Turin and Piedmont

Culinary Adventures In And Around Italy

Day 1,2 and 3 , arrival on Turin at Turin Palace Hotel, and visit the city.

Since the Turin Palace Hotel opened in 1872, it has welcomed with efficiency and the highest levels of professionalism the most demanding guests - guests who know how to live and how to make choices. Its attentive and personal service, the tranquil and refined atmosphere and the skilful modernisation of the buildingtogether enable the Turin Palace to offer the most refined style of hospitality, worthy of the traditions of this northern city. The first jewel in the Turin Hotels International collection, passed down from father to son through five generations, the Turin Palace is a symbol of tradition par excellence.

122 rooms and 2 suites, all tastefully decorated, each with its own distinctive style and provided with all comforts: satellite TV, hi-fi, telephone with direct outside line, air conditioning, wardrobe and minibar.

Turin Sigthseeing

Turin is a perfect city to explore by walking, visiting all the monument, the museum and the nice architectural of this place in an exclusive atmosphere of old charming.

A walk in Turin is a walk under porticoes: the porticoes of its comfortable width ways (Roma Street, Pietro Micca Street) and of its luminous public squares (Castello Square, San Carlo Square, Vittorio Veneto Square).

A typical example of love for harmony of volumes and symmetry is San Carlo Square, considered one of the most beautiful Italian squares. Symmetrical and elegant ones are porticoes on two sides, like the two churches on the side the south-west, the Church of San Carlo with the facade made with pink granite and that one of Santa Cristina, made with granite and marble. In the middle of the square there's the famous "bronze horse", monument to Emanuele Filiberto who takes back that the sword after the victory of Saint Quintino Battle.

On the monument, simbol of the city ³mole Antonelliana², we can see a spectacular view of all the city. The terrace it is accessible by a spectacular elevator inside the monument. Also on the Mole is possible visit the National museum of the Cinema, one of the most important in the world (In Turin war born the cinema). In nineteenth-century, the coffees of Turin were more than hundreds and still today you can have a pause in one, being in splendid rooms that keep the original furniture and atmospheres. In 1786 it was one of these coffees to propose to its clients a new type of aperitif: the Vermout. In this city other famous typical products can be tasted: gianduiotti, wrapped in their golden paper, bicerin, one warm drink made up of coffee, chocolate and cream, sugar mentine and many other cakes.

The walk continues towards the heart of the city, Castello Square, where you can see baroque monuments in a short perimeter. In the middle of the square Madama Palace rises, a singular construction that encloses baroque and Romanesque elements, and medieval too; the palace accommodates a museum of ancient art. Separated from the rest of the square by an elegant railing, Savoia's Royal Palace rises, residence of the first kings of Italy; joined to its left part, the Royal Armoury, one of the most important of the world. On one of short sides of the public square, the Royal Theatre that conserves the old facade; on the opposite side Church of San Lorenzo, with the cupola made by Guarini.

Exiting from the courtyard of the Royal Palace, on the back there's the Dome of (Turin's patron saint), and near the wonderful Sindone (Christ's Shroud) Chapel made by Guarini.

From the Dome you continue and you go to the Palatine Door and the rests of the Theatre: the more important testimonies of roman Turin, the ancient Augusta Taurinorum. Returning in Castello Square you get in Lagrange Street, along which Carignano Palace rises, typical example of local baroque, it accommodated the first Italian Parliament in 1861 and now the Risorgimento Museum. Continuing little beyond you arrive to the Sciences Academy Palace that accommodates the famous Egyptian Museum, one second collection only to the Museum of the Cairo; here you can see the Ramses II statue and the Dead Men Book. Inside there is also a very interesting picture-gallery collection.

Finished the walk in the heart of the city you can go to the Valentino Park along the Po and the Medieval Village, perfectly reconstructed; or to go up to the Cappuccini Mount and to visit the Mountain Museum.

Alwais on the Turin¹s mount, is strong recommend a visit of Superga Basilic, placed in a dominant point over all the Turin mount. This is the tomb of Savoy king, and is possible to reach this place by a characteristic rack railways, that use the old train recently restructured.

But there are still one important things, outside city, to see: Stupinigi Palace, tha is the old hunting residence of the Savoy dynasty.

Finally if it's Saturday you can go back to Turin and see old things in the Balon Market.