Choose from 16 Fun Things to Do in Turin
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Egyptian Museum (Museo Egizio)
With over 26,000 ancient Egyptian artifacts gathered between the 18th and 20th century, Turin's Egyptian Museum (Museo Egizio) houses one of the largest collections of Egyptian antiquities in the world. The galleries were extensively enlarged, renovated, and reorganized, reopening in 2015, and the result is both spectacular and engaging.
The Basics
Founded in 1824, the Museo Egizio is the world’s oldest museum dedicated to ancient Egypt and covers four floors of the Palace of the Academy of Sciences (Palazzo dell'Accademia delle Scienze). The collection includes human mummies, an important papyrus collection, and the Gallery of Kings (Galleria dei Re), a statuary collection organized and dramatically lit by Academy Award–winning production designer Dante Ferretti. Museum highlights include a papyrus measuring 60 feet (18 meters), an important statue of Ramesses II, and the Tomb of Kha, which dates to 3500 BC.
The Egyptian Museum is one of the most popular attractions in Turin. To avoid a long wait in line, book a museum tour with skip-the-line tickets. Many Turin walking or bike tours include a stop at the museum, as do full-day tours from Milan. For a deep dive into this significant collection, consider a private tour with an Egyptologist guide.
Things to Know Before You Go
- A visit to the museum is a must for history buffs and a fun activity for kids, who especially enjoy the mummies and tomb.
- The Egyptian Museum is completely wheelchair accessible.
- Large bags, backpacks, and umbrellas must be left at baggage check at the entrance.
- The museum houses a small bookshop and café.
- Photography without flash is allowed in the museum.
How to Get There
The Egyptian Museum is in the historic center of Turin, a 10-minute walk northeast from the train station. The museum is also accessible via tram (line 4 to Bertola) and any number of city buses to the Bertola or Castello stop. Turin is an easy day trip by car or train from Milan.
When to Get There
The Egyptian Museum can be very crowded on the weekends so is best visited on a weekday. The museum is closed on Monday afternoon.
Other Famous Sights to Explore in Turin
The elegant center of Turin is home to beautiful baroque, rococo, neoclassical, and art deco architecture. Highlights include sweeping squares such as Piazza San Carlo and Piazza Castello, the Royal Palace (Palazzo Reale), Turin Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (Cattedrale di San Giovanni Battista, or Duomo di Torino), and Mole Antonelliana.
Address: Via Accademia delle Scienze 6, Turin, Italy
Admission: Varies
From $ 22
Palazzo Carignano
The Piazza Carignano is one of Turin’s most majestic squares and is overlooked by the equally handsome, redbrick and white alabaster palace of the same name. Built between 1679 and 1685 by Baroque maestro Guarino Guarini as one of the royal homes of the ruling Savoy dukes, the Palazzo Carignano gained huge national significance when in 1861 it became the occasional home of Italy’s first king, Vittorio Emanuele II, following the Unification struggles that began in 1848. The palazzo now houses the Museo Nazionale del Risorgimento as well as the elaborate, circular meeting rooms that were briefly the location of Italy’s first united government, which was formed in 1861 and lasted four years.
Palazzo Carignano first became a museum in 1908; it was originally housed in the Mole Antonelliana – now the city’s film museum – but moved to its present site in 1938. After a period of closure for the revamping of the collections, it reopened in 2011 and now showcases the events that brought about the Risorgimento (literally ‘resurgence’ in English), with a series of 30 ornately decorated apartments leading chronologically through the various military and political battles as the country headed towards unification. Displays of uniforms, dramatic equine portraits of war heroes, weapons, flags, maps, and correspondence reveal feats of bravery as visitors discover the disjointed, disillusioned Italy of the 19th century, accompanied by informative multi-lingual films giving the background to each stage of the campaign.
Practical Info
Palazzo Carignano is located at Via Accademia delle Scienze, 5. Admission costs €10 for adults, €8 for seniors, €5 for students, €2.50 for children and is free for those 6 and under. The site is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to 6pm, and Tram 13 and 15 can get you there.
