Understand
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"Taurini" first appears in history in 218 BC, when the tribe of that name was subdued by Hannibal. Over the centuries it grew into a sizeable city but was repeatedly attacked or occupied by foreign troops, and Italy was a patchwork of warring principalities. One powerful faction was the Savoy dynasty, relocating from their original Alpine home to re-base in Turin, and they embellished it in the 18th century with baroque palaces (not all of these for their mistresses), elegant boulevards and grand piazzas. Napoleon captured Turin and the Piedmont region in 1802, but after his downfall the Savoyards were re-instated and the city (now a royal capital) was further enhanced. The Savoyards just-about stayed on the right side of history during the revolutionary era of 1840-60 and the struggle to unify Italy, and Turin was for four years the country's first capital.
The city became an industrial powerhouse in the 19th century, especially through the automobile industry: "FIAT" stands for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino, founded here in 1899, and Lancia set up in 1906. These sucked in labour from the poor south, and were subsidised by Mussolini. Turin was heavily bombed by the Allies during World War II but afterwards was restored to its former grandeur as a second Paris.
Car manufacture and other traditional industries withered in the late 20th century, as elsewhere in Europe, and the city became run-down, hollowed out and de-populated. It re-invented itself with new industry, design and services — not least to tourists — and in 2006 hosted the Winter Olympic Games.
The climate of Turin is continental, with cold winters and warm summers. Snow is common in winter and summer thunderstorms are not uncommon either. The wealth of indoor attractions and open spaces make the city a year-round destination.
Tourist information
[edit]Tourist information centres are on Piazza Castello (corner with Via Garibaldi, daily 09:00-18:00) and on Piazza Carlo Felice (front of Porta Nuova station, likewise daily 09:00-18:00).
Get in
[edit]By plane
[edit]
1 Turin Airport (TRN IATA) (15 km north of the city). There are international flights to Turin from Amsterdam, Bacau, Barcelona, Berlin (SXF), Birmingham, Bristol, Brussels (BRU & CRL), Bucharest, Casablanca, Chisinau, Copenhagen, Dublin, Edinburgh, Fez, Frankfurt, Gothenburg, Iasi, Ibiza, Kyiv (KBP), Leeds, London (LGW, LTN & STN), Madrid, Malta, Manchester, Marrakesh, Menorca, Moscow (DME), Munich, Mykonos, Palma de Mallorca, Paris (CDG), Skiathos, Seville, Stockholm (ARN), Tirana, Valencia, & Warsaw (WAW). Domestic destinations are Alghero, Bari, Brindisi, Cagliari, Catania, Comiso, Lamezia Terme, Lampedusa, Naples, Olbia, Palermo, Pantelleria, Reggio Calabria, Rome (FCO), and Trapani. Some of these are seasonal, and the airport is especially busy in ski season with travellers to the resorts in Valle d'Aosta and the western Italian Alps. Most flights are with budget airlines such as Ryanair and Blue Air, even for domestic flights, or with ski package operators. There's just a single terminal, easy to navigate, with the usual range of shops airside after security: Heinemann run the duty-free franchise. Departure gates 1-13 are domestic and Schengen, gates 14-22 beyond passport control are non-Schengen. There's a back-up passport control point for gates 19-22, to give the airport flexibility in the allocation of areas, but it's normally empty and you can stroll through to the toilets by gate 22. But there's otherwise no facilities in the non-Schengen area, so don't go through passport control until an hour before your flight. 
To the city: Arriva Bus 268 runs every 15-30 min from the airport to Caselle town, and Turin Porta Susa and Porta Nuova railway stations, taking 40-55 min; some buses extend to Lingotto. Buy your ticket from a kiosk or machine in the arrivals area, for (in 2024) €7.50 single or €11 return. If the machines broken, buy on board by bank card; paying by cash costs an extra €1. If you buy a Turin + Piemonte Card (as in "See"), the ride is only €6.50. The bus into the city runs 06:00 to 00:30, and out to the airport at 05:00 to 23:30.
Flibco is a competing bus line, running every 30 min 03:30-23:00. It takes 25 min from the airport via Caselle to Corso Vittorio Emanuele II outside Porta Susa station (stop 5), for a fare of €7.5 each way, or 11€ return. Pay by bank card on boarding or at the counter in the terminal building.
Trains run hourly from Caselle-Aeroporto station (west side of the terminal), taking 35 min via Caselle town, Borgaro, Veneria Real, Grosseto and Rebaudengo Fossata to Turin Porta Susa main station. This service no longer runs to Dora. The train fare is €3.60.
By taxi to the city centre is around €40, and a private car transfer €100. There are car hire desks in arrivals: you don't want a car in the city, but do need one to explore the mountains.
Other airports for reaching Turin are Milan Malpensa MXP, Milan Linate LIN, and Bergamo BGY. Of these, Malpensa has the best range of flights, and best onward transport: the SADEM[dead link] bus runs direct from MXP Terminals 1 & 2 to Turin Porta Susa, hourly 08:00-22:00 and at midnight. The ride lasts 2 hours and costs €22, buy tickets in Malpensa arrival hall or online.
By train
[edit]
2 Porta Nuova is the primary train station of Turin and closest station to the center of the city. The station contains 20 platforms and is a terminus station so through-trains will reverse direction. Lots of shops and cafés here, and a left-luggage office open daily 08:00-20:00, charge €6 per bag for five hours. There's even a piano. Porta Nuova is on the Metro, with lots of buses (including the airport bus) stopping outside.
All international and long-distance trains call here, with direct services from Paris Gare de Lyon via Lyon, from Milan (50 min), Aosta (90 min), Genoa (90 min), Bologna (2 hr), Florence (2 hr 45 min), Venice (3 hr 30 min), Rome (4 hr), Naples (6 hr), Bari (8 hr) and by sleeper from Reggio DC (18 hr) for Sicily. From Switzerland, Germany and Austria, change in Milan. Frecciarossa trains rush between Turin and Milan in 50 min for a fare in 2024 of €28, reservations compulsory and they do sell out. If you're not in a hurry, regional trains via Chivasso and Novara take 1 hr 45 min and the fare is only €13.
(Trains from Paris normally take six hours, but the route is blocked by a landslide at Modane in French Savoy. Replacement and workaround routes, e.g., via Annecy, take much longer. This is expected to drag on to summer 2024.)
3 Porta Susa is Turin's second most important railway station with nine platforms. Generally, all trains destined for Porta Nuova will stop at Porta Susa.
The old Porta Susa station at Piazza XVIII Dicembre is shut and empty, and horse-drawn buses ply there no more. The new station, adjacent south, opened in 2013, a long low steel hangar that looks like it wants to be a garden centre. There are ticket offices and machines, toilets, a café and a convenience store; there's no left luggage facility. There's limited seating and if you have an extended wait, you might be better in one of the nearby bars and cafés. Find these by exiting west onto Corso Inghilterra or going a little north (past the old station) onto Corso San Martino. Porta Susa station is on the Metro line, with a bus terminus (including for the airport bus) outside east on Corso Bolzano.
4 Lingotto is Turin's third most used train station with 13 platforms, situated well south of the center of the city. The station is located near the Eataly and is a stop for trains heading into the city from Alba, Asti, Chivasso, Chieri, Ciriè, Cuneo, Fossano, Genoa, Pinerolo, Rivarolo and Savona.
You're unlikely to use the outlying stations of Rebaudengo Fossata, Stura, and Grosseto as a tourist, however they do offer service options if you stay in these areas.
5 Stura is a nine platform station north of the city connected to tram line four.
6 Rebaudengo Fossata is a five platform station north of the city centre with service solely by local trains of the city.
7 Grosseto is a two platform station in the north west of the city with service solely by local trains connecting to Ceres.
By road
[edit]The principal routes, on toll motorways, are:
- A4 from Trieste, Venice, Padua, Verona, Milan and Novara.
