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Turin
The city of Torino (Turin) is the capital city of the Piedmont region in north-west Italy. Surrounded on the north-west by soaring Alpine mountain ranges and on the south by the hills of Monferrato, it is no surprise that the city has a distinctly continental climate.
Torino’s name in Italian means “little bull,” a well known symbol that graces the city’s coat of arms. This bullishness translates into the city’s proud history.
One of the largest in country, the city is reknown as a major cultural and business metropolitan center in Italy, famous as the global headquarters of car-marker Fiat and the 2006 Winter Olympic Games
Rivers transversing the city provide a source of calm and cool to the area, via the river Po and its tributaries, the Dora Riparia and the Stura di Lanzo, as well as the river Sangone.
Along the Po river lies Valentino Park, the largest park in the city’s central area, where both Valentino Castle and the Medieval Village (Borgo Medievale) can be visited. Guests can also enjoy a stroll on the nearby bridge for scenic views of the Po river.
A walk on Roma street from Porta Nuova Station to Piazza Castello through Piazza San Carlo affirms how breathtaking Turin is.
There is Palazzo Madama on the Piazza Castello, a palace with medieval and baroque rooms that once housed the Italian Queen. The old roman town northwest of Piazza Castello called Quadrilatero Romano carries history in every street corner. Enjoy the cobblestone steps that line the passage of Galleria Subalpina from Piazza Castello and Piazza Carlo Alberto. Its Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (Duomo di San Giovanni) is the home of the Shroud of Turin, a Christian relic, believed to bear the imprint of Jesus Christ.
Any one of the historic cafes from the turn of the 19th century located around Piazza Castello, such as Mulassano or Baratti & Milano are filled with friendly locals happy to indulge in some football talk over an afternoon expresso.
