"It is the deepest, most enigmatic, most disturbing city, not in Italy but in the world" (Giorgio De Chirico). The Piedmontese capital presents itself as a city with a unique charm, where emperors passed, kingdoms were born, in which power has left indelible marks ... "Without Italy, Turin would be more or less the same thing. But without Turin, Italy would be very different "(Umberto Eco)... #tuttitaly
An attraction for lovers of history and art, Turin, the capital of industry and land of the Risorgimento, capital of the Piedmont region, is 14 km from Turin airport (TRN), the closest.
If you want to visit Turin calmly, I suggest you reach it by train and then go on foot or by public transport. Looking for parking and cruising through traffic could be stressful😉 You can also move from one attraction to another on foot.
What to see
You will immediately recognize the famous Piazza San Carlo, the "living room of the city," on which the two Twin Churches overlook, San Carlo Borromeo and the Church of Santa Cristina. The equestrian statue of Emanuele Filiberto is in the center of the square.
On the road to the Cathedral, we come across Palazzo Carignano, one of the most imposing palaces of the seventeenth century; today, the National Museum of the Italian Risorgimento seat.
The Cathedral, dedicated to San Giovanni Battista, the city's patron saint, is in Renaissance style with a white marble facade. On the wall opposite the main altar, we can admire a copy of Leonardo da Vinci's Ultima Cena, commissioned by King Carlo Felice in 1835.
In the 17th century, the Chapel of the Holy Shroud was added to the Cathedral, the work of Guarino Guarini, which preserves the Shroud in a glass and silver case.
Piazza Castello is surrounded on three of its four sides by the characteristic Turin arcades and overlooked by some of the city's most important attractions: Palazzo Reale, the first Savoy residence in Piedmont; Palazzo Madama and Casaforte degli Acaja; Teatro Regio, one of the most important theaters in Italy; Church of San Lorenzo, former home of the Holy Shroud.
The symbol of the city, the Mole Antonelliana, was designed by Alessandro Antonelli in 1863 and is now home to the National Cinema Museum.
Noteworthy: the Egyptian Museum, the oldest museum in the world and the most important after the one in Cairo; the Automobile Museum; the Modern Art Gallery, the Savoy Gallery.
A walk in Valentino Park will let you discover the enchanting medieval village: an open-air museum you enter via a drawbridge.
Outside the center of Turin, on top of a hill from which you can enjoy a beautiful panorama of the city, stands the Basilica of Superga, with the Royal Apartment, support residence of the Savoys, and the Royal Tombs of the Savoys.
If you wish to visit more museums and monuments, the Torino + Piemonte Card saves money on the city's main attractions. For more information: Turin + Piedmont Card.
Typical meal
Among the typical Piedmontese dishes: bagna cauda, a dish made with anchovies, garlic, and oil, presented on the table in the form of a sauce; the Bicerin, a delicious hot drink made with dark chocolate, coffee, and milk cream, born in 1763 in the Bicerin Coffee Shop.