- From Geneva and northern France via the Mont Blanc Tunnel, then A5 down past Courmayeur, Aosta and Ivrea.
- A7 from Genoa to Tortona, then A21 past Alessandria and Asti.
- From Lyon and Grenoble in France via the Frejus Tunnel then A32.
By bus
[edit]Flixbus have direct buses to Turin from Paris (10 hr), Lyon (5 hr), Geneva (4 hr 30), Zürich (6 hr), Munich (9 hr), Ljubljana (10 hr), Zagreb (12 hr) and Budapest (16 hr). Services within Italy are from Genoa (2 hr 30), Bologna (6 hr), Florence (7 hr), Venice (6 hr 30), Trieste (8 hr), Rome (10 hr), Naples (11 hr) and Catania (22 hr). Buses from Milan are about every hour, taking 2 hours, and advance online fares can be as low as 4 euro. Many other destinations can be reached by a single change of bus.
Marinobus have a direct bus from Paris (25 hr) via Frankfurt and Stuttgart.
There's no bus station: long-distance buses pick up and drop off on Corso Vittorio Emanuelle II near the intersection of Corso Inghilterra and Porta Susa railway station. Look out for other travellers clutching their luggage and looking hopeful or anxious.
Get around
[edit]
Public transport
[edit]Turin has an inefficient, integrated system of buses, trams and metro all operated by GTT. These run 06:00-00:30, and out of hours there are night buses fanning out from Piazza Vittorio Veneto. Their website has a journey planner and network map.
You must buy your ticket before you get on and validate it as soon as you board. All tabaccherie (tobacconists) sell transport tickets as do some bars and kiosks at stations. There are also vending machines at Metro stations. The standard ticket is the "City + Suburban 100", valid for 100 mins for unlimited bus rides plus one journey on the Metro. In 2024 this costs €2; daily, 48-hr and 72-hr tickets are available for €4.50, €9.50 and €12.50 respectively. Longer season tickets will need photo ID. The spot fine for travelling with an unvalidated ticket, or without one, is €25.
Bus and tram stops are clearly marked with yellow signs, and display maps of the city routes. There may be electronic indicators at the stop and on board.
Turin Metro, opened in 2006, is a single line, Linea 1, with driverless trains. The south terminus is Bengasi. The line runs north to Lingotto, near the mainline Lingotto train station, the Lingotto Conference, Exhibition & Trade Centre, Eataly and the Automobile Museum. The line continues north under Via Nizza stopping at Spezia, Carducci, Dante, Fermata 8226 and Marconi to Porta Nuova railway station. It there turns west beneath Corso Vittorio Emmanuele II stopping at Re Umberto and Vinzaglio, then north again to Porta Susa railway station and Piazza XVIII Dicembre. It then runs west under Corso Francia into the suburbs, stopping at Principi d'Acaja, Bernini, Racconigi, Rivoli, Monte Grappa, Pozzo Strada, Massaua, Marche, and Paradiso to end at Fermi. Fares are the same as for buses, eg a 100-min single journey including bus transfers is €2, it's automatically validated by passing the platform entrance gates.
As of 2024, a westward extension of Linea 1 and a new Linea 2 are under construction, and Linea 3 is in planning.
Out-of-town: the GTT network and ticket includes the suburbs, but further out it's mostly the blue buses run by Arriva or Sadem. Again, try to buy your ticket before boarding, eg at a tobacconist, café or news stand. Consider also buying the return if you're going to a quiet spot that may lack ticket facilities. You can probably buy your ticket on the bus, but this will cost maybe an extra euro, and the driver will grind his gums if he has to give change.
Metro Rail operates service between Turin and many of the outlying communities. If your destination is one of these towns (which include such sights as the royal estate at Venaria and the mountain town of Bardonecchia), one option is SFM, the metro rail service of Turin. SFM tickets can be bought at the station or through Trenitalia. For more information, check out the Servizio Ferroviario Metropolitano website.
By bicycle
[edit]The city has a network of bicycle paths, though they're not all in good condition, and pedestrians will try to claim right of way. On the roads, cars, motor scooters and trams will scythe across your path.
Bike share services are run by Lime and RideMovi; use their Android or iPhone apps to register.
By car
[edit]You don't need a car in town, and driving here is not for the faint-hearted. You need to beware the many restricted-entry streets, trams, and other motorists who may regard red lights and speed limits as merely advisory.
A good central parking garage is beneath Piazza Vittorio Veneto is Parcheggio Vittorio Park.
Car rentals: as well as the airport rental kiosks, there are down-town rental offices, e.g., Hertz, just outside Porta Susa train station.
There are three car sharing services in Turin, ShareNow, Enjoy and LeasysGO[dead link] (which uses 100% electric cars). An electric scooter sharing service is run by MiMoto[dead link].
By taxi
[edit]Taxis in Torino start the meter the moment your call is received. It is not customary to hail a taxi on the street, but there are taxi ranks at the main railway stations, at the corner of Via Sacchi and Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, and elsewhere. You can also book via the WeTaxi app.
See
[edit]
Turin's main attractions include important baroque palaces and churches, an attractive arcade-lined street grid, an extensive network of arcades, famous coffee shops and several renowned museums. Five palaces in Turin and nine more in the region served as residences for the Savoy royalty and are now inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Torino+Piemonte Card[dead link] gives you plus one child under 12 free access to all the museums and most other city attractions listed below. It does not include regular public transport but does include the bus to and from Venaria Reale (plus palace entry), the rack-railway to Superga, selected city tours, and a discount on the airport bus. In 2024 a 24-hour card is €29, 48-hour €38, 72-hour €44 (€18 under age 18), and 120-hour €49. At these prices you may struggle to break even, given the regular entry fees, and the hours needed to take in each of the top sights. Holders of the card can buy a supplementary pass for public transport for €5.50 48 hours, €7.50 72 hours. All cards are timed from first use
Museums
[edit]- 1 Palazzo Reale, Piazza Castello, ☏ +39 011 543889. Tu-Su 09:00-19:00. The Palace was built in the 16th century, modernised in the 17th and converted to a museum in 1946. The result is a wacky hybrid of medieval, baroque and bling. You enter via the palace gardens to reach the ticket office. The ticket covers five attractions:
- Galleria Sabauda houses the vast art collection of the rulers of Savoy.
- Chapel of the Shroud is accessed this way, and from a gallery looks into the Cathedral.
- Royal Apartments: gilt, red flock, chandeliers, vast paintings, and everything else to impress.
- Royal Armoury: dating from the 16th century, the 1833 collection of Sardinian king Carlo Alberto.
- Royal Library: this contains some 200,000 print volumes, 4500 manuscripts, 3055 drawings, 187 incunabula predating 1501, 5019 16th-century books, 20,987 pamphlets, 1500 works on parchment, 1112 periodicals, and 400 photo albums, maps, engravings, and prints. It contains several works Leonardo da Vinci's: Codex on the Flight of Birds, his self-portrait, his study for the angel in his Virgin of the Rocks and his study for the angel in Verrocchio's The Baptism of Christ. Adult €15.
- Museo Civico d'Arte Antica (Museum of Ancient Art), Piazza Castello (square south of Palazzo Reale), ☏ +39 011 443 3501. W-Su 10:00-18:00. This museum is within Palazzo Madama on Piazza Castello. It's misnamed, as the art collection is Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque, and more ancient (eg Byzantine) work is elsewhere. Adult €10, conc €8.
- 2 CAMERA – Italian Centre for Photography, Via delle Rosine 18, ☏ +39 011 088 1150, [email protected]. F-W 11:00-19:00, Th 11:00-21:00. Impressive quality photography, with 3 or 4 exhibitions a year. Adult €12, conc €8, under 12 free.
