The 12 things to do in Turin

Are you going to visit Turin? Do you want to know everything about the capital? Discover the 12 essential things to do in Turin!

Turin is the capital of the Piedmont region and was the capital of the Savoy States, but also the first capital of Italy. If the city is renowned for its industrial success, the French do not know it for its tourist side. On the contrary, Turin has a negative image. Yet, visiting Turin is worth a visit! Indeed, the city has a unique cultural and architectural richness, mixing savoyard, French and Italian styles.

Wanderlix guides you to discover the 12 essential things to do in Turin!

1. La Mole Antonelliana

This is the place all tourists want to make in Turin. The Mole Antonelliana, with its 167 meters high, is the highest monument in the city and one of the highest masonry monuments in Europe. At the top of the tower, a balcony offers a magnificent view of the city of Turin.

The building was initially planned to accommodate a synagogue. However, the project eventually fell to water. In 1877, the city of Turin bought the place and decided to house the Risorgimento Museum. But the museum will relocate to the Carignan Museum in 1938. In 1990, after undergoing renovations, Mole became the new home of the National Film Museum. The museum retraces, through a journey, several times of Italian and international cinema. In addition, part of the museum is dedicated to the reception of temporary exhibitions.

If you don’t want to do both visits, it is quite possible to do only one of the two activities.

2. The Palazzo Reale

Located on the Piazza Castello , Palazzo Reale is one of the beautiful places to do in Turin. The palace was the main residence of the royal family of Savoy, as soon as Turin became the capital of the states of Savoy in 1563 (in place of Chambéry). His history and architectural beauty allowed him to be registered with UNESCO World Heritage in 1997.

If you can discover the most important rooms throughout the year, other rooms only open for one specific period . Think about the information, so you can enjoy the exceptional opening of certain rooms.

Another compulsory passage: gardens. Located behind the building, royal gardens are actually composed of several gardens. Among them, the sumptuous Garden of the Arts, magnified by the fountain of the Néréides and Tritons, herself imagined by André Le Nôtre.

Good plan : every first Sunday of the month, the entrance for national museums (which is part of the Palazzo Reale) is free of charge.

3. The historic centre

There is not only the Palazzo Reale that is worth the detour. Indeed, the whole historical district is to be discovered. Visit the centro storico is a beautiful first step when you want to visit Turin. The area includes Mole and Palazzo Reale. But that’s not all. Already, nothing but on the Piazza Castello , you can admire the Palazzo Madama, composed of a medieval part and another baroque part.

Then head Via Po’ to head towards the Piazza Vittorio Veneto , giant place where one can drink caffè , one bicerin or lunch. The neighborhood is also ideal for making the aperitivo cena (literally the aperitif-meal), typically turinese. Finally, if you want to go shopping, go via Roma, the shopping street of the city.

Other monuments are to be visited in the historic centre. But patience, we will discover them in depth a little lower!

4. The Parco del Valentino and the Borgo Medievale

If you come to visit Turin, here is the peaceful haven of the city. The Parco del Valentino is the most famous park in the city. Extended in length over 50 hectares, the park runs along the Pô that can be seen on a bench, in love. A true place of life, many tourists and locals come to relax on the lawns or near a pond. Others also go there to run or to admire the Twelve Month Fountain.

However, we recommend walking to visit the Borgo Medievale . Located in the park, this town is a historical reconstruction inspired by different pedestrian and valdotan castles. It includes, inter alia, La Rocca a typical fortification of medieval Italy.

Finally, the park also houses the Castello del Valentino another royal residence of Savoie's family. Its architecture will remind you of some French castles. What is not surprising because we owe the current style of the palace to Marie-Christine de France . The palace now belongs to the Polytechnic University of Turin which has installed its architecture unit there.

5. The Church of Santa Maria del Monte dei Cappuccini

Let’s take a little height and let’s head to the other side of the Po to discover the Monte dei Capuccini. Monte dei Capuccini is a hill overlooking Turin and the Po. If a whole neighbourhood was built on the hill, it nevertheless owes its reputation to a monument in particular: the Church of Santa Maria and its convent.

Consisted in 1656, this building at the end of the Renaissance is a monastery, used by the Confrerie des Capucins (France). frati Cappuccini in Italian). The geographical position of the place of worship thus made it a true natural strategic point. A legend tells us that during the French headquarters on the city, the latter would have local resistance. However, when entering the church, a fire from the tabernacle would have terrashed the army.

By visiting the place, you will also have a great view of the capital of Pedmont.

6. The Automobile Museum

If you don’t know yet, Turin is also the capital of the automobile! Indeed, here is the historic seat of the famous manufacturer FIAT. The history of FIAT is intimately linked to that of the city, as you can discover during your visit. However, the museum is not limited to the history of FIAT but to the world history of the automobile, offering a modern, varied and intuitive chronological journey.

