Turin
Visiting this city will delight and enthral you. Turin has some of the best museums and architecture of Italy, so if you can, do not miss out. Turin’s historical architecture is predominantly Baroque and was developed under the Kingdom of Savoy. It has many districts with a unique personality, among which is Cit Turin, the smallest one of the city, with fantastic examples of Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Neo-Gothic style (check out Casa della Vittoria and Casa Fenoglio-Lafleur).
Turin is also considered one of the most esoteric cities in the world, joining London and San Francisco to create the triangle of Black Magic, but also Lyon and Prague in the triangle of White Magic.
Photo by Italy for Everyone
How to get to Turin
There are two airports near Turin City: Turin Caselle Airport and Cuneo Levaldigi Airport. You might be tempted by the first one, being the closest to the city, but it might be better to actually choose an airport in Milan, either the Malpensa or the Linate one. This is because they are both incredibly well connected to the centre of Turin, and the trip will be cheaper than flying to the city’s airport.
They also have flights coming and going from a great number of national and international cities day and night, something the small airport in Turin has not. Public transportation is very good in Turin, so if you have a car, you can either leave it at the airport or at your hotel and enjoy the city without having to worry about traffic or parking.
Check out the websites of Milano Malpensa and Milano Linate airports for more information:
https://www.milanolinate-airport.com/en/
https://www.milanomalpensa-airport.com/en/
If you want or need to check it, here is Turin’s airport website:
https://www.aeroportoditorino.it/en
Things to do in Turin
Egyptian Museum
It is considered the second most important Egyptology collection after the Egyptian Museum of Cairo, with over 30,000 artefacts, among which is an incredible papyrus collection documenting over 3,000 years of written material culture in seven scripts and eight languages.
The important Book of the Dead of Kha is stunning in its neat, cursive hieroglyphs and accompanying coloured vignettes. The Bembine Tablet, or the Mensa Isiaca (Isiac Tablet), is an elaborate bronze tablet with enamel and silver inlay of Roman origin, imitating the ancient Egyptian style. Remember to check the Restoration Area on the first floor: this is where the restorations on the animal mummies of the museum happen, and it is open to visitors.
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Gianni Careddu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Useful information
| View location on Google Maps | |
Official site  |
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| From Tuesday to Sunday: 9.00 am – 6.30 pm (last admission: 5.30 pm) Monday: 9.00 am – 2.00 pm (last admission: 1.00 pm) |
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| No closing day | |
| Standard ticket: € 15 | |
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The National Museum of Cinema and the Mole Antonelliana
The National Museum of Cinema is located inside the beautiful, tall Mole Antonelliana tower, the building that has come to symbolize Turin. The exhibition path is on five levels, with a brilliant collection of film posters, stocks, a library, pre-cinematographic optical devices (magic lanterns!), earlier and current film technologies, stage items from early Italian movies and other memorabilia (check out Charles Chaplin’s bowler and Christopher Reeve’s Superman cape). There are also areas dedicated to certain kinds of film crew, and a series of chapels representing several film genres in the temple hall of the Mole.
Use the panoramic elevator with glass walls to enjoy a lovely view.
Photo by Italy for Everyone
Useful information
| View location on Google Maps | |
| Official site |
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| 9.00 am – 7.00 pm (last admission: 6.00 pm) | |
| Tuesday | |
| Museum and Panoramic lift ticket: € 15 Museum: € 11 |
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The Chapel of the Holy Shroud
It is a Baroque-style Roman Catholic chapel, located outside the Turin Cathedral and connected to the Royal Palace of Turin. It was built in order to house the Shroud of Turin, a religious relic believed by many to be the burial shroud of Jesus of Nazareth.
The Shroud is inside a silver and crystal shrine, at the great central altar, while the walls display funerary monuments of some Savoy family members. Its architect Guarini played with the number three in the design of the Chapel, a number obviously referring to the Trinity, but also to the number of days of the Passion.
