explore torino

Landmarks

Mole Antonelliana. This is Torino’s landmark building. It was a synagogue but now contains one of the best museums of cinema in Europe. You can take the lift to the top for approx €7, which is worth doing on a clear day.

Cathedral of Superga. On the top of the hill on the edge of Turin, the building is interesting to visit but also to see the view over the whole of the city of Torino with the magnificent Alps in the background. To make the trip even more interesting you can take the funicular up the hill to the cathedral, take a look this Wiki page with information about the funicular and links to the timetable etc.

Palazzo Madama, Piazza Castello. The palace was recently refurbished, it is a large and very beautiful building with an excellent art collection and interesting exhibitions that change frequently. Palazzo website.

Tour Suggestions

Here are some awesome tour proposals from our official Tour Operator Promotur See all the proposals

 

 

Museums

The National Cinema Museum is an excellent collection which immerses you in the world of cinema with charm and style. It covers 3,200 square meters and spans five floors, which is a lot but the exhibits are arranged so well that you can absorb it all in a very relaxed way. There are lots of original costumes and outfits, posters, and the brilliant Great Temple where you can recline in soft red chairs and watch classic Italian films. What’s not to love? Cinema Museum website.

Torino’s Car Musuem ( Museo dell’Automobile) houses over 170 vehicles, from 18th-century carriages to Formula 1 racers. The quality of the cars that you see is incredible. Located on the edge of Parco Valentino you can also have a nice walk along the river before/ after your visit. Car Museum website.

Outside of Egypt, Torino’s Egyptian Museum has the largest collection of Egyptian artifacts. Which is quite impressive. A huge renovation was recently completed meaning the actual building is worth a visit alone. The collection walks you through the history and civilisation of Egypt with lots of different objets d’art. Egyptian Museum website.

Galleries

The Modern & Contemporary Art Gallery, GAM, has over 40,000 works including paintings, sculptures, photographs, decorative arts, works on paper, films and videos. (That’s a lot). The exhibitions change frequently and the gallery itself is a beautiful space. Gallery website.

Armeria Reale, Torino’s Royal Armoury contains one of the best exhibits of arms in Europe, dating back to the 16th century.  Armoury website.

Parks & Piazzas

Parco Valentino is the biggest park in the centre of Torino. This park is situated along the Po river and alongside open spaces there’s also a childrens playground, outdoor gym, duck pond, the Valentino Castle and the Medieval Village (Borgo Medievale). Throughout the park you can find little bars to take a coffee or snack.

Piazza Vittorio (full name

Fun things to do

>>>Via Garibaldi is a pedestrian-only shopping zone between Piazza Castello and Piazza Statuto. If you like shopping or the buzz of shoppers then this is the place for you. In winter months you can pick up a packet of freshly roasted chestnuts. In summer enjoy an ice cream.

>>>Porta Palazzo market is one of the biggest, cheapest and most diverse markets in Europe. While there are many markets throughout Torino this is the most extensive and generally makes an impression with the intensity of people, aromas, noise and overall confusion!

>>>The Torino planetarium is an unusual place to visit and explore astronomical themes. Why not?! Website.

>>> Football! Torino has two football teams: Torino proper and Juventus. There is much rivalry between them, and between them and other European clubs. You can find a list of upcoming games and available tickets here.

Great places to eat, and drink

You’re in Italy, you’re surrounded by fantastic restaurants, pizzerias, bars, cafes and takeaways (ok, the takeaways are like everywhere else in the world). In Torino new restaurants open (and close!) frequently so it’s best to check the latest on TripAdvisor, GoogleMaps or your preferred guide when you travel. A couple of specific things to look out for:

• Aperitivo – you know that bit just before dinnertime when you’d quite like a drink, the Torinese have a name for it, ‘aperitivo’. So in Torino you can go out for aperitivo from around 17:00 and the bars will be lively (and stay that way ’til 2am!) Aperitivo is generally accompanied by a buffet of tasty snacks ( grissini, cold meats, cheese, salads, sliced fruits and more), typically your first drink will cost a little bit more and then you can help yourself to the buffet.
• Enoteca – wine shops that also have a bar and serve food, enotecas have popped up all over Torino in recent years. They are great because the wine is top quality, they are generally super stylish, relaxed, cool, and the food is excellent.
  
• Aperol spritz – thanks to the brilliant work of the Campari Group marketing team, Aperol is now consumed all over Europe and an Aperol spritz is the du jour cocktail to begin your night with. But Italy is the right place to drink an Aperol spritz and nowhere better than one of the Torino piazzas with a little plate of aperitivo on the side.
• Torinese dishes – Italian cooking is very regional. Torino is the capital of the Piemonte region an area influenced by the Alps in the north and France to the west. Here are some of the specific local dishes that you might like to look out for:

• Bagna Cauda – rich and aromatic, bagna cauda (which means “hot bath”) is an olive oil, garlic and anchovy based fondu or dip which is normally served with raw vegetables for dipping.
• C arne Cruda – literally raw meat. In Piemonte the quality of meat is such that eating it raw is not strange. Carne cruda can be served thinly sliced, like a beef carpaccio, or as a mince, usually with a raw egg, lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil on the side to mix in.
• Tajarin – a pasta best compared with tagliatelle but cut into thinner ribbons. Tajarin is made with lots of eggs so has a yellow colour and a rich taste. It is consequently served very simply, either with just butter and sage, a simple ragu or, when in season, a little grating of fresh truffle.
• Agnolotti del Plin – this is like a very small ravioli, traditionally stuffed with veal but today stuffed with any style of meat or vegetable.
• Brasato al Barolo / Barbaresco – veal marinated overnight in Nebbiolo (a local grape) then braised until tender in herbs and vegetables and served with wine of the region.
• Torta di Nocciola – Piemonte is home to an abundance of hazelnuts and this cake is made of the roasted nuts. Delicious with coffee.
• Bonet – meaning “hat” in old Piemontese language, this caramel custard pudding is made with chocolate and amaretto.

Buon appetito!