- 3 Museo Egizio, Via Accademia delle Scienze, 6 (nearby piazza San Carlo - Metro 1 - PORTA NUOVA stop, Bus lines 13, 15, 55, 56 - CASTELLO stop, Bus lines 4, 15, 72, 72B, 58, 58B, 11, 55, 57 - BERTOLA stop, Car parking Roma – San Carlo – Castello), ☏ +39 011 440 6903. M 09:00-14:00; Tu-Su 09:00-18:30. "The road to Memphis and Thebes passes through Turin" said Egyptologist Jean-François Champollion about Museo Egizio in Turin, second only in order of importance to the one in Cairo. Many artifacts were collected by Bernardino Drovetti (1776 - 1852) when he was consul of France in Egypt. In 1824, King Carlo Felice di Savoia purchased the diplomat's entire collection and housed it in the palace built in the 17th century by design of architect Michelangelo Garove (which was firstly Collegio dei Nobili, then seat of Accademia delle Scienze and still houses the museum). The visit begins with floor -1 hypogeous with History of the Museum (highlights - Mensa Isiaca, statue of Isis from Coptos, Iuefankh's Book of the Dead); taking the escalator we reach floor 2 with Material Culture Galleries, Predynastic, Old Kingdom, Textiles Gallery, Tomb of the Unknown (intact), Tomb of Iti and Neferu, Middle Kingdom, New Kingdom (highlights - Gebelein Canvas, pleated tunics, faience hippo statuette, statue of Aanen, statue of Hel); taking Sanpaolesi staircase we reach floor 3 with Writing Gallery (highlights - double cartouche from Temple of the Aten, Papyrus of Kings, Judicial Papyrus, pyramidion from the Tomb of Ramose); returning to floor 2, then descending Mazzucchetti staircase we reach floor 1 with Village of Deir el-Medina, In Search of Life (human remains), Egyptian Gardens (on the terrace), Tomb of Kha and Merit (intact), Coffin Gallery, Valley of the Queens, Late Period, Ptolemaic Period, Roman and Late Antique Period (highlights - statue of Pendua and Nefertari, Erotic-Satirical Papyrus, Maya Chapel, Butehamon Coffin, animal mummies, amulets); the visit ends taking Mazzucchetti staircase to floor 0 with Gallery of Kings and Temple of Ellesiya (highlights - statues of Ramses II, Sethi II, Tutmosis III, Sekhmet).
Analog services: cloakroom (floor -1 hypogeous), rest area "Caffè con ME" (reached from Room 7), museum shop (floor -1 hypogeous), kids area "Spazio ZeroSei Egizio" (reached from main entrance), Silvio Curto Egyptological Library (floor 1). Digital services: free wi-fi "Museo Egizio free", online audio guide "Webapp MUseo Egizio", 4 virtual tours to discover collection and exhibitions. Ticket online (suggested).
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- 4 Risorgimento Museum (Museo Nazionale del Risorgimento Italiano), Palazzo Carignano, Via Accademia delle Scienze 5 (next to Egyptian Museum), ☏ +39 011 562 1147. Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. Fascinating exposition of the tumultuous birth of modern Italy, set in the very building where many events took place: Carlo Alberto and Vittorio Emanuele II were born here, and the first Italian parliament sat here. Garibaldi's campaign was in the context of revolutions and upheavals all over Europe, the greatest of all being the Industrial Revolution. It was a very literary and graphic age, so events are vividly shown in film, photos, political cartoons and other artefacts. Adult €10, conc €8.
- 5 Galleria d'Italia, Piazza San Carlo, ☏ +39 800 167 619. Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. Galleria d'Italia is a museum chain to show off the art owned by Intesa Sanpaolo bank, the modern nobility. The Turin branch, opened in 2022, is in the Palazzo Turinetti di Pertengo and mostly displays photography. Their others are in Milan, Naples and Vicenza. Adult €10.
- 6 Foundation Accorsi-Ometto (Decorative Arts Museum), Via Po 55, ☏ +39 011 837 688, [email protected]. Tu W F-Su 10:00-18:00, Th 10:00-20:00. Extensive display of furniture, painting and other decorative art. Adult €14, conc €12.
- 7 Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali, Via Accademia Albertina 15, ☏ +39 800 329 329. Daily 10:00-18:00. Trad natural history display of rocks and stuffed animals in a former hospital. Adult €5, conc €3.
- 8 Galleria Civica d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea (GAM Torino), Via Magenta 31, ☏ +39 011 442 9518, [email protected]. Tu-Su 10:00 - 18:00. Huge permanent collection of 19th and 20th century art. Adult €10, conc €8.
- 9 Mole Antonelliana (National Cinema Museum), Via Montebello 20, ☏ +39 011 813 8563. W-F, Su M 09:00-19:00, Sa 09:00-22:00. The Mole, Turin's landmark building built in 1888, was intended as a synagogue but the size and cost got out of hand and the Jewish community never used it. The 167.5-metre tower is the highest work of masonry in Europe and you can ride a lift to the cupola at the top. Within it, the National Cinema Museum is a vast exhibition space spiralling up five floors. The themes of the floors are the archaeology of cinema, the video camera, a collection of cinema posters, video installations (with side rooms screening clips), and the Great Temple where you recline in comfy red chairs and watch — or is it worship? — Italian film classics projected on giant screens overhead. Artefacts include magic lanterns, optical illusions, photographs, drawings, models, props and costumes, such as the original cape worn by Christopher Reeve in Superman in 1978. Museum €12, lift €9.
- 10 Museo Nazionale dell'Automobile (MAUTO), Corso Unità d'Italia 40 (Metro Lingotto), ☏ +39 011 677 666. M 10:00-14:00, Tu-Su 10:00-19:00. The collection houses over 170 vehicles, from 18th-century carriages to Formula 1 racers, and lots of gorgeous red sports cars. Adult €15, conc €12, under 17s €5.
- 11 Museum of Criminal Anthropology, Via Pietro Giuria 15, ☏ +39 011 6708195. M-Sa 10:00-18:00. Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909) was convinced that criminality was inherited, little influenced by environment and that criminals could be distinguished by their ugly atavistic features. It therefore followed that any ethnic group that didn't fit Italian concepts of beauty was inferior and should be subjugated. And women should be subjugated by men, as their much lower rate of criminal offending proved that, um, well anyway because they should. When Lombroso met Tolstoy, he rather spoiled the occasion by trying to measure Tolstoy's skull for signs of Slav atavism. His theories greatly suited the far right in Europe but were discredited after the fall of Mussolini. This museum displays his dingbat collection, but perhaps his legacy best lives on in the portrayal of film baddies.
- 12 Museo Nazionale della Montagna Duca degli Abruzzi, Piazzale Monte dei Capuccini 7, ☏ +39 011 660 4104. Tu-Su 10:30-18:00. History of alpine mountaineering.
- 13 Museum of The New Prison (Museo Carceri Le Nuove), Via Paolo Borsellino 3 (Tram or bus to Palagiustizia), ☏ +39 011 760 4881. Tours daily 15:00. Spooky museum of prisons and punishments. Visit by guided tour; booking is recommended, and essential for the descent into the air raid shelter. Adult €8, conc €5.
- 14 Museum of Oriental Art (MAO), Palazzo Mazzonis, Via San Domenico 11, ☏ +39 011 443 6932, [email protected]. Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. This museum houses art from Kandahar, India, Southeast Asia, China and Japan. The third floor shows Buddhist and Tibetan culture. The fourth floor is Islamic and Arabian, mainly bronzes, ceramics and tiles. Adult €10, conc €8.
- 15 Museum of the Shroud (Museo della Sindone), Via San Domenico 28, ☏ +39 011 436 5832. Daily 15:00-18:00. The original Sindone or Turin Shroud is in safekeeping in the Cathedral and rarely displayed. This small museum displays a copy and studies the Shroud. It's a remarkable object whatever it is, a 4.4 x 1.1 m winding sheet charred by fire and appearing to bear the likeness of a man, matching the Gospel description of the crucifixion of Jesus. Multiple tests have produced contradictory results, or at least contradictory interpretations. It's only reliably known to have existed since 1390 when it was denounced as a forgery, and radio-carbon dating matches that. But no deliberate attempt to reproduce it has managed to capture all its qualities, especially the 3D effect of its photo negative, and neither natural nor artificial processes convincingly explain it. So just look and wonder. Adult €8, conc €6.