Address: Via Accademia delle Scienze, 5, Torino, Italy
Hours: Tue-Sun 10am-6pm
Admission: Adults €10, Seniors €8, Students €5, Kids €2.50, Under 6 Free
From $ 58
Parco del Valentino
The first public gardens to be opened in Turin still exist as the Parco del Valentino, one of the city's most popular parks. Opened in 1856, the Parco del Valentino covers more than 123 acres in Turin along the left bank of the Po River. The park includes the Castello del Valentino, the University of Turin's botanical garden, and a replica medieval village – complete with a castle – built for the 1884 Turin International Expo.
The park was once the setting for car races—these were held between 1935 and 1954, all known as the Gran Premo del Valentino.
Practical Info
The Parco del Valentino is always open, and admission is free. It's on the west side of the river, between the Umberto I and Isabella bridges. Admission to and open hours of various attractions inside the park varies. The medieval village's castle, for instance, is open Tuesday-Sunday 10am-6pm, and admission is €5 for adults. The Castello del Valentino now houses the architecture department of the University of Turin, and is not open to visitors.
Address: Corso Massimo d'Azeglio, Turin, Italy
Hours: Daily
From $ 14
Civic Museum of Ancient Art (Palazzo Madama)
Dominating Turin’s Piazza Castello and with the appearance of two buildings uneasily glued together, Palazzo Madama began life as a fortified castle and has a medieval façade looking eastwards that was built by ruling house of Savoy in the 14th century. The later, ornate Baroque addition faces west and was added by the famous architect Filippo Juvarra in the early 18th century at the request of Marie Jeanne of Savoy, who gave her nickname to the palace. Juvarra was appointed court architect by the Savoy dynasty and went on to design much of Turin’s glamorous arcaded face lift in the 1860s. Palazzo Madama also reveals a Roman gate and foundations, medieval towers and a series of courtyards and apartments constructed in Renaissance times.
Today, the building houses the Civic Museum of Ancient Art (Museo Civico di Arte Antica), a sprawling and roughly chronological collection that leads over four floors, starting off with a small Roman collection in the basement and running on through medieval stonework to Renaissance art in the ornate Baroque galleries on the first and second floors. On the top floor there is one of Italy's largest collections of decorative arts to discover, with examples of precious Meissen porcelain, Delftware and fine embroidered textiles. However, quite the most spectacular artwork on display here is Antonello da Messina’s glorious Portrait of a Man, painted around 1475 and hidden away in the Treasure Tower at the back of the building.
Practical Info
Located in Piazza Castello, Palazzo Madama is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 6pm and on Sunday from 9am to 7pm. Admission costs €10 for adults, €8 for seniors and students, and is free for those under 18. Much of Turin’s Baroque heart is pedestrianized, and it is easy to walk to all the main sights. Alternatively, take trams 4, 13, 15 or 18 to Piazza Castello.
Address: Piazza Castello, Torino 10122, Italy
Hours: Tue-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 9am-7pm
Admission: Adults €10, Students €8, Children Under 18 Free
From $ 41
Piazza Statuto
Like many public squares in Italy, Turin's Piazza Statuto has something of a checkered past, including supposed ties to black magic.
Piazza Statuto was built in 1864 in order to make the four entry points to the city symmetrical—the other three entrances already had piazzas. The piazza is ringed on three sides by Baroque buildings, and there is a small garden at its center. Long before the piazza was built, during the Roman Empire, this spot was an execution site.
The piazza also features a monument to the people who built the Frejus Tunnel, connecting Italy and France through the mountains. The monument features an angel at the top, with figures representing the workers climbing over a mountain of boulders underneath. The sculpture is near a manhole cover in the pavement, which some say is a doorway to hell and has led the piazza to be associated with black magic over the years.
Practical Info
Piazza Statuto is at the old western entrance of Turin and is a regular stop on black magic tours of the city.
Address: Turin, Italy
Hours: Daily
From $ 29
La Morra
The town of La Morra in Piedmont is in the same wine-producing area as Barolo, although it's far less well known.
La Morra is about 30 miles southeast of Turin, and even borders Barolo and Alba. Like those towns, La Morra has long been heralded for the nebbiolo grapes that cover the hillsides and get turned into expensive wines.
It's a larger town than Barolo, with more than 2,500 residents, so there's more of an historic center to explore. There are also paths that wind out of the center and through the vineyards surrounding the town.