Finally, the museum is not to be missed for all tifosi Scuderia Ferrari, since all Ferrari's F1 singles are exposed to it.

7. Piazza San Carlo

Let's go back to the historic centre to discover a unique place like Piazza San Carlo. It is one of the most important places in the city on which is erected an equestrian statue of the Duke of Savoie Emmanuel-Philibert .

But what truly stands out for this place of others is the fact that it welcomes the “Jumelles churches”. Indeed, on this square are the churches of Santa Cristina and San Carlo, whose architecture is almost identical. Another detail will attract your curiosity as on the buildings around the square, are still housed with cannonballs that were fired by the French army. Another small detail, on the building that angles with via Alfieri, you can observe a small square representing the Supper. And if you take the via Alfieri, you can observe what the Turinese call "The Devil Gate".

Finally, for football fans who would like to visit Turin, that Piazza San Carlo is the place where the tifosi of the Juventus come to celebrate the evenings of great victory.

8. Superga

No way to visit Turin without going there! Superga is a hill located east of Turin, which peaks at 670 meters high. If the place is not located in the city of Turin, it still remains one of the emblems of the city. The hill offers a magnificent view of Turin and the Alps. In bright weather, you can even see Mont Blanc. At the top of the hill you will fall on the Basilica of Superga, a splendid Rosco building designed by Sicilian architect Filippo Juvara.

Superga is also known for a drama, since in 1949 a special flight by Avio-Linee Italiane crashed on the hill. The plane had been chartered by the Torino football team, which was back from a friendly match played in Lisbon. At that time, the Torino was one of the best teams in the world and made the pride of the Turinians. In the accident, 31 people died, almost all of whom were members of the club. Since this tragedy, the supporters have met every 4th of May at the memorial (located next to the basilica) to pay tribute to the so-called "Great Torino".

9. The Royal Palace of Venaria

The Royal Palace of Venaria Reggia di Venaria in Italian) is a former residence of the family of Savoie located in Venaria Reale, north of Turin, and registered with the UNESCO World Heritage. The palace is one of the largest in the world. He was built upon the request of Duke Charles-Emmanuel II, wishing to have a ground for his hunting parts. The palace has a unique façade, since in the 17th century a brick building was added to the main façade, covered in plaster.

Behind the palace are gardens, which are not the original gardens. The latter were destroyed by the Napoleonic army. However, beautiful modern gardens have recently taken place.

Finally, finish your visit to Venaria by heading to the chapel of Saint-Hubert, completed in 1729 and with a sublime altarpiece designed by Giovanni Baratta.

10. The Egyptian Museum

The Museo Egizio is the most important museum in Turin. As its name suggests, the museum is dedicated to Egyptian antiques and has one of the world’s largest Egyptian collections. Every year millions of tourists come to visit Turin especially for the museum. For example, you can discover an authentic reproduction of the temple of Ellesiya.

11. The Duomo

The Dôme de Turin is a must for all Renaissance enthusiasts, coming to visit Turin. The Cathedral of Saint-Jean-Baptiste-de-Turin, also known as Dôme, is the main church of Turin. Built at the end of the 15th century, the cathedral is one of the few Turin monuments of the Renaissance still on foot.

If the Cathedral is covered with white marble, the campanile is made of red bricks. The monument is also composed of a rotunda in which the Saint-Suaire ( he Sindone ).

12. The Palatine Gate

The Palatina Gate is a vestige dating back to part of the Roman era and to another of the Middle Ages. The door was one of the four main gates of a Roman city named Augusta Taurinorum. In 2006, while the city will host the Winter Olympic Games, the municipality decided to create the Archaeological Park, an area comprising the building and the remains of the Antique Theatre. The purpose of the construction of this area was to facilitate the visit of these remains.

How to go to Turin?

There are several ways to get to Turin:

• By train, thanks to the line TGV Paris-Milan. The line also serves Chambéry to connect with other lines, or from Nice by connecting to Vintimille.
• By plane, live online from Paris Charles de Gaulle. To find the best flight ticket, use a flight comparison like Ulysses.
• By bus, either thanks to the Flixbus Paris-Rome or Barcelona-Venise lines, which allow connections in the cities of Lyon, Montpellier, Grenoble, Nîmes or Châlon-sur-Saône. Or thanks to BlaBlaBus Paris-Turin, which allows a connection to Lyon or Chambéry and Paris-Milan.

Where to stay in Turin?

Turin is full of hotels and accommodation Airbnb . However, it is advisable to book as soon as possible because the availability drops fast enough. Do not hesitate to rely on a Compare hotels to find the best offer.

To visit Turin, several neighbourhoods are possible. The most convenient neighbourhoods are the Quadrilatero and San Salvario, both located in the historic centre. For a better value for money, the neighborhoods of San Donato and Nizza-Millefonti will be preferred.