Turin (Italian: Torino, Piedmontese: Turin) is a city in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, with a population of about 844,000 in 2023, and another 1.5 million across its metropolitan area. For many visitors it's simply the place where their budget flight lands then they jump on the coach to the Val d'Aosta ski resorts. It is however an outstanding destination in its own right, with its old-world aristocratic ambiance, grand boulevards and palaces, arcade streets, and cultural and artistic heritage.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
"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.
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.
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.
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. 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.
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.
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.
Turin is generally safe. But the top end of Via Nizza, flanking Porta Nuova railway station, can be seedy or even dangerous in the small hours. The nearby San Salvario area (Via Nizza to Parco del Valentino) is lively, going on raucous, but attracts drug peddlers and similar low-life. The areas between Porta Palazzo and the Dora River can be dangerous at night. As in other European cities, beware pickpockets in any busy place, especially if you have luggage or backpacks. Don't wear a football shirt or other club colours, unless you've come mob-handed with thousands of fellow supporters.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Turin typically sees ~30°C daytime highs and 11 rainy days.
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