most incredible place....very spiritual. The marble glows!!! I'd say GO even if you can't hear the chanting!!

I attended Mass there on Easter Sunday 2001. It was quite crowded and I had to stand; I suspect most Sundays are less crowded. The entire service was chanted. I think it started at 11:00 and lasted about an hour and a half. It seems to me that they have a chanted Mass everyday at 11:00 or 11:30, but maybe it's just on Sunday. I wish I could tell you the details with more certainty. I'll just have to say keep trying to find the details because I thought it was a wonderful experience.

Can Sant'Antimo be reached by bus or train or do you need to rent a car? Thanks

Do a search on this site for San Antimo. I got my info here that way. If I recall correctly we got there on a weekday around 9 or 9:30 and we heard the chanters. There were about 8 - 12 of them total. It is a beautiful place. But if you like chanting the Abbey at Solesmes in France is way better. There must have been more than 30 monks chanting. As they filed in they just kept coming and coming and coming. Very impressive.

We went a year ago May and arrived about 40 minutes early for a Sunday Mass. We had no problem getting a seat and heard the chanting. The one caveat I might suggest is to sit toward the back and on an aisle if you plan to leave early. The mass went on for 2 hours, which was more time than we wished to spend there. An Italian tour bus arrived after we did and the church did fill. We slipped out after about an hour and fifteen minutes, as we were not planning to take communion and they were just starting the communion portion of the Mass when we left.

It is a most beautiful location and some of the driving on country roads in that area is pure picture book. We loved staying in that area (Montalcino).

Thanks for all of the replies. I'm glad to hear that visitors are allowed to attend mass. I couldn't quite figure that out from previous research.

Bluebird - I found this site to be helpful. It gives instructions on how to arrive by train or bus, although it sounds like the distance from the station to the church must be done by foot.

http://www.fortunecity.it/affari/vetrina/0/index.htm

You are allowed to be inside the church during any of the prayer services as listed on the Web site. You are not allowed to "visit", i.e., wander around with or without a camera, during the services. And unless the church is so full that no one will notice you leaving, you are requested to remain for the entire service (some of which only last 45 minutes).