One Day in Turin

Description:

Turin is a great place to walk, planned by the Romans on a grid pattern, the centre of the city is easy to negotiate and you hardly need to use a map to find your way around. There are some 18 km of arcades and porticoes, built by the Royal House of Savoy in the 18th century for its family and courtiers, which are cool in summer and protect you from the rain, snow and wind in the winter.

Start your day at the Mole Antonelliana at opening time (9:00 closed Mondays). Go to the top if it is a clear day, otherwise skip the ride up and enjoy the Cinema Museum inside. Leaving the 'Mole' turn left down Via Montebello across Via Giuseppe Verdi to Via Po. Turn right and wander through the porticoes and past the many book sellers to Piazza Castello the heart of Turin. Admire the The Duke of Savoy, Carlo Emmanuele I, commissioned architect Ascanio Vitozzi to design this piazza at the end of the 16th century. At its centre is Palazzo Madama, surrounding it are the Palazzo Reale, the Armeria Reale, the Prefettura, the Teatro Regio, as well as porticoes, café's and shops. Take the chance to have a coffee or hot chocolate at one of Turin's oldest café's on the southern side of the square at either "Caffè Mulassano" (No. 15) or "Caffè Baratti & Milano" (No.29) and watch the Torinese chat and sip their beloved hot drinks.

After a short break enter the Galleria Subalpina (Baratti & Milano is at one end) and enjoy the classic shops and architecture of this unique building. Built in 1873 and visited by Mark Twain in 1878, this galleria connects Piazza Castello with Piazza Carlo Alberto where at the centre stands a monument to Carlo Alberto. Turning left out of the galleria, go around the corner to Number 6, Via Carlo Alberto. There is a plaque on the wall of the house commemorating the stay of the 19th century German philosopher Freidrich Nietzsche who rented a room on the fourth floor.

Returning to Piazza Carlo Alberto, at the centre stands a monument to Carlo Alberto and the square is flanked by the Palazzo Carignano, housing the Museo Nazionale del Risorgimento Italiano (Museum of the Risorgiment) and the Biblioteca Nazionale Universitaria (the National University Library) this square leads to Via Roma, Turin's main shopping street, take either Via Cesare Battisti or Via Principe Amedeo. Turn left and stroll along Via Roma, this is Turin's most elegant street, lined with chic shops and some of the biggest names in Italian fashion. Please note that like many shops in Turin, some on Via Roma may close between 12:30 and 15:00, whilst some of the smaller ones do not open on Sundays or Monday mornings.

After a few minutes, Via Roma opens up into Piazza San Carlo, formerly named Piazza Reale where rice and wheat markets were held, today it is known as Turin's 'drawing room'. Home to the 'Caval 'd Brons', a bronze statue of Emanuele Filiberto in the centre and the churches of San Carlo and Santa Cristina on the south side. For lunch there are several options, including two more of Turin's classic café's, " Caffè Torino" (No. 204) and "Caffè San Carlo" (No. 156). After relaxing and eating, enjoy the Piazza, and don't forget to stand on the bull's most treasured possessions outside Caffè Torino, its meant to bring you luck!, before making your way slowly back towards the river and the "Murazzi".

Head out of Piazza San Carlo via the northern end, where you came in, take Via Maria Vittoria to the crossing with Via Accademia delle Scienze. Turn left and more or less immeadiately on your left is the Museo Egizio, the Egyptian Museum of Turin, second in the world after the Cairo Museum and dedicated solely to Egyptian art and culture. The museum is open at 08:30 in winter and 09:30 in summer and closes at 19:30 in winter and 20:30 in summer. It is also closed on

Mondays. Continue along Via Accademia delle Scienze, across Piazza Carignano, to Piazza Castello. Turn right and follow the square around to Via Po, walking down the other side of the street that you came up this morning! At number 8, stop for an ice cream at possibly Turin's most famous gelataria, "Caffè Fiorio", established in 1780.

Afterwards continue down Via Po to the 360 metres long and 111 metres wide Piazza Vittorio Veneto, one of Turin's largest squares. You will see the Ponte Vittorio Emanuele (bridge) and across the river the churches of Gran Madre di Dio and Santa Maria del Monte in the distance. Meander around the Piazza and have dinner at any one of the nice nearby restaurants. For meat, meat, meat and no pasta, try "Macelleria" (Via Bava, 2) or for typically Italian try "Ristorante A Tavola" (Via Eusebio Bava, 1b). There is normally quite a bit of activity around this area by the bridge, where you get a good view along the river and of the hills opposite. End your day down by the river at the "Murazzi" (Via Murazzi del Po) where once boatsheds, have morphed into an informal mix of bars, pubs and live music. Try "Alcatraz", or "Pier". On summer nights the bands perform live music here until very, very late.

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