The first capital of a united Italy, Turin lines up arcaded avenues, baroque squares and Savoy palaces, all facing the Alps. The centre revolves around Piazza Castello and Via Roma, framed by historic cafés. The Egyptian Museum, one of the richest in the world, and the Mole Antonelliana housing the National Cinema Museum are must-sees. The city also nurtures an esoteric reputation, supposedly a vertex of both a white-magic and a black-magic triangle. Stroll along the Po, climb Monte dei Cappuccini for the view, and explore the trendy Quadrilatero Romano district. Turin is best savoured slowly: chocolate, vermouth, coffee and the aperitivo, which the city claims to have invented.
🎬« The Italian Job » (1969), the cult heist with Michael Caine, was filmed in the streets of Turin, sending its red, white and blue Mini Coopers tearing across the city. The famous chase races past the Mole Antonelliana and up the rooftop test track of the former Fiat Lingotto factory.
✨The gianduiotto, history's first individually wrapped chocolate, was born in Turin out of scarcity: under Napoleon's 1806 blockade, with cocoa priced sky-high, chocolatiers stretched it with Piedmont hazelnut. Moulded into a little boat shape and wrapped in gold by Caffarel around 1865, it made the city's chocolate name.
🧭For a real bicerin, the layered coffee-chocolate-cream drink, head to Caffè Al Bicerin, open since 1763 opposite the Consolata sanctuary. The area is quiet and untouristy; keep a data eSIM active to pin the exact address and book, as the room is tiny.
ℹ️Spring and autumn are most pleasant; winter is cold but bright, with the Alps as a backdrop. The centre is walkable, sheltered by 18 km of arcades, and complemented by an efficient driverless metro and trams. The city is also a gateway to the Piedmont ski resorts. Avoid driving downtown, where parking is awkward. As for coverage, 4G/5G blankets Turin and its metro area well; public and café wifi is decent but not ubiquitous. For transport, timed museum bookings and maps, a data eSIM remains the most reliable way to stay connected throughout.