Practical Info
La Morra is easiest to reach from Turin if you have a rental car. You can get there by public transportation – taking a train to Bra and then a bus to La Morra – but it's a much longer journey. If you're already staying in Alba or other towns in the area, there are local buses you can take.
Address: La Morra, CN 12064, Italy
From $ 319
Royal Church of San Lorenzo (Real Chiesa di San Lorenzo)
Next to Turin's Royal Palace, you'll find (not surprisingly) a royal church – the Royal Church of San Lorenzo, to be exact. Construction on the church was completed in 1687, and it was consecrated in 1680. The Royal Church of San Lorenzo (Real Chiesa di San Lorenzo in Italian) was built around an older structure, a former chapel for the Dukes of Savoy, which you can see near the entrance of the current church.
Designed by Modena master-architect Guarino Guarini – who was also a priest – in the 1660s, the church is located to the left of the entrance gates of the Palazzo Reale, its plain, pastel-hued façade topped by a lacy dome and hiding a frothy interior.
This fanciful Baroque jewel is smothered in oil paintings, exquisite wooden carving, gilt and multi-colored marble, with an ornate octagonal layout and eight wildly elaborate side chapels covered in seraphim and gilding. The central cupola is decorated with a six-point star, which was the signature flourish of the architect Guarini, and seems to dance as beams of sunlight pours through its windows. Its high altar is one of the most extravagant in Italy, fronted with an inlaid marble floor, studded with gilt and adorned with twisted marble columns and cherubs as well as statues of the ruling Savoy family; this is all backed by a portrait of San Lorenzo (St Lawrence in English), the patron saint of Turin.
Practical Info
The Royal Church of San Lorenzo is located near the entry gates of the Royal Palace, just off the Piazza Castello. It's open for visitors Monday-Friday from 7:30am-12pm and 4-7pm. On weekends, it is open from 9am-1pm and from 3-7:30pm. Admission is free. Much of Turin’s Baroque heart is pedestrianized and it is easy to walk to all the main sights. Alternatively, take trams 4, 13, 15 or 18 to Piazza Castello.
Address: Via Palazzo di Città, 4, Torino 10122, Italy
Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30am-12pm & 4pm-7pm, Sat 9am-12pm & 3pm-6pm, Sun 3pm-6pm
From $ 237
Piazza San Carlo
Of Turin’s many baroque squares, Piazza San Carlo is a standout. Lined with porticoed palaces housing historic cafés, and the twin churches of Santa Cristina and San Carlo Borromeo, this square on Via Roma between Piazza Castello and Piazza Carlo Felice is one of the liveliest in the city.
The Basics
Piazza San Carlo is often called “Turin’s parlor,” as it has been a popular gathering spot for locals since it was built in the 17th century. Its peripheral arcades are filled with busy restaurant and cafe tables, and the center of the square is full couples relaxing on the benches, children playing around the base of the statue of Duke Emmanuel Philibert, and tourists strolling through to reach the nearby Egyptian Museum. The square also hosts important public events, including New Year’s Eve celebrations and live streams of the city’s beloved Juventus soccer (football) matches.
Piazza San Carlo is a highlight of many private and small-group Turin walking tours or hop-on hop-off bus tours that visit the city’s top attractions. Other sights may include the Duomo, the Royal Palace, and Mole Antonelliana.
Things to Know Before You Go
- Most Turin tours of the city center and Piazza San Carlo are on foot, so wear comfortable shoes and a sun hat.
- The square is an excellent spot for a snack or coffee break at one of the sidewalk cafés that are tucked under the porticoes.
- With its wide, traffic-free spaces and street performers, Piazza San Carlo is a fun stop for kids.
- The open-air public square and its porticoed walkways are accessible to wheelchairs or strollers.
How to Get There
Piazza San Carlo is set along the main Via Roma thoroughfare in the heart of Turin, a short walk from the Porta Nuova train station and many of the city’s main attractions. Turin is a popular day trip destination from Milan; a direct train runs nonstop between these two cities.
When to Get There
The square is especially fun to visit during a Juventus championship game, when the space is crowded with local soccer (football) fans cheering on their home team.