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Paris Orlando, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Useful information
| View location on Google Maps | |
| Official site |
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| 9.00 am – 6.30 pm (last admission: 5.30 pm) | |
| Monday | |
| Royal Museums (Musei Reali) standard ticket: € 15. It includes the entrance to: Dynastic flat on the first floor of the Royal Palace with Armoury and Shroud Chapel, Savoy Gallery and Museum of Antiquities. | |
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Valentino Park and the Medieval village
It is a popular big public park located along the west bank of the Po river, and has many beautiful features: the Botanical Gardens, the Baroque Castle (Castello del Valentino), the Medieval Stronghold and Village, the Torino Esposizioni and Underground Pavilion Complex, the Villa Glicini and more.
The Medieval Village and the fortified Stronghold has crenelated walls, a drawbridge, fortified houses, narrow streets and dynamic artisan shops, which replicate a 15th century village, and it was built for the 1884 Turin International Exhibition. It was mostly designed by visionary Alfredo d’Andrade, with Piedmontese writer and playwright Giuseppe Giacosa’s great help as well.
IMPORTANT: The Medieval Stronghold (Rocca) will not be accessible for the rest of 2021, until the end of 2022, because of restoration works.
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Gianni Careddu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Useful information
| View location on Google Maps | |
Official site  |
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| Always accessible | |
| No closing day | |
| Free entrance | |
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Royal Museums
The new Royal Museums Complex of Turin (Polo Reale) combines some of the most important museums of the city in one, unique project. Among them are: the Royal Palace, magnificent example of the architecture of the 17th century, residence of the kings of Sardinia and then of Vittorio Emanuele II of Savoy; the Royal Armory, one of the richest collections in the world of firearms, white weapons, precious mediaeval pieces, Napoleonic relics and Savoy armour; the Royal Library, which boasts the presence of thirteen autographed leaves of Leonardo da Vinci, including his famous self-portrait; and more.
CarloAlberto1837, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Useful information
| View location on Google Maps | |
| Official site |
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| 9.00 am – 7.00 pm (last admission: 6.00 pm) | |
| Monday | |
| Royal Museums (Musei Reali) standard ticket: € 15. It includes the entrance to: Dynastic flat on the first floor of the Royal Palace with Armoury and Shroud Chapel, Savoy Gallery and Museum of Antiquities. | |
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The Church of the Virgin of the Consolation
This sanctuary was erected back in the 10th century and originally dedicated to St. Andrew. The bell tower and the underground chapel of Madonna delle Grazie date back to the Middle Ages, while the Neoclassical façade is from 1860. Guarino Guarini, Filippo Juvarra and Carlo Ceppi were responsible for other important additions, like the radical extensions (designed by Guarini) and the oval presbytery (by Juvarra).
Juvarra also designed the interior, in order to enhance the splendid high altar. On it, you will see two adoring angels in white marble by Carlo Antonio Tantardini and the painting of the miraculous Virgin Mary.
Franco56, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Useful information
| View location on Google Maps | |
| Official site |
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| 8.00 am – 7.30 pm | |
| No closing day | |
| Free entrance | |
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St. Charles Square
This Piazza, known as “Turin’s parlour”, is one of the main squares of the city. Laid out in the 16th and 17th centuries, the Baroque-style Piazza is surrounded by interesting architecture, a few examples of which are Palazzo Solaro del Borgo, Palazzo Guido Villa, and the “twin” churches of Santa Cristina and of San Carlo. The 1838 Equestrian monument of Emmanuel Philibert is right in its centre.
The Piazza is a regular stage for various historical and social events (in the past as well, with numerous artists and politicians meeting there), including election rallies, concerts and live TV shows (the Eurovision Song Contest of 2022 is going to be held there!).
Photo by Italy for Everyone
Useful information
| View location on Google Maps | |
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Basilica di Superga
In the town of Superga (more or less an hour of public transportation away from Turin), you will find the lovely Basilica of Superga. The project of this splendid monument is by Juvarra, a favourite of the Savoy family that commissioned the structure after a vow made to the Madonna delle Grazie (and also as a family mausoleum).
This Baroque complex boasts gorgeous sculptures and monuments in Carrara marble, numerous paintings and a fantastic dome (climb those 131 steps and enjoy a breath-taking view). You can also see the Sarcophagus of the King, the Crypt of the Infants and the Crypt of the Queens.
Agostino.S.70, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Useful information
| View location on Google Maps | |
| Official site |
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