What to see in Turin

Egyptian Museum

Absolutely not to be missed! Not only is it the second Egyptian museum in terms of importance and material after the one in Cairo, but it was renovated some time ago and has become something even more special. Moreover, sometimes its director Cristian Greco leads tours himself and the whole thing becomes even more magical!

Museum of Cinema and Mole Antonelliana

Yes, they are together because the amazing Museum of Cinema is inside the Mole. A museum to be inspected and experienced in the city where such cinema staples as Cabiria and Profondo Rosso were filmed. And you cannot miss a ride on the Mole lift that takes you to the top and lets you see the whole city from above! Only suitable for those who don’t suffer from vertigo!

RAI’s Museum of Radio and Television

It is right next to the Mole (Via Verdi 16) and how can you miss all the goodies it contains? That’s where Italian television was born!

Palazzo Reale

A tour of the rooms of kings and queens, complete with thrones, tapestries, horses and weapons, as well as a newly refurbished garden! It is well worth a visit, even a guided one. Guarini’s dome is the one where the Holy Shroud was kept and which burnt down in 1997. After a long restoration, it has been reopened and it is impressive to visit as some signs of the fire have been preserved.

Balôn

The Balôn, the legendary Borgo Dora market, takes place every Saturday. While the Gran Balôn is held on the second Sunday of the month and sees many stalls selling antiques, second-hand, vintage and whatever else crowd the beautiful narrow streets of the Borgo already populated by resident antique dealers.

The Valentino Park

The Valentino Park is the park in the centre of Turin: plenty of greenery where you can lie down or have a picnic, the river Po running alongside it, the Medieval Village inside it, fountains and drinking fountains, a nearby and accessible Botanical Garden and many, many curious squirrels.

Dentiera Sassi - Superga

The historic Sassi – Superga teeth tramway is unique in Italy. It is the continuation of a more than 100-year-old tradition that began on 26 April 1884 with the first run made by the funicular railway built with the Agudio system. The line was later converted into a cog railway with central rail traction in 1934 and today, completely restored, it offers visitors a journey back in time on the original carriages and an unforgettable panorama. The route runs for 3,100 metres between the Sassi station (located in Turin’s Piazza Modena, 225 metres above sea level) and the Superga station (650 metres above sea level). On arrival at Superga, one can admire a splendid panorama of Turin and the Alps, visit the Basilica of Superga built by Juvarra and the royal tombs of the Savoy family.

Fetta di Polenta

It is located in the Vanchiglia neighbourhood and the project is by none other than Alessandro Antonelli (the one of the Mole, to be precise!), who even went to live there for a while. But why do we call it the Slice of Polenta? Because it is a narrow, yellow building. It has a trapezoidal-triangular shape (16m x 5m x 54cm) and consists of 9 floors, 2 of which are underground. On the 54 cm side, in order to optimise space, Antonelli decided to place the chimney there. The overall height of the building is 24 metres. Curious to see it live?

Museum of Urban Art

Located in the heart of Turin’s Borgo Campidoglio, it is an open-air itinerary comprising more than 180 works painted on the walls of the neighbourhood’s buildings. Here, people with reduced mobility, who are blind or deaf can book visits with different routes. The MAU is an integral part of life in the Borgo Campidoglio. Collaboration with the inhabitants of the neighbourhood is essential to find the spaces where the works come to life. Strong ties have also been forged with the numerous shops, wine bars and piole in the neighbourhood, where it is possible to stop at the end of the tour to taste typical products and local wines.

The Porta Palazzo market

Turin’s Porta Palazzo market is known as the largest in Europe. It has its hub in Piazza della Repubblica, which at 51,300 square metres is the largest square in the metropolis. The name originates from the ancient Roman gate, called Palatina or Comitale. Apart from the space reserved for farmers, the remaining stalls are manned by vendors who have come from all over the world to display products of all kinds, from food and wine to the most varied objects. Every day, Sundays and public holidays excluded.

Museo dell’Automobile

For many years, Turin has only brought Fiat to mind and the Automobile Museum is indeed near the Lingotto, the old Fiat factory. But this museum is worth a visit whether you are a motoring enthusiast or not. With over 200 original cars from 80 different makes, the museum tells the story of the evolution of the car from a means of transport to a cult object. It is one of the most famous technical-scientific museums in the world. The new exhibition, created in 2011, is spread over three floors and is an emotional journey through vintage and dream cars, important prototypes and iconic models, while songs from the 1960s and the roar of Formula One engines resound in the background.

Baci Urbani

There’s an 18th-century palace that has a piercing! Yes, it does! It is a 1996 installation (placed there on the occasion of the Biennale of Young Artists held in Turin that year) created by Corrado Levi in collaboration with the Cliostraat group. Its title is BaciUrbani (Urban Kisses) and it has a peculiar detail: on one side are drops of red blood and on the other side drops of blue blood. One of the possible interpretations is that the red blood indicates the popular part of Turin, since it is located on the side facing Porta Palazzo. While the blue blood is on the side facing Piazza Castello and could therefore indicate the noble part of Turin. In any case, it is worth a visit while taking a nice tour of the centre!

