Turin

Understand

"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 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).

Getting there

By plane 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, 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. (updated Jan 2024) 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 2025) €8.00 single or €11 return (valid for 7 days). 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. Tickets can be purchased online, at the airport's ticket office, or directly from the driver (with a small surcharge; bank cards may be used). The airport has its own railway station, Caselle Aeroporto, beneath the terminal building. This station is

Getting around

Public transport 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 destina

See

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 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 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. (updated Jan 2024) 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. (update

Do

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 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. (updated Jan 2024) 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. (updated Jan 2024) 3 Teatro Colosseo, Via Madama Cristina 71, ☏ +39 011 669 8034. A modern concert hall seating 1500. (updated Jan 2024) 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 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 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. (updated Jan 2024) 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. (updated Jan 2024) 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 thre

Buy

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. (updated Jan 2024) 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 (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

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 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. (updated Jan 2024) 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. (updated Jan 2024) 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. (updated Jan 2024) 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. (updated Jan 2024) 4 La Stuzzicheria, Via Giuseppe Garibaldi 21a, ☏ +39 342 673 5217. Tu-Su 10:30-21:00. Good local good pizza and excellent farinata. (updated Jan 2024) 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. (updated Jan 2024) 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. (updated Jan 2024)

Mid-range

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. (updated Jan 2024) Caffè Mulassano, Piazza Castello 15, ☏ +39 348 170 1696. W-M 09:00-20:00. C

Drink & nightlife

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. (updated Jan 2024) 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. (updated Jan 2024) 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. (updated Jan 2024) 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. (updated Jan 2024) Distilleries in the city mostly make vermouth and grappa. They include TUVÈ, Aquaglia, Arudi, Cornelio and Ducale.

Sleep

Budget 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. (updated Jan 2024) 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. (updated Jan 2024) 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. (updated Jan 2024)

Mid-range 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. (updated Jan 2024) 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. (updated Jan 2024) 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. (updated Jan 2024) 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. (updated Jan 2024) 6 Hotel Diplomatic, Via Cernaia 42, ☏ +39 011 561 2444. Tired old hotel but convenient for Porta Susa station. B&B double €110. (updated Jan 2024) 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. (updated Jan 2024)

Splurge

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. (updated Jan 2024) 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. (updated Jan 2024) 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. (updated Jan 2024) 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. (update

Go next

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.