Turin’s Café Culture
Turin has been famous for its literary cafés for centuries, and Piazza San Carlo has long been the center of the city’s café culture. The square is home to two of the most important and historic cafés in the city: Caffé San Carlo and Caffé Torino. Writers, intellectuals, and aristocrats gather here in the evenings to discuss politics, philosophy, and literature.
Address: Turin, Italy
From $ 14
Mole Antonelliana
Most cities have iconic buildings that serve as the symbol of the city – the Eiffel Tower, for instance, suggests Paris to even those who have never been there. The city of Turin in northern Italy has such a symbol, but both Turin and its iconic building are just enough off the tourist radar that they aren't quite world famous. This, of course, means you'll be one of the rare people “in the know” when you visit Turin and see the Mole Antonelliana.
The Mole Antonelliana looks a bit like the top of a tower that's missing most of the actual tower. The dome isn't round, but instead the four sides of the dome curve upward toward a spire that shoots up to a height of 550 feet.
Turin's low skyline makes the Mole Antonelliana stand out for its height, but the shape of the building and its tall spire would make it noticeable almost anywhere. The building was built in the late 1800s, and is named for the architect Antonelli. It was originally designed to be a synagogue, but the unfinished building changed hands and it became the home for Turin's Museum of the Risorgimento.
In 2000, the National Museum of Cinema moved into the Mole Antonelliana, with the distinction of being the tallest museum in the world. The museum has some screening rooms, as well as artifacts from the history of cinema – Darth Vader's mask from “The Empire Strikes Back,” the alien costume from “Aliens,” a mask from Fellini's “Satyricon” - alongside pieces of film sets, and an extensive collection of film posters.
The Mole Antonelliana looks a bit like the top of a tower that's missing most of the actual tower. The dome isn't round, but instead the four sides of the dome curve upward toward a spire that shoots up to a height of 550 feet.
Turin's low skyline makes the Mole Antonelliana stand out for its height, but the shape of the building and its tall spire would make it noticeable almost anywhere. The building was built in the late 1800s, and is named for the architect Antonelli. It was originally designed to be a synagogue, but the unfinished building changed hands and it became the home for Turin's Museum of the Risorgimento.
In 2000, the National Museum of Cinema moved into the Mole Antonelliana, with the distinction of being the tallest museum in the world. The museum has some screening rooms, as well as artifacts from the history of cinema – Darth Vader's mask from “The Empire Strikes Back,” the alien costume from “Aliens,” a mask from Fellini's “Satyricon” - alongside pieces of film sets, and an extensive collection of film posters.
Practical Info
As mentioned, Turin's skyline is relatively low, which makes the
glass-walled elevator inside the spire of the Mole Antonelliana even
more worth the ticket – the panoramic views in all directions are quite
lovely, especially on a clear day when you can see the mountains that
surround the city.
Address: Mole Antonelliana, Turin, Italy
From $ 14
Pietro Micca Museum
Pietro Micca was a soldier in the Savoy army in the early 18th century, and during the Siege on Turin he became a national hero. There is now a museum dedicated to him in Turin.
In 1706, the French and Spanish armies marched on Turin (then part of the Duchy of Savoy) during the War of Spanish Succession. Pietro Micca's job in the Savoy army involved tunneling in the mines underneath Turin's citadel. In late August of 1706, Micca heard French soldiers making their way up into the mines. He barred his door and exploded two barrels of gunpowder just as the soldiers broke through his barricade, killing most of them. Micca himself was severely injured and died later of his wounds, but by preventing the French from getting into the citadel he helped the Savoy army eventually defeat the French.
The Pietro Micca Museum was opened in 1961 to commemorate Micca's heroic act and the Savoy defeat of the French and Spanish armies, and the building stands over the tunnels in which Micca once worked. Visitors to the museum can descend into the tunnel network.
Practical Info
The Pietro Micca Museum (Museo Civico Pietro Micca a dell'Assedio di Torino del 1706) is located near the Porta Susa train station – it's a short walk from there or the Porta Susa metro stop. The museum is open Tuesday-Sunday from 10am-6pm, and closed Mondays and major holidays. Admission is €3. A museum visit including a 90-minute guided tour of the tunnels is available Tuesday-Saturday at 10:30am, 2:30pm, and 4:30pm, and on Sundays at 10:30am, 2:30pm, 3:30pm, and 4:30pm.