- 16 Palazzo Barolo, Via delle Orfane 7, ☏ +39 338 169 1652. Tu-F 14:30-18:00, Sa Su 14:30-19:00. Baroque bling palace, visit by guided tour. Its last private owner Carlo Tancredi Falletti di Barolo served Napoleon then worked tirelessly for relief of the poor; his palace then became an opera house. Adult €6, conc €4.
- 17 Pietro Micca Museum, Via Guicciardini 7a, ☏ +39 011 0116 7580. Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. In 1706 the French besieged Turin for four months as part of the War of Spanish Succession, which embroiled all major European powers and their colonies. The defending Savoyards had dug 15 km of counter-sapping tunnels, to prevent the French burrowing in. That meant the French could only attack ineffectively from a distance. Pietro Micca sacrificed himself in detonating a tunnel that they were breaking into; a few days later the siege was broken by arriving reinforcements. Nine km of preserved galleries can be visited. Adult €5, conc €3.
- 18 Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli, Via Nizza 230, ☏ +39 011 092 5024, [email protected]. Tu-Su 10:00-19:00. Striking modern building, maybe an orbiter's solar power module? - perched atop the Lingotti Centre. It houses the Agnelli's private art collection, with many big names represented. Adult €10.60, conc €8.40, under 12 free.
- 19 Museo Lavazza, Via Bologna 32, ☏ +39 011 217 9621. W-Su 10:00-18:00. All about coffee and the Lavazza brand, in a former coffee factory. Adult €10, conc €8.
- 20 Museo Ettore Fico (MEF), Via Francesco Cigna 114, ☏ +39 011 852 510. Only open for temporary exhibitions, but with a small permanent display of the work of Ettore Fico (1917-2004).
- 21 Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Via Modane 16, ☏ +39 011 379 7600. Th 20:00-23:00, F-Su 12:00-19:00. Art exhibition gallery in a former automobile factory and outdoor sculpture park. Adult €7, conc €5.
- 22 MACA (Museo A come Ambiente), Corso Umbria 90 (Parco Dora), ☏ +39 011 070 2535. Sa Su 14:00-19:00 (M-F school groups only). Science museum, child-oriented, limited English signage. Adult €12, conc or child €6.
Churches
[edit]Turin has some 150 churches, so only the most notable are described here. But almost all of them are worth looking into, if you happen to be passing and find them open.
- 23 Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist (Duomo; Cattedrale di San Giovanni Battista), Piazza San Giovanni, ☏ +39 011 436 1540. Daily 09:00-13:00 & 15:00-19:00. Large elegant cathedral dating from late 15th century, enlarged in the 17th to create the Chapel for the Shroud of Turin. However this chapel (rebuilt after a fire in 1997) is nowadays accessed as part of a tour of Palazzo Reale and can't be seen from the Cathedral; visit the nearby Sindone Museum to see a copy of the Shroud. Free.
- 24 Chapel of the Merchants (Cappella dei Mercanti, Negozianti e Banchieri), Via Giuseppe Garibaldi 25, ☏ +39 011 562 7226, [email protected]. Sept-June Sa 15:00-18:00, Su 10:00-12:00. A jewel of baroque architecture and sacred art built from 1680 by businessmen anxious to sanctify their dealings - they were, let's stress, "The Pious Congregation of Bankers, Shopkeepers and Merchants of Turin." One theme of the decor is the Magi, bearing the trade valuables without which the Christian church couldn't exist. The chapel was created within Chiesa dei Santi Martiri, a 16th-century Jesuit church. Its best-known artefact is the "calendario perpetuo" made by Giovanni Amedeo Plana in 1831. This predicts lunar phases, tides, days of the week and Christian holy days for 4000 years from Year Zero (1 BC in the Gregorian calendar); thereafter it's askew as it misses an extra leap-day tweak. It ranks among the world's earliest computers, though pipped by Babbage's "difference engine" of 1822.
- Santa Maria di Monte dei Cappuccini, Piazzale Monte dei Cappuccini (next to Museo Nazionale della Montagna), ☏ +39 011 660 4414. Daily 07:30-19:30. A late-Renaissance-style church on a hill overlooking the River Po. It was built 1583 to 1656 for the Capuchin Friars; the delay was through plague and the occasional war. A miracle supposedly occurred in 1640 during the French assault on Turin, when troops seizing the church were repulsed by a sheet of holy flame from the tabernacle. They slew all the defenders anyhow, no doubt in a faith-affirming sort of way. Cannonballs stuck in the walls recall the assaults of 1706 and 1799. Free.
- 25 Basilica di Maria Ausiliatrice (Basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians), Via Maria Ausiliatrice 32, ☏ +39 011 52241. M-Sa 07:00-19:00, Su 07:00-22:00. Palladian church built 1865-68, originally as part of a care facility for poor and delinquent boys founded by Don Bosco (1815-88). He himself is buried here, along with 6000 bits and pieces of saints. Free.
- 26 Parrocchia Sacro Cuore di Maria (Sacred Heart), Via Oddino Morgari 11, ☏ +39 011 669 9083. Daily 06:30-12:00, 15:30-18:30. Neo-gothic church of 1890. Free.
- 27 Chiesa Maria Santissima Del Carmelo, Via del Carmine, ☏ +39 011 436 8228. M-Sa 08:30-13:00, 15:00-19:00, Su 08:30-13:30. This church was built in the 1730s for a Carmelite convent. Free.
- 28 Santuario della Consolata (Church of the Virgin of the Consolation), Piazza della Consolata, ☏ +39 011 483 6111. M-F 08:00-19:30, Sa 07:30-19:00, Su 07:30–20:30. A church and Benedictine monastery may have stood here since the 5th century. Most of it is from 1680 to 1740, an over-the-top profusion of baroque. Free.
- 29 San Lorenzo, Via Palazzo di Città 4, ☏ +39 011 436 1527. M-Sa 09:30-12:00, 15:30-18:00; Su 15:30-18:00. This church was built from 1634 by Guarino Guarini to a complex baroque design, where square basilica plan and Grecian cross segues into circular, octagonal and elliptical forms. This creates a striking light-play, especially in the dome, which Guarini might not be pleased to know is dubbed faccia del diavolo, the face of the devil.
- 30 Chiesa della Gran Madre di Dio, Piazza Gran Madre di Dio, ☏ +39 011 819 3572. M-Sa 07:30-19:00, Su 07:30-22:00. A neo-classical miniature pantheon at the far end of Vittorio Emanuele I bridge, closing off the view down Via Po. It was built to celebrate the defeat of Napoleon and return of the Savoy monarchy in 1814, but only completed in 1831.
- 31 Mausoleo della Bela Rosin (Pantheon di Mirafiori), Strada Castello di Mirafiori 148, ☏ +39 011 0113 9010. M Th 09:00-13:00, W 09:00-13:00, 14:00-17:00, Su 14:00-17:00. Rosa Vercellana (1833-1885) became the mistress of the future Victor Emmanuel II and had two children by him before she was 16. She was made a countess when his legitimate wife and queen died in 1855, and in 1869 when the king thought he himself might die, he hurriedly married Rosa. It was a morganatic marriage, so it conferred no crown or right of succession on her or her children. He survived to do the same thing over in 1877, likewise morganatic, then died. His Savoy dynasty wouldn't let this upstart floozie be buried next to him, so here lies La Bela. The neoclassical building was handed over to the city in 1970 but vandalised and fell derelict; it was restored in 2005 and now houses a public library. Free.
