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Turin

The magic city guardian of Shround
The Mole Antonelliana, symbol of the city, stands majestically, with its height of 167 metres, among the expanse of royal residences, stately homes and monuments that tell the story of this elegant and aristocratic Piedmont city, the first capital of the Kingdom of Italy.
 
Piazza Castello in Turin
The historic heart of Turin is Piazza Castello, the political and administrative centre of the old capital of the Savoy Kingdom. In the centre of the square, Palazzo Madama catches the eye with its spectacular Baroque façade, the work of Filippo Juvarra. Nearby is Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace), which tells the story of the House of Savoy, the first rulers of the Kingdom of Italy. The palace was the official residence of the family until 1865, and inside it house numerous works of art and the spectacular ’scissors stairway’.
 
Turin.
Piazza Castello in Turin. Photo: Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Elitravo / Shutterstock
 
The Shround
Turin is also known as the city of the Shroud, the linen sheet that was supposed to have wrapped the body of Christ after he was taken down from the cross: the city is very proud of this asset, which was preserved for a great many decades in the Chapel of the Holy Shroud, a masterpiece by Guarino Guarini, adjacent to the Palazzo Reale and accessible from the Cathedral, where it is kept today; each year the relic is shown to the public at events known in Italian as “ostensioni” (from the Latin ostendere meaning to show).
 
Turin.
The Cathedral. Photo: Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Shutterstock
 
Nearby is the Church of San Lorenzo, another example of the Baroque style, which was commissioned by Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy to celebrate the victory of San Quintino against the French.
 
The Basilica of Superga in Turin
The tombs of the Savoy family are found in the Basilica of Superga, on the hill, from where a breathtaking view over the entire city can be enjoyed.
 
Turin.
The Basilica of Superga. Photo: Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Shutterstock
 
Palazzo Carignano
Another Baroque building is the majestic Palazzo Carignano, which give its name to the Square and held the first parliament of the Kingdom of Sardinia, from which the Kingdom of Italy originated. Here Vittorio Emanuele II, the first King of Italy, was born. Today it houses the Museo Nazionale del Risorgimento Italiano (National Museum of the Italian Risorgimento) and preserves the relics of people who contributed to the Unity of Italy, such as the Count of Cavour, Giuseppe Garibaldi, Silvio Pellico, Massimo d’Azeglio, etc.
 
Palazzo Carignano. Turin. 
Palazzo Carignano. Photo: Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Elitravo / Shutterstock
 
Piazza Carignano is the home of the historic Ristorante del Cambio, a restaurant frequented on an almost daily basis by Cavour, where you can see the table at which he used to sit.
 
Egyptian Museum in Turin
Don’t miss a visit to the Egyptian Museum of Turin, the most important Egyptian museum in the world after that of Cairo: here you can admire artefacts such as statues of pharaohs or gods, mummies, household items, grave goods and much more besides. A large number of Egyptologists still study the relics from this important museum, which gave rise to the quote “the road to Memphis and Thebes passes through Turin”.
 
Turin.
Egyptian Museum. Photo: Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Elitravo / Shutterstock
 
The walk in the city of Turin
But Turin is not just about history. The city has some wonderful places for a gentle stroll, such as beneath the spacious porticoes which, along Via Po, connect Piazza Castello to Piazza Vittorio Veneto, one of the largest squares in the world, overlooking the Po. This road is filled with antique shops, bookshops and old coffee bars, such as the famous Caffè Fiorio, with its original furnishings, which was once the regular meeting place of intellectuals and politicians of the Risorgimento.
 
Turin.
Turin. Piazza Vittorio Veneto. Photo: Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Shutterstock
 
The Park of Valentino in Turin
Turin.
Castle of Valentino. Photo: Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Rostislav Glinsky / Shutterstock
 
Also on the topic of walks, plenty of opportunity is offered by the Parco del Valentino, the oldest and most famous park in the city with tree-lines avenues and cycle paths, as well as the Botanical Garden, which contains over 4,000 species of local flora and herbs. The park of the fairytale-like Castello del Valentino, with its pointed French-style roofs, was once the site of feasts, tournaments and river battles, which were much loved by the first royal lady, Christine of France.
 
Stupinigi.
Stupinigi. Photo: Copyright ©Sisterscom.com / Luca Lorenzelli / Shutterstock
 
The Savoy court were certainly not averse to a feast or hunting expedition, and Vittorio Amedeo commissioned from his trusted architect Filippo Juvarra, on the edge of the city, in Stupinigi, the construction of a hunting lodge, one of the most beautiful in the world and well worth visiting.
 
The tipical dishes of Turin
Even the gastronomy of the area is renowned, and without forgetting that Turin, with its ‘gianduiotti’, is the Italian capital of chocolate, there are also other local specialities that are worth trying, such as the asparagus of Santena, unavailable elsewhere, and Plaisentif, known as the ‘cheese of violets’ from Upper Val Chisone and Upper Val di Susa. The local wines are also unbeatable, and these include the Erbaluce di Caluso and the ice wines of the Susa valleys. It is with good reason that every two years the Salone Internazionale del Gusto (International Exhibition of Taste) takes place in the city.
 
Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Luigi Bertello / Shutterstock
Gianduiotti
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Asparagus of Santena
Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Stefano Guidi / Shutterstock
Erbaluce di Caluso

 
 
 
Piedmont food and wine
Numerous and excellent are the products of this region such as: the renowned artisan cheeses (including: Bra, Catelmagno, Toma Piemontese, Robiola, Raschera), the precious varieties of rice from the rice fields of Vercelli, Novara and Biella, the 42 wines DOC and the 17 DOCG wines (including: Barbera d'Asti and Moferrato, Barbaresco, Barolo), the White Truffle of Alba (candidate for UNESCO Intangible Heritage) and Hazelnut.

Text by Anna Glik
Update texts by Alisè Vitri
Avion Tourism Magazine
Photo: Sisterscom.com, Shutterstock
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Video: www.turismotorino.org - www.visitpiemonte.com
 
 
Tourism Board
www.turismotorino.org 
www.comune.torino.it
www.visitpiemonte.com
 
Tourist Offices
Turin - Piazza Carlo Felice.
Aeroporto Internazionale di Torino - Strada San Maurizio 12, Caselle, Turin - Italy.

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Where to sleep in Turin
Turin.
Turin by night. Photo: Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Shutterstock

Turin is a welcoming city and offers different possibilities for accommodation.

To find the ideal hotel and the best offers you can do a search for the stars but also for districts or landmarks.
 
where to go in turin
Monuments of Turin
Turin.
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JOHN THE BAPTIST CATHEDRAL
The Turin's Cathedral, first example in Turin of Renaissance architecture, was built at the behest of Bishop Domenico Della Rovere. The project was assigned to the Tuscan architect Meo del Caprina and was carried out between 1491 and 1498. The Bell Tower of Saint Andrew, completed in 1469, was erected in 1720 to a design by Filippo Juvarra. The interior of the church is arranged in the form of a latin cross with three naves in the Gothic style. The lateral chapels are decorated with devotional altars.
Turin.
Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Anton_Ivanov / Shutterstock
CHAPEL OF THE HOLY SHROUD 
The Chapel of the Holy Shroud, a symbol of Baroque architecture, is located on the first floor of the Royal Palace and head to the Cathedral and houses the relic arrived in Turin in 1578 by the Duke Emanuele Filiberto. The chapel was designed by Guarino Guarini in 1668 and completed in 1694.
 
Turin.
Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Shutterstock
MOLE ANTONELLIANA
The Mole Antonelliana, the symbol of the city of Piedmont, was designed to be a Jewish synagogue. Work began in 1863 and was entrusted to the architect Alessandro Antonelli. After becoming a location of the Municipal Museum, in 1878 Vittorio Emanuele II designated it as the official home of National Remembrance Italian Independence.
 
 
Museums in Turin
Turin.
Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Hydra Viridis (Shutterstock
EGYPTIAN MUSEUM
The Egyptian Museum of Turin, or the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, is the only museum in addition to the Cairo Museum in Egypt that is dedicated exclusively to the art and culture of ancient Egypt. The interior of the museum is constituted by a set of collections that are enriched in time. The collection, one of the most important in the world, shows exceptional documents that provide an overview of ancient Egyptian civilization from its origins in the fourth millenium BC up to the fifth-sixth century A.D.
Egyptian Museum skip-the-line guided tour.
Turin.
Copyright © Sisterscom.com /  Stefano Guidi / Shutterstock
GAM - CIVIC GALLERY OF CONTEMPORARY ART 
The Civic Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art was founded between 1891 and 1895. The museum, wich is part of the ‘Fondazione Torino Musei’, was the first in Italy to promote a public collection of modern art. The artistic heritage is made up of 45,000 works, including paintings, sculptures, installations, photographs, a rich collection of drawings and engravings.
www.gamtorino.it
 
 
MAO-ORIENTAL ART MUSEUM
The Museum of Oriental Art was opened in 2008 and is housed in the Palazzo Mazzonis. The collection of the MAO includes about 1,500 works from South Asia, China, Japan, the Himalayan Region and the Islamic countries of Asia, all divided into different sections on sundry floors.
www.maotorino.it
 
Excursions in Turin
Turin.
Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Claudio Divizia /Shutterstock
THE CASTLE AND THE PARK OF VALENTINO 
The Parco del Valentino, the most famous and oldest park in the city, became public in 1856. Not far from the city center, is located on the left bank of the Po. Its origins can be traced back as early as the Middle Ages. The park has hosted large and important national and international exhibitions. Inside you will find the famous Castello del Valentino, now houses the Faculty of Architecture at the Politecnico in Turin.
 
Turin.
Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Fausto Lanzetti / Shutterstock
PALACE OF VENARIA 
The Reggia di Venaria, built in the mid-seventeenth century as a hunting lodge by Carlo Emanuele II, is a project by Amedeo di Castellamonte and is considered one of the masterpieces of art and Baroque architecture, worldwide. The grand ducal palace of Piedmont, is now a venue for major exhibitions and concerts and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the most visited cultural sites in Italy.

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Recommended tours in Turin
Turin.
 Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Claudio Divizia / Shutterstock
EGYPTIAN MUSEUM 
Take a 5,000-year journey through time to discover the life of the Egyptians and their PharaohsEgyptian Museum tickets and guided tour.
 
Turin.
 Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Shutterstock
ARCHITECTURE OF TURIN
Discover with a guide the typical places of Turin to learn about the history and architecture of the city. History and architecture private walking tour.
 
Palazzo Reale of Turin.
 Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Trabantos / Shutterstock
ROYAL PALACE OF TURIN
Visit apartments of the Royal Palace of Turin, Unesco heritage, with a guided tour. Royal Palace of Turin entry ticket and guided tour

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