Turin has a long history, a character that doesn’t date and a great variety of places to explore. If you’re planning a visit to the “city of the Mole Antonelliana”, make sure these ten places are on your list.
1. Mole Antonelliana: the symbol, and the view
Start with the Mole Antonelliana, the symbol of Turin. It houses the Museo Nazionale del Cinema, the national cinema museum, and besides its history it gives you a view over the whole city and the Alps behind it.
2. Piazza Castello: the heart of the city
Surrounded by historic buildings and monuments of real cultural importance, the square is full of history. In the middle stands Palazzo Madama, a royal residence whose architecture changed several times over the centuries. Next to it is Palazzo Reale, the Royal Palace, another major historic building, which was the residence of the royal family.
3. Museo Egizio: a journey back in time
Turin’s Egyptian Museum is one of the most important in the world. With a large collection of ancient finds, mummies and artefacts among them, it takes you into the past of ancient Egypt.
4. Parco del Valentino: a break, and the landscape
For a break from the city, spend some time in the Parco del Valentino. Along the River Po, the park has wide lawns, romantic gardens and the Borgo Medievale, a faithful re-creation of a medieval village.
5. Quadrilatero Romano: food and atmosphere
The Quadrilatero Romano is the food heart of Turin. Walk its cobbled streets, find its old cafés and traditional restaurants, and taste the local specialities, Turin’s well-known chocolate among them.
6. Mercato di Porta Palazzo: the largest open-air market in Europe
Porta Palazzo is lively and unvarnished: its colours, voices and smells add up to a portrait of everyday Turin. You’ll find stalls of fresh fruit and vegetables, local cheeses, cured meats, fish, spices from far away and much more.
7. Galleria San Federico: the city’s vintage touch
The Galleria San Federico is a shopping arcade in the historic centre of Turin. It has elegant period architecture and a selection of good-quality shops and boutiques, where you’ll find everything from the latest fashion to art objects and unusual accessories.
8. Piazza Gran Madre di Dio and Piazza Vittorio Veneto: nature and history in one view
Piazza Gran Madre di Dio is one of the most striking squares in Turin. The church of the Gran Madre di Dio stands over it, and from here you look out over the River Po and towards the hill of Superga.
Piazza Vittorio Veneto is a vast pedestrian square surrounded by elegant buildings and arcades. There’s a lively nightlife around it, and plenty of choice if you’re looking for an evening out and local food.
9. The arcades of Via Roma: shopping and a lively street
Take a walk under the well-known arcades of Via Roma, one of the busiest streets in Turin. There are fashion shops and welcoming cafés, and the street is full of people from morning to evening.
10. Esoteric Turin: the city’s dark side
Turin’s esoteric side is bound up with its history, and it draws people who like to look for the hidden secrets of a city full of riddles and mystery. Among its esoteric sites is the “Triangolo Magico”, the magic triangle: an area of the historic centre that links three important esoteric places — the church of the Gran Madre di Dio, the Monte dei Cappuccini and Palazzo Carignano. The triangle is often linked to legends and esoteric theories.
After the tour
For where to eat — in Turin, half the reason for the trip — see the best restaurants and trattorias in Turin. If you’re coming in the week of the ATP Finals or during Artissima and Club to Club, the city is a different place, and it’s worth knowing beforehand.
The homes we look after in Turin, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, are on the Turin page.
Written by the editorial team of Maison Métropole.