Public spaces
[edit]- Piazza Castello is the grand square flanked to the north by the cathedral, Palazzo Reale and gardens. West are the church of San Lorenzo, Palazzo Chiablese (housing the fine arts admin, not open to the public) and the tourist office; Via Garibaldi is the one km-long pedestrian street west to Piazza Statuto. Via Roma the main shopping street branches south. The square is big enough for an entire palace to occupy its centre, Palazzo Madama, housing the Museum of Ancient Art. East is Teatro Regio with Via Po and Via Verdi leading off.
- 32 Porta Palatina 100 m north of the cathedral is a Roman city gate from the 1st century BC. West lies the 1 km x 1 km city district of Quadrilatero, on the site of the Roman colony. The street grid pattern has been preserved but the district was repeatedly built on, so the Porta is the only substantial Roman remnant.
- 33 Galleria Subalpina is an elegant pedestrian mall running south from Piazza Castello to Piazza Carlo Alberto.
- Piazza Carignano is a block south of Piazza Castello, with Teatro Carignano on its west flank and the Risorgimento Museum within Palazzo Carignano east.
- Piazza Carlo Alberto has Palazzo Carignano to its west and the university library east.
- Piazza San Carlo is midway along Via Roma, the arcaded pedestrian street between Piazza Castello and Porta Nuova station. On its west flank is Palazzo Turinetti di Pertengo housing Galleria d'Italia. Northwest, Galleria San Federico is a glitzy mall parallel to Via Roma, with a hotel and Cinema Lux. North is the Egyptian Museum.
- 34 Piazza Giambattista Bodoni is an elegant square at the foot of Via Pomba laid out mid-19th century and formerly used as a market.
- Galleria Umberto I is a covered mall built in 1890, between Via della Basilica, Piazza della Repubblica and Via Milano.
- 35 Castello del Valentino is the grand centrepiece of Valentino Park along the riverside. This 17th century palace now houses the Faculty of Architecture of the Polytechnic University of Turin. On its north flank is the Botanic Museum (below). The illuminated fountain at the north end of the park is derelict.
- Botanic Museum, Castello del Valentino, ☏ +39 011 670 5980. Apr-Oct: Sa 14:30-18:00, Su 10:00-13:00, 14:30-18:00. Small collection and somewhat run down. Adult €5, conc or child €3.
- Borgo Medievale at the south end of Valentino Park is an open-air reconstruction of a medieval village and castle. It's closed for rebuilding until late 2025.
- 36 Ponte Umberto I is at the foot of Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, spanning the Po to Crimea district. It was opened in 1907 but criticised as being plain and slabby. Giant heroic statues were therefore added at each end.
- 37 Casa Scaccabarozzi is an odd building at Via Giulia di Barolo 9, corner with Coro San Maurizio, nicknamed Fetta di Polenta for its resemblance to a thin yellow slice of polenta. It was built from 1840 when the Vanchiglia district was laid out, designed by Alessandro Antonelli the architect of Mole Antonelliana. It narrows to a pinch of 54 cm, little more than a street facade, even a flatiron building has a plumper tip. It's now a private residence so you can't go in, and be grateful you don't have to live here.
Further out
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- 38 La Venaria Reale, Piazza della Repubblica 4, Venaria Reale (10 km northwest of city; train towards Ceres or bus), ☏ +39 011 499 2333. Tu-F 09:30-17:00, Sa Su 09:30-18:30. Built as a royal hunting lodge from 1675, this grew and grew into a humonguous bling palace, trying to outshine Versailles. It became a barracks and was knocked about in Napoleonic times, remaining military until the 1930s, then the vandals set about it. Restoration was piecemeal until 1996, then a ten-year project brought it back to its former baroque opulence. Highlights include the Salone di Diana, the Galleria Grande, the chapel of Sant’Uberto and the Scuderie (stables). The Gardens are a modern re-imagining. The palace was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997. Adult €20, conc €16, under-22 €10.
- 39 La Mandria, Viale Carlo Emanuele II 256, Venaria Reale (2 km northwest of Venaria Reale palace), ☏ +39 011 499 2333. Tu-Su 10:00-16:00. The "hunting lodge" grew into such a vast palace that what was needed was a new hunting lodge. However, King Victor Emmanuel II needed somewhere to ensconce his mistress La Bela Rosin, so this new lodge in turn became so big and blinged up that . . . life can be really tough when you're a plutocrat monarch. Wild boar, deer and rare breeds of horse roam the park, which has multiple access points. In the 20th century it acquired a golf course and a motor-racing track. Adult €8 or combi-ticket with Venaria.
- 40 Basilica of Superga, Strada Basilica di Superga 73, ☏ +39 011 899 7456. Daily 10:00-13:00, 14:30-17:00. This hilltop basilica was built in thanksgiving for the 1706 defeat of the French at Turin. Often incorrectly called a cathedral, it's in sort-of-classical-with-baroque style, and houses the tombs of many nobles of the House of Savoy. Superga hill derives its name from Serrapergia meaning "mountain between the hills". Nearby is a monument to the air crash of 1949, which wiped out Torino FC. Get here by car, bus, rack-railway, or the hiking trails, but the approach road is narrow with no sidewalk so it is not safe for walking. Free.
- 41 Infini.to (Planetarium), Via Osservatorio 30, Pino Torinese, ☏ +39 011 811 8740. Tu-F 10:30-12:00, 14:00-15:30, Sa Su 14:30-19:00. Two shows midweek and three at weekends, only in Italian. Adult €13.
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- 42 Villa della Regina, Strada Comunale Santa Margherita 79 (Bus 53, 56, 66), ☏ +39 011 819 5035. Tu-Su 09:30-12:00, 14:30-17:00. A royal palace and gardens on a hill east edge of the city. It's modest by Savoyard standards but plush with Chinese and Baroque interiors. This reflects the era of Anne Marie d'Orléans, in residence from 1692. Next to the Villa, the Queen's vineyard has been productive since the 1600s, and its "Freisa di Chieri DOC - Villa della Regina" red wine is on sale here. Adults €7, age 18-25 €2.
- 43 Moncalieri Castle, Piazza Baden Baden 4, Moncalieri, ☏ +39 348 011 640 3058. F-Su 10:00-17:00. This castle was built as a fortress by Thomas I of Savoy, but enlarged into a pleasure palace in the mid-15th century. From the 19th century it was especially used by queen mothers and princesses. Today it houses the Carabinieri, though the castle and its apartments can be visited. Reservation required. Adult €7, conc €5.
- 44 Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi, Piazza Principe Amedeo 7, Nichelino, ☏ +39 011 620 0601. Tu-F 10:00-17:30, Sa Su 10:00-18:30. Royal hunting lodge built from 1729, and like Veneria Reale its embellishments then got out of hand to create something a Disney princess would swoon over, grand halls and galleries and salons with putti and nymphs in industrial quantities. It houses a huge collection of Piedmontese furniture in its Rococo interiors. Outside is the Parco naturale, the hunting park and gardens, but Fritz the resident elephant has long gone. Adult €13.80, conc €9.50.
- 45 Zoom Torino (Z), Strada Piscina 36, Cumiana, ☏ +39 011 907 0318. March-Oct daily 09:00-17:30. Spacious zoo exhibiting animals from around the world. Adult €27.
- 46 Castello di Rivoli (Museo d'Arte Contemporanea), Piazzale Mafalda di Savoia, Rivoli, ☏ +39 011 956 5222. W-F 10:00-17:00, Sa Su 11:00-18:00. The hilltop castle was built around 900 AD but from the 17th century had so many incomplete extensions, abandoned or wrecked by the French, that owners and architects risked being driven mad. One who did go mad was King Victor Amadeus II (1666-1732), who horrified noble society by publicly marrying his mistress here; he was deposed and incarcerated within the castle to stop him declaring war on Milan or Poland or heaven knows where. The building later became a barracks but fell derelict until restored in the 1980s. It's now a museum of contemporary art. Adult €10, conc €6.50.
