Explore with Amie

In 2022, Alex very kindly and generously booked us a trip to Italy for my 21st birthday. We managed to see three Italian cities in 3 days and one of those was Turin. I’m going to publish a post soon detailing how we managed to see so much in just three days. However, today I’m focussing on just the one. So many people travel to Italy to Rome, Florence, Venice but, I think Turin is a very underrated city to visit. You don’t need too long in the city but there is lots of to see and enjoy.

Transport from the Airport

Torino Airport or Turin-Caselle airport is 16km northwest of the city however, it is very easy to get public transport into the city centre. This part of the trip is a bit of blur as our flight was a 3am and I had just slept for the whole duration of it. But, we got a bus from the airport to the city which is run by Arriva Italia. They run every 15-30 minutes depending on the day of travel. It is €7.50 for a single trip to Turin and €11 for a return. Of course, with us travelling around Italy, we only required a single. I believe that there may be a train between the city and the airport but this is currently suspended until the end of 2023 and had not been built when I visited the city. For more information and a timetable, have a look at the website here.

Places/Sights to See in Turin

• Palazzo Reale di Torino

The first spot on our list was Palazzo Reale di Torino which is the Royal Palace of Torino. This is one of the famous residences of the Savoy dynasty and was built in the 16th century. Turin is a former capital of Italy and this palace was home to King Emmanuel, the first king of Unified Italy. It is still in use today as a museum. We didn’t enter the museum but, if you would like to tickets cost €15. It is closed on Mondays. Regardless on whether you enter to learn more about its history, I would still say its worth a look for the architecture.

• Palazzo Madama

Another of Turin’s palaces is Madama. The name comes from the history of the palace as it was home to two of the Savoy dynasty Queens. It was also used as the Italian headquarters during the Napoleonic War. Like Palazzo Reale, it is a building steeped in history and is beautiful to see. It is also one of the many sights in Turin that feature in the 1968 film, The Italian Job. Alex is a big fan of the film so you will see quite a lot of the filming locations featured on this list.

• Turin Cathedral

Turin Cathedral, also called the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist (Cattedrale di San Giovanni Battista) is a Roman Catholic Cathedral. It was built in the 1490s alongside the bell tower which was built in 1470. It is the seat of the Archbishops of Turin and is the current home of the Shroud of Turin. Like everywhere in this city, this cathedral is worth a look for the architecture alone. It is yet another grand building within Turin.

• Chiesa Parrocchiale della Gran Madre di Dio

The list of beautiful architecture continues with a neoclassical style church which was opened in 1818. The church was dedicated to Mary, Mother of God. It is found close to the banks of the River Po facing the Ponte Vittorio Emanuele I bridge which is another great sight. You can kill two birds with one stone with this sight. As well as all that, this is another Italian Job filming location as the minis were driven down the steps of the church during the film.

• River Po

The river Po is the body of water which runs throughout the city. I have already mentioned one of the famous bridges that runs across the river but, it is also a lovely place to walk. There is a scene in the Italian Job in which the cars run alongside the river too. It is actually the longest river in Italy and spans across many cities including Milan before reaching the Adriatic Sea near Venice. It is a lovely spot in the city too.

• Piazza San Carlo

Piazza San Carlo is one of the main city squares in Turin. In the centre of the square, you will find a equestrian statue of Emmanuel Philibert which was erected in 1838. The square has also hosted some famous sporting events including the 2006 Winter Olympics and Juventus matches.

• Parco de Valentino

Parco de Valentino is a spot for the Eurovision fans as it hosted the village for the Song Contest in 2022. It was also voted the best park in Italy. This is such a nice area of green space but also has some cool history. The roads within the park hosted the first ever Formula 1 race in 1946 (the Turin Grand Prix) and the 1948 Italian Grand Prix was also hosted here. There is so much within this park to explore: botanical gardens, a medieval village and the Castello de Valentino just to name a few. Definitely add this spot to your list.

• Monte dei Cappuccini

This is the place to go for a fabulous view across the city! Monte die Cappuccini is a small hill in the Borgo Po region of Turin. It is the home of the church of Santa Maria al Monte dei Cappuccini which is a late-Renaissance style church which was completed in 1656. I highly highly recommend heading to this spot to see the city from a slightly higher vantage point.

I would say 1-2 days is plenty of time to explore Turin however, it will be two days full of beautiful architecture and lots of history. I think there is a little something for everyone here. If you’re a fan of sport, Juventus is the football team based here. If you’re a film fan, head to the sights of The Italian Job. It’s also a city with a strong automotive history. I really loved Turin and I think not enough people have it on their Italy bucket list. You should now.

Amie x