Turin is a fabulous city and of course has the Italian Alps right on its doorstep. The architecture is a mix of styles used over the centuries but its forte is the Baroque and Classical architecture of many of the city’s parks and public buildings built by Juarra and modelled on Versailles in France.
The city is big and a hire car is a useful way to get around - you shouldn’t miss Turin Cathedral where the Holy Shroud of Turin lives. More fascinating than the Shroud itself is the history of attempts to prove or disprove its authenticity.
Turin Mini Guide
Turin is the 4th largest city in
Italy and has an illustrious past which has resulted in elegant squares, world known museums and historic cafes.
Apart from its history Turin has been the pioneer of several innovations, including the first ever slow food supermarket and the Fiat motor car. To the east of the city you can see low lying hills which rise above the River Po and to the west are the mountains where the 2006 Winter Olympics were held.
Turin is not often visited by tourists but you can still get great prices on
car hire Turin airport. There are both manual and automatic vehicles which can be driven all around northern Italy.
Turin is relatively inexpensive and is easy to get around and does not tend to get overcrowded making it a great place to experience the Italian way of life. The boulevards and squares (Piazzas) are lined with world class museums and the central square, the grand piazza which was set in the 14th century is home to plenty of theatres, cafes and museums. Turin is famous for its contemporary art that developed in the 1960's.
The cuisine in Turin has been influenced by France and specialities include risotto with butter and cheese, sweetbreads, mushrooms and chicken livers in a creamy sauce known as finanziera and of course panna cotta.
There is a host of multicultural places to eat including plenty of traditional pizzerias and pubs. Shopping is a delight in Turin and the Via Roma is where you will find the most expensive fashion and designer boutiques and then along the Via Garibaldi are the more affordable shops.
Snow laden slopes attract skiers to the prestigious Milky Way ski area which has 400 kilometres of pistes and 5 linked resorts and provide conditions for skiers of all abilities.
The main Italy to France motorway makes Turin easily accessible by car and also you can hire cars at the airport or take a taxi or bus which tend to run about every 40 minutes.
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