- Cerrutti Collection is an exhibition space of the Rivoli museum, in a modern building on Vicolo dei Fiori one km west of the castle.
Do
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- Parks: closest to the centre is Parco Valentino, ranged around Castello Valentino (above) on the riverside.
- 1 Parco Pietro Colletta is a large green space upstream, at the confluence of the Po and Dora river.
Performance arts
[edit]- Teatro Regio, Piazza Castello 215, ☏ +39 011 881 5557. The city opera house is active Oct-June. It was opened in 1740 but burned down in 1936. Reconstruction took until 1973, with a modern building behind the original facade, seating 1500.
- 2 Teatro Carignano, Piazza Carignano 6, ☏ +39 011 516 9411. The city's oldest and premier theatre, opened in 1753. It was wrecked by fire in 1786 but swiftly rebuilt to the original plan, and from 1936 to 1973 it was the opera house during Teatro Regio's lengthy closure.
- 3 Teatro Colosseo, Via Madama Cristina 71, ☏ +39 011 669 8034. A modern concert hall seating 1500.
- Other theatres include the Alfieri, Stabile, Astra, Tedaca, Gioiello and Erba; Teatro Araldo has closed down. Alfa Teatro is a puppet theatre.
- Stadio Olimpico the Torino FC football ground hosts the biggest live events, see below, or they're held in the adjacent Pala Alpitour[dead link] aka Inalpi Arena.
- 4 Villa La Tesoriera is a mansion of 1713, centrepiece of Tesoriera Park, that's now a concert venue.
- OGR (Officine Grandi Riparazioni) is an events venue at Corso Castelfidardo 22.
Sport
[edit]- 5 Juventus FC, Allianz Stadium, Corso Gaetano Scirea (Trains towards airport stop at Rigola Stadio). M W-Su 10:30-19:00. "Juve", founded in 1897, play soccer in Serie A, Italy's top tier, and have almost never been out of the top flight. Allianz Stadium, capacity 41,000, has a club museum.
- 6 Torino FC, Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, Via Filadelfia (Bus or tram to Sebastapoli). "Toro" also play in Serie A. The original club was founded in 1906 and dominated until 1949, when team and staff died in the Superga air crash. They had mixed fortunes thereafter and went bust in 2005, so this is a phoenix club. The stadium, capacity 28,000, was built in the 1930s and renovated for the 2006 Winter Olympics, and for some obscure reason is no longer named for Benito Mussolini.
- Stadio Primo Nebiolo is a multi-use facility (capacity 7200) in Parco Ruffini in the west of the city. It hosted Torino FC from 1993 to 2009 but no longer has a resident team.
- Golf: courses around the city are Le Rosine, Stupinigi, Colonetti, Moncalieri, Ciliegi, Druento and La Mandria. Or if your game's none too good, try Torino Disc Golf in Parco del Meisen.
- Swimming pools: over a dozen, with three of various sizes in the Stadio Olimpico complex.
- Torino Marathon is first week in November. There are also fun runs over various distances.
- Milano-Torino is a one day bike race over 199 km between the two cities, held in March.
Events
[edit]- Torino Jazz Festival[dead link] is late April.
- Turin Book Fair is in May.
- Kappa FuturFestival is a techno music festival in Parco Dora in July.
- Terra Madre Salone del Gusto celebrates local produce and Slow Food. It's held in even-numbered years over a week in September, in Parco Dora.
- Torino Film Festival is held over a week in November.
- Cioccola in the first week of December is all about chocolate, and why you ought to buy more of it for Christmas.
Learn
[edit]- University of Turin (Università degli Studi di Torino, UNITO) was founded in 1404. As of 2022 it had 78,900 undergrads, 2300 postgrads and PhD students, 2150 academic staff and 1880 non-teaching staff. The main Campus Luigi Einaudi is just off Via Po, but there are departments all over the city, and further out though some outlying campuses are now in the separate University of Eastern Piedmont based in Alessandria, Novara and Vercelli.
- Polytechnic University of Turin (Politecnico di Torino, PoliTo) was founded in 1859 and majors on engineering, architecture, urban planning and industrial design. In 2020 it had 20,900 undergrads, 14,700 postgrads and PhD students, 980 academic staff and 890 non-teaching staff. There are multiple campuses and departments across the city.
Buy
[edit]
- Supermarkets downtown are small convenience stores, typically open to 21:00 daily. Carrefour Express is the main chain.
- Via Roma is the elegant pedestrian mall from Piazza Castello south to Porta Nuova railway station, with a mix of upscale brands and budget chains.
- Via Lagrange is parallel to Via Roma, two blocks east, with La Rinascente department store.
- Via Po is another line of arcades from Piazza Castello southeast to Piazza Vittorio Veneto and the river Po, with FRAV at its head then a series of small stores.
- Via Garibaldi is a km-long pedestrian street in Europe from Piazza Castello northwest to Piazza Statuto. It has clothes shops, bars, a Footlocker store and a branch of Muji.
- Quadrilatero the district northwest of Piazza Castello has many independent stores.
- Via Pietro Micca west from Piazza Castello to Piazza Solferino has several clothing stores.
- Bookstores: Luxemburg International Bookshop is at Via Accademia delle Scienze 3 just off Piazza Castello and it's your best destination for English-language novels, EFL teaching materials and foreign magazines and newspapers. La Feltrinelli is a national chain with a branch on Piazza Castello at the junction of Via Po.
- 1 Porta Palazzo, Piazza della Republica. M-F 07:00-13:00, Sa 07:00-17:00. Big street and indoor market for food produce, clothes, houseware, ethnic products, handicrafts and second-hand articles. On the second Sunday of each month there's a smaller antiques and flea market called Gran Balôn.
- 2 Eataly is a vast food hall, the foundation store of what has become an international gourmet grocery chain. It's at Via Ermanno Fenoglietti 14, corner of Via Nizza, midway between Spezia and Lingotto Metro stations, and open daily 10:00 till 23:00. There's another outlet 3 km north on Via Lagrange, open daily till 22:00.
- Centro Commerciale Lingotto[dead link] (formerly 8 Gallery) is the general shopping centre just south of Eataly. it's a long corridor with shops, the NH Hotel, Agnelli Art Museum, and a cinema. The shops are open daily 10:00-21:00 and the restaurants till 23:00. Lingotto Metro is in front on Via Nizza.
- Edge of town shopping centres, which you'd only visit with a car, include Montecucco and Shopville Le Gru west, Le Fornaci southwest, Area12 north, and Botticelli, Porto di Torino and Outlet Village northeast.
- Gifts: Rich, smooth gianduja chocolate is a local speciality, if you can resist gobbling them yourself.
Eat
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Turin has good public water, surging out of the nearby mountains. You'll see public drinking fountains everywhere, usually in the shape of a green bull, locally called Turet. Restaurants will happily serve you a carafe of tap water and not hassle you to buy bottled.
Many restaurants serve Piedmontese dishes, obviously, but the other regional Italian cuisines are also well represented.
Turin and the region of Piedmont has a very distinct regional cuisine that you will not often find easily around Italy.
Traditional dishes that you should look out for include vitello tonnato, tajarin, agnolotti, and bagna cauda.
In addition, there are a number of traditional products from Turin such as torrone, bicerin, grissini, and gianduiotto.
Budget
[edit]- La Piadineria is a chain with about 20 city locations, serving wraps; they have 3 outlets in or by Porto Nuova station.
- Grom, Piazza Pietro Paleocapa 1D (north side of Porta Nuova station), ☏ +39 011 511 9067. Daily 12:00-23:00. Renowned ice cream chain. Their other outlets are on Via Accademia delle Scienze, Via Garibaldi, Corso Romania and Via Nizza.
- 1 Piola Cianci, Largo IV Marzo 9/b, ☏ +39 353 342 6322. M-F 07:00-00:00, Sa Su 12:00-16:00, 19:00-00:00. Popular place for fast inexpensive antipasti and main meals.