Dora Park

Not too far from the hostel, Parco Dora is a post-industrial park where the large Fiat and Michelin manufacturing plants stood until the 1990s. It is one of the city’s largest green lungs and has been transformed from an industrial zone into a gathering area where you can walk, play, relax and play sports. There is a huge canopy that hosts numerous events throughout the year, including the highly appreciated Kappa FuturFestival, the big Italian techno festival that takes place in Turin in July. Not only cultural and musical events, but also sporting events, since under the canopy there is also a multifunctional space equipped with playgrounds (five-a-side football, basketball, tennis, volleyball) and a ramp for skateboarders. Next to the canopy, imposing ironworks pylons stand in place of the trees in this industrial park. Set among the flowerbeds and surrounded by colourful murals that have multiplied over time, the tree-pylons are one of the symbols of Parco Dora.

Museo Civico Pietro Micca

This particular museum is dedicated to the Siege of Turin in 1706, and houses a collection of relics, reports, documents and representations relating to this important historical event. Between 1705 and 1706, French troops had placed the city under siege. Everything presaged a victory for the invaders at any moment, a victory that would surely change the history of our country. The victory, however, was taken out of the hands of the French thanks to the heroic gesture of the miner in the Savoy army, Pietro Micca, to whom the museum is dedicated. Micca sacrificed his life to detonate a mine in a tunnel that blocked the siege of the French troops who were breaking through the gate to enter the underground tunnels, changing the fate of the battle once and for all. This museum offers an immersive and interactive experience, as it is possible to visit the same counter-mine tunnels that played a key strategic role during the siege. The Pietro Micca Museum is considered one of the most interesting and significant war museums in Italy, not only because it focuses on a particularly significant period in the history and future of the Italian peninsula, but also because it is preserved in remarkable condition.

Eating tips

Near the hostel we recommend

Mister Tomato Pasta e Pizza, in Corso Novara 25, corner of Corso Palermo just opposite the hostel. The pizza is excellent and you’ll find it open all day every day.

Da Ivo, a Tuscan restaurant in Corso Novara 75, with excellent pizza and tasty Tuscan dishes.

Istanbul Grill, in Corso Novara 29/A, a good kebab.

Da Cianci

Largo IV Marzo 9/b

Typical Turin piola, good Piedmontese food at reasonable prices. It is always crowded, but a corner can usually be found.

Il porto di Savona

Piazza Vittorio Veneto 2

A historic eatery, acquired several years ago by Chiambretti, serves typical Piedmontese specialities at reasonable prices, with a dehors on the piazza that is well worth a visit.

Antica Trattoria Con Calma

Strada Comunale del Cartman, 59

An out-of-town eatery fifteen minutes from the city centre, where you can enjoy traditional Piedmontese and Turin dishes. In summer you can enjoy the coolness of the Turin hills, under a centuries-old pergola of strawberry grapes, and in winter the warmth of the fireplace in the intimacy of small rooms furnished with simplicity. The cuisine is regional and everything is strictly home-made. The first courses in particular are the chef’s pride and joy.

Kensho

via dei Mercanti 16

If you love serious Japanese food, this is the place for you. Delicious, refined and elegant. Not cheap, but worth it.

Oh Crispa

Via Belfiore 16

From Japan to China, a Chinese street food address that unleashes the flavours and aromas of the Eastern tradition with truly succulent dishes. The traditional ‘Xiao Long Bao’, homemade dumplings with a vegetarian or pork filling, the ‘Gua Bao’, a Taiwanese steamed bun, and various proposals with traditional noodles.

Mai Thai

Via Mazzini 56

A true immersion in the aromas of Thai cuisine: rice dishes, classic noodles, and soups flavoured with fish, meat and vegetables. A riot of colours and flavours with a special mention for the shrimp pad thai and curry dishes.

Al Gufo Bianco

Corso Dante, 129

On the edge of Valentino Park, an elegant restaurant with Italian cuisine of a certain level. Good, not too expensive and with a sumptuous cheese and dessert trolley available.

Il Picchio

Corso Lione 40

Excellent pizzeria where you can also eat delicious fish dishes.

Panperfocaccia

Via Conte Verde 7a

Same beautiful little square as Cianci, excellent pizzeria and exquisite restaurant. They also offer the entire menu in a gluten-free version.

Tauer Bakery

Via Madama Cristina 22

A special pastry shop with lots of vegan options and an excellent brunch offered every day it is open!

Torre Cremeria

Corso Regio Parco 28

The restaurant offers a wide range of proposals for breakfast, lunch and aperitifs, but Torre’s strong point is definitely its Sicilian granitas and homemade ice creams.

Al Bicerin

Piazza della Consolata 5

Open since 1793, it is one of Turin’s historic cafés. Many important figures in the history of the city and Italy have sat at its tables. This was Camillo Benso Conte di Cavour’s favourite café. Its speciality, needless to say, is the Bicerin, Turin’s typical hot drink made of coffee, hot melted chocolate and milk cream. If the ingredients are well known, their proportions are not so well known: in fact, the restaurant jealously guards the original recipe. If you want to drink the real Bicerin, this is the place!

pʌɪ/ bikery

Via Cagliari 18/D

A machine shop specialising in racing bikes, single speed and fixed-gear conversions, it is also a kitchen with traditional and international dishes. It’s breakfast, lunch and a snack while leafing through a book or magazine from their small cycling library, and at weekends the brunch lasts all day.