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 Centre: The physical, historic and cultural centre is the symbol of the ancient capital of kingdom of Savoy. Turin would not be the same without its "palaces", such as the come Palazzo Madama or the Palazzo Reale, and the porticoes which date from the baroque period. These make up an extraordinary walk which winds around the centre for 18 kilometres, and were built to protect the royal family and their court from bad weather. Starting from the Porta Nuova walk towards the Cittadella, and from there walk to Piazza Castello and under the porticoes which are surrounded by shops, bars and cafes of all kinds until you reach the River Po. Crossing Piazza San Carlo and Piazza Carlo Felice, walk opposite Palazzo Reale and in the distance, continuing towards Via Po, the Gran Madre can be seen beyond the Piazza Vittorio bridge. The numerous cafes in the centre are an excellent refuge in the cold winter days where one can warm up with a tea or a hot chocolate. Platti is a seductive place with its desserts, as is Pfatish with its chocolates. The atmosphere in Caffè Torino is a perfect place to taste "bicerin" as is Baratti, in the Galleria Subalpina, which has a reminiscent feeling of far-off days of princes and princesses. On the opposite side of Piazza Castello is the Cathedral which houses the Holy Shroud and is currently undergoing restoration after the fire of a few years ago. The Mole Antonelliana stands out amongst the other buildings, and offers a splendid landscape view of the city to anyone who climbs to the top.
 Crocetta-Cenisia: This is a mostly residential area which is popular with the torinesi for its elegance. The famous Crocetta market offers a wide variety of quality products. This is the place to take a deep breath of good Turin air amongst distinguished buildings and sophisticated shops.
Mirafiori: This area is mainly associated with Fiat, which has its enormous factories here. In the last ten years, this working class area has been revamped and it is now one of the most popular places for people looking to buy a new house. There are many green areas here, including the famous Park, Parco del Valentino, and the Superga's Park
North Turin: This area is highly populated; there are many shops here, but the large number of crowded buildings darken the atmosphere. There are a number of wholesale shops in the area, such as Revedi, but tourists generally prefer to shop in the centre of town.
Turin is one of thirty three international official centres for witchcraft. Their focal point is either the astrological sundial on the right side of the Cathedral or the Egyptian Museum which has the second best collection of Egyptian cultural and traditional material and documentation in the world.
San Salvario: The multi ethnic area of Turin extends from Porta Nuova to Porte Palatine. The large number of immigrants pouring into Turin in the last few years have settled in this area recreating the atmosphere of their homelands. The Torinesi have partly abandoned this area which is one of the districts that is most in need of rehabilitation. |
Describing Turin is not an easy task; the city is known for its cold, greyness and large industries. On the other hand, it is also a fascinating, interesting city. Linked to the Savoy tradition and being the ex capital of Italy, it is a city of charm, rich in historic monuments with the entrepreneurial spirit of a city in continual economic growth. It is an ordered city, built to an urban plan from the roman period with linear streets that are clearly set out. Turin is an elegant city that does not flaunt its "regal" past, traces of which can be found in its artistic, historic and museum heritage.