- 2 Focacceria Lagrange, Via Giuseppe Luigi Lagrange 11, ☏ +39 011 562 9244. Daily 09:00-21:00. Nice place to eat light and crispy focaccia. Fast service. Mostly takeaway but they have a few tables inside and out.
- 3 Gofreria Piemontèisa, Via San Tommaso 7. Tu-F Su 11:30-15:30, Sa 11:30-18:30. Gofri are waffles Piedmont style, thin with sweet or savoury fillings.
- 4 La Stuzzicheria, Via Giuseppe Garibaldi 21a, ☏ +39 342 673 5217. Tu-Su 10:30-21:00. Good local good pizza and excellent farinata.
- Bicyclette, Via Sant'Agostino 4 (round corner from Chapel of Merchants), ☏ +39 011 436 9705. M-F 12:00-15:00, 18:00-01:00; Sa Su 11:30-01:00. Impressive variety of sweet and savory crepes; high quality dough and ingredients.
- 5 Pizzeria Ristorante Gonzales Torino, Corso Francia 307 (Metro Massaua), ☏ +39 011 779 0348. M-W F 12:00-14:00, 19:00-23:00; Sa Su 19:00-23:00. Simple local pizzeria, can feel crowded and grubby.
Mid-range
[edit]
- Kipling, Via Giuseppe Mazzini 10 (block northeast of Porta Nuova station), ☏ +39 011 812 6883. Daily 12:30-00:00. Reliable mix of trad Italian and international fare.
- Caffè Mulassano, Piazza Castello 15, ☏ +39 348 170 1696. W-M 09:00-20:00. Charming atmospheric cafe on the main square.
- Baratti & Milano, Piazza Castello 27 (next to Mulassano), ☏ +39 011 440 7138. Tu-Su 09:00-20:00. Elegant cafe on the main square, founded in 1858.
- 6 Lobelix, Piazza Savoia 4, ☏ +39 011 436 7206. Su Tu-Th 18:30-01:30, F Sa 18:30-03:00. This bar serves a nightly aperitivo - your drink buys access to the food, which runs out towards 21:00.
- Gennaro Esposito, Via Giuseppe Luigi Passalacqua 1 (round corner from Osteria del Frate), ☏ +39 011 535 905. Tu-F 12:15-14:30, 19:30-23:00; Sa 19:30-23:00. Offbeat design and combos, excellent Neapolitan pizza.
- 7 Fratelli La Cozza, Basic Village, Corso Regio Parco 39, ☏ +39 011 859 900. Daily 12:15-14:30, 19:30-00;00. Pizzeria and seafood. Try for a balcony seat for views down the boulevard.
- 8 L'Acino, Via San Domenica 2, ☏ +39 345 139 2770. M-Sa 19:30-23:00. Hearty Piedmont cuisine.
- Il Giglio, Via San Domenica 4 (next to L'Acino), ☏ +39 011 436 5021. Tu-Sa 12:30-14:00, 19:30-23:00. Serving quality seafood.
- Tre Galli, Via Sant'Agostino 25 (block SW of Piazza della Repubblica), ☏ +39 011 521 6027. M-Sa 12:30-14:30, 18:30-01:00. Relaxing place for Piedmontese fare or just a drink.
- Tre Gallini is a similar place at the southwest corner of the piazza. Gallini are chickens, galli are roosters.
- Sfashion Cafè, Via Cesare Battisti 13 (S entrance to Galleria Subalpina, Piazza Carlo Alberto), ☏ +39 011 516 0085. M-F 12:15-15:00, 19:15-23:30; Sa Su 12:15-23:30. Pizzeria and south Italian dishes in kitsch jazzy surroundings. It's owned by Piero Chiambretti (b 1956) the TV entertainer and presenter.
- Gelateria Pepino, Piazza Carignano 8 (next to Teatro Carignano), ☏ +39 011 542009. Daily 09:00-20:00. An ice-cream parlor founded in 1884. They were personal favorites of Benito Mussolini, and during his regime Pepino sent daily ice-cream deliveries to the dictator in Rome.
- Caffè San Carlo, Piazza San Carlo 156 (next to Gallerie d'Italia), ☏ +39 011 026 7460. Daily 08:30-20:30. Glitzy cafe with upscale meals.
- 9 Da Mauro, Via Maria Vittoria 21, ☏ +39 349 151 3068. Tu-Su 12:00-14:00, 19:20-22:00. Good reviews for their home cooking. Great value for money, come early or you won't get in.
- 10 Birichin, Via Vincenzo Monti 16/a (Metro Piazza Nizza or Dante), ☏ +39 335 393 819. M-Sa 12:00-15:00, 19:00-23:00. Gourmet restaurant with wide selection of Italian fare and huge wine selection, mostly good reviews.
- Arcadia, Galleria Subalpina 16 (SE of Piazza Castello), ☏ +39 011 561 3898. Daily 12:30-14:30, 20:00-22:30. Beautiful place with Italian and Japanese cuisine. The Japanese is just sushi and bento-box offerings, stick to the Italian.
- Caffè Fiorio, Via Po 8 (100 m SE of Piazza Castello), ☏ +39 011 817 3225. M-Sa 08:00-00:00, Su 08:00-21:00. Swanky old-style cafe for desserts and ice cream, several reviewers felt the quality and service didn't live up to the decor.
- 11 Trattoria Ala, Via Santa Giulia 24, ☏ +39 011 817 4778. Tu-Sa 12:00-15:00, 19:00-00:00. Tuscan fare, so wild boars enter here at their peril.
- Spada Reale, Via Principe Amedeo 53 (north end of Piazza Vittorio Veneto), ☏ +39 011 817 3509. Tu-Su 12:00-14:30 & 19:00-23:00, M 19:00-23:00. Restaurant with Piedmontese, Tuscan and Sicilian offerings.
- 12 Trattoria Imbianchini & Decoratori, Via Lanfranchi 28, ☏ +39 011 819 0672. Daily 12:30-14:30, 19:30-21:30. Piemontese and other north Italian cuisine.
- 13 La Livella, Corso Belgio 50 (Vanchiglia east of centre), ☏ +39 011 860 0173. Su M W-F 12:00-14:30, 19:00-23:00; Sa 19:00-23:00. Stylish restaurant with moderate prices.
- 14 Trattoria San Domenico, Strada della Pronda 15, ☏ +39 011 701 674. Tu-Sa 12:00-15:00, 19:00-23:00. Traditional Italian food, with Sardinian specialities.
- 15 Pizzeria Due Torri, Corso Peschiera 309, ☏ +39 011 722486. W-Su 12:00-14:30, 19:00-01:00; Tu 19:00-01:00. Good pizza and pasta dishes. Friendly efficient staff.
- Eataly on Via Nizza by Lingotto metro station: see "Buy".
- Antica Bruschetteria Pautasso, Piazza Emanuele Filiberto 4 (by Tre Gallini), ☏ +39 011 436 6706. Tu-F 19:30-22:30; Sa Su 12:00-14:30, 19:30-22:30. Specialises in local Piedmont dishes, including bagna cauda.
- 16 Osteria del Frate, Via Boucheron 11 (Metro: XVIII Dicembre), ☏ +39 011 1917 6965. M-Sa 19:15-00:00; Su 12:00-14:30, 19:15-00:00. Good food in Piedmontese style, friendly staff.
- 17 Mezzaluna, Piazza Emanuele Filiberto 8/d, ☏ +39 011 436 7622, [email protected]. Tu 09:00-17:00, W-Sa 09:00-23:00. Friendly staff serving vegan versions of Italian and other dishes. Antipasti for €7, primi and secondi for €12.
- Porto di Savona, Piazza Vittorio Veneto 2 (by Fundazione Accorsi-Ometto), ☏ +39 011 817 3500. Daily 12:15-14:30, 19:15-22:30. High quality Piedmont cuisine.
Splurge
[edit]- Ristorante Del Cambio, Piazza Carignano 2 (next to Teatro Carignano), ☏ +39 011 546690. Tu-Th 19:30-22:30; F Sa 12:30-14:30, 19:30-22:30; Su 12:30-14:30. A posh restaurant serving Piemontese delicacies, occasional flops but mostly great reviews. They even offer a tasting menu for vegetarians. You want to be in the palatial main dining salon not in Farmacia cafe or Cavour bar.
- 18 Mare Nostrum, Via Matteo Pescatore 16, ☏ +39 011 839 4543. M-Sa 20:00-22:30. Excellent southern Italian and Sicilian seafood fish dishes. The starter is a must, just one entry on the menu, but you receive six small dishes of the day.
- 19 Piano35, Grattacielo Intesa Sanpaolo, Corso Inghilterra 3, ☏ +39 011 438 7800. W-Su 12:30-14:30, 19:30-23:00. This teeters atop a skyscraper designed by Renzo Piano, occupied by Intesa Sanpaolo Bank. High scores for food and service, and you're paying for the rooftop view.
Drink
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The main concentration of bars is along the river near Ponte Vittorio Emanuele, while the historic centre has many charming old-world cafés.
The late night spots are around Piazza Vittorio Veneto, Murazzi, Lungo Dora Firenze at the corner of Via Reggio, Largo Saluzzo in San Salvario and Piazza Santa Giulia.
- 1 Caffe al Bicerin, Piazza della Consolata 5, ☏ +39 011 436 9325. Th-Tu 09:00-19:30. Home of the classic Torinese drink, the Bicerin, a mix of coffee, hot chocolate and cream. But pricey and long queues.
- 2 Birrificio Torino, Via Parma 30, ☏ +39 011 287 6562. M-F 12:00-15:00, 18:00-01:00; Sa Su 18:00-01:00. Brewpub restaurant with six beers brewed on premises. Good menu with recommended matched beers. More restaurant than pub, it can be very busy.
- 3 Caffe Rossini, Corso Regina Margherita 80, ☏ +39 011 521 4105. M-Th 16:00-02:00, F Sa 16:00-04:00. Calls itself a restaurant, but it's really a café and late-night pub with music and a young crowd.
- 4 Lab Vittorio, Piazza Vittorio Veneto 13/E, ☏ +39 347 187 2102. Su Tu-Th 17:00-01:00, F Sa 17:00-03:00. Small lively bar with good cocktails and tapas. They have another bar at Via Mazzini 5.
- Distilleries in the city mostly make vermouth and grappa. They include TUVÈ, Aquaglia, Arudi, Cornelio and Ducale.
Sleep
[edit]Budget
[edit]- 1 Casa Romar, Corso Chieti 5 (Vanchiglia district 2 km east of centre), ☏ +39 349 180 4814. Simple pensione, rooms are en suite but on upper floors with no lift. Good transport to city centre and free parking. B&B double €70.
- Hotel Nizza, Via Nizza 9 (east flank of Porta Nuova station), ☏ +39 011 669 0516. Basic but decent-value hotel next to the station. All rooms en suite with air-con. Pets are welcome. B&B double €110.
- 2 Hotel Bologna, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 60 (100 m west of Porta Nuova station), ☏ +39 011 562 0193, [email protected]. Central location, good value and friendly staff. No breakfast facilities. Double (room only) €90.
Mid-range
[edit]- Hotel Due Mondi, Via Saluzzo 3 (east side of Porta Nuova station), ☏ +39 011 650 5084. A bit shabby, but good location and fair value for money. B&B double €130.
- 3 Holiday Inn Turin - Corso Francia, Piazza Massaua 21 (Metro Massaua), ☏ +39 011 740187. Boxy, modern well-furnished hotel. Underground parking. B&B double €100.
- 4 Hotel Artua'&Solferino, Via Angelo Brofferio 3, ☏ +39 348 825 0929. Creaky but central pensione by Re Umberto parking lot. B&B double €95.
- 5 Le Petit Hotel, Via San Francesco d'Assisi 21, ☏ +39 011 561 2626. Clean mid-price hotel near Piazza Solferino. No aircon. B&B double €110.
- 6 Hotel Diplomatic, Via Cernaia 42, ☏ +39 011 561 2444. Tired old hotel but convenient for Porta Susa station. B&B double €110.
- 7 Boston Art Hotel, Via Andrea Massena 70 (Tram to Sommelier or Re Umberto), ☏ +39 011 036 1400. Mid-price hotel just south of historical centre, rooms are plain, tired and worn. B&B double €90.
Splurge
[edit]
- 8 NH Lingotto Congress, Via Nizza 262 (Metro Lingotto), ☏ +39 011 664 2000. Business hotel in a former Fiat Lingotto factory. Large high-ceilinged rooms, with a rooftop race-track. B&B double €110.
- 9 Hotel Victoria, Via Nino Costa 4 (Tram to Giolitti), ☏ +39 011 561 1909. Charming central hotel with spa and oriental theme. B&B double €170.
- 10 NH Santo Stefano, Via Porta Palatina 19, ☏ +39 011 522 3311. Great location opposite Palazzo Reale in historic centre, this hotel gets good reviews for rooms and service. Also has a beautiful spa. B&B double €130.
- 11 Grand Hotel Sitea, Via Carlo Alberto 35, ☏ +39 011 517 0171. Rooms well appointed, and well serviced. Good restaurant, helpful staff. Short walk to Piazza San Carlo. B&B double €140.
- AC Hotel Torino, Via Bisalta 11 (Metro Spezia, next to Eataly), ☏ +39 011 639 5091. 4-star, part of Marriott chain. Good-sized, well-furnished rooms, good breakfast buffet. Parking on premises. B&B double €120.
- 12 Principi di Piemonte, Via Piero Gobetti 15 (200 m north of Porta Nuova station), ☏ +39 011 55151. Elegant 5-star hotel in the centre of the historical district, gets great reviews for comfort, dining and service. B&B double €250.
Connect
[edit]Turin has 5G from all Italian carriers.
Stay safe
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Turin is generally safe. But the top end of Via Nizza, flanking Porta Nuova railway station, can be seedy or even dangerous in the small hours. The nearby San Salvario area (Via Nizza to Parco del Valentino) is lively, going on raucous, but attracts drug peddlers and similar low-life. The areas between Porta Palazzo and the Dora River can be dangerous at night.
As in other European cities, beware pickpockets in any busy place, especially if you have luggage or backpacks.
Don't wear a football shirt or other club colours, unless you've come mob-handed with thousands of fellow supporters. Any Italian or major European club colours will be a red rag to the young bulls of either Juventus (black and white) or Torino (brownish red) or both. In particular, avoid wearing the jersey of Milanese club Internazionale, as they have a very heated rivalry with local club Juventus, and violent confrontations have been known to occur between the supporters of both clubs.
Cope
[edit]Consulates
[edit]Always contact your main embassy first - something serious like a stolen passport will be handled there not in Turin.
Romania, Via Ancona 7, ☏ +39 011 249 5775, [email protected]. M-F 09:00-16:00.
Go next
[edit]- Racconigi Castle is another Savoy bling palace, 40 km south towards Saviglione.
- Savigliano has the picturesque Piazza Santarosa and a railway museum.
- The Alps: in summer take a trip to Gran Paradiso National Park, or Orsiera Rocciavrè Park, or Val Varaita Park. In winter there's a range of ski resorts, Courmayeur is the biggest.
- Aosta is a large town near the head of Val d'Aosta, as the road climbs towards the Mont Blanc tunnel.
- Sacra di San Michele is an ancient abbey perched on a rock in the Susa Valley 40 km west of Turin.
- Ivrea is industrial but with many Roman and other remains. This is the town where in February they hurl tomatoes at each other.