Address: Via Francesco Giuseppe Guicciardini, Torino 10121, Italy
Hours: Tue-Sun 10am-6pm
Admission: €3
From $ 32
Po River
The longest river in Italy, the Po flows down from the Alps near the French border for more than 400 miles (644 kilometers), winding its way east through Turin, Piacenza, and Ferrara and connecting to Milan via a network of canals before emptying into the Adriatic Sea. The Po Valley is one of Italy’s most fertile and lush regions.
The Basics
The Po River has been an important waterway for thousands of years. The vast Po Valley lining the river has rich soil due to the Po’s frequent flooding, making the valley one of the most fertile agricultural regions in Italy. In addition, the river powers a number of hydroelectric plants, so the valley is a critical industrial hub.
The most beautiful stretch of the Po is its final delta, just south of Venice and straddling the Veneto and Emilia-Romagna regional border. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and regional park, the Po Delta covers wetlands and wooded areas, and is home to a wide variety of plants and wildlife. You can visit the Po River as part of a walking tour of Turin or another city along the river’s path, or by joining a guided nature tour of the Po Delta Park on the Adriatic coast.
Things to Know Before You Go
- City walking tours and nature tours of the Po River are outdoors and require significant time on your feet, so choose comfortable shoes and dress for the weather.
- A city river walk or a visit to Po Delta Regional Park can be fun for kids who need a break from museums and churches.
- A number of park visitor centers and paths are accessible to wheelchairs; contact Po Delta Regional Park for detailed accessibility information.
- The park is especially popular for birdwatching, due to the many and varied bird species that migrate and nest in the delta.
How to Get There
The Po runs through several cities in northern Italy, and can be visited via scenic bridges and river walks along the water’s edge in Turin, Piacenza, and Ferrara. Po Delta Regional Park is located on Highway 309 on the Adriatic Coast, along the border between Emilia-Romagna and Veneto; there is no public transportation to the park, so the best way to visit is to join a guided tour that includes transport.
When to Get There
The Po is particularly beautiful and enjoyable in the mild months of spring and fall. During the hottest summer months, it’s best to visit the Po Delta park in the early morning or late evening to avoid the midday sun.
The Overflowing Po
One of the main agricultural crops grown in the Po Valley is rice, thanks to the river's frequent flooding into the surrounding plains. Dams and dykes help control the overflow, but the plains are still at risk for floods during heavy rains that bring both damage and rich sediment to the area.
Address: Turin, Italy
From $ 32
Holy Shroud (Cappella della Sacra Sindone)
In Turin’s Cathedral of San Giovanni Battista, the faithful and curious from across the globe gather to view the Holy Shroud of Turin (Sacra Sindone), one of most famous and controversial religious relics in Italy. This linen cloth is said to have been laid over Jesus’ body after his crucifixion, though its authenticity remains debated.
The Basics
The 53-square-foot (5-square-meter) Holy Shroud, displayed in a quiet 17th-century chapel designed by Guarino Guarini, architect of the nearby Real Chiesa di San Lorenzo, bears the faded image of a thin, bearded man who appears to have wounds consistent with Biblical tellings of those suffered by Christ at his execution. Historians and scholars have questioned the antique relic’s authenticity—never officially recognized by the Catholic Church—for years, and the Duomo has gone to great lengths to preserve it. The contentious shroud is one of the highlights of Piedmont’s capital city, and a viewing is included in many Turin small-group walking tours along with the Royal Palace (Palazzo Reale), Piazza Castello, and Mole Antonelliana. Because of its age and delicacy, the shroud is stored in a climate-controlled case filled with a special atmospheric mix of argon and oxygen, and is rarely displayed to the public; in its stead, the church shows video footage of the original. The last public showing of the actual Holy Shroud was in 2015.
Things to Know Before You Go
- Showings of the original Holy Shroud are well publicized in advance, and tickets go quickly—book ahead of time.
- The Shroud is particularly fascinating for religious pilgrims or archaeology aficionados.
- The Guarini Chapel is currently closed for restoration, and video footage is being shown in another side chapel of the Cathedral.
- Visitors are allowed to take photographs inside the chapel and Duomo.
How to Get There
The Turin Cathedral, or Duomo di Torino, is located in the Piazza Castello district, a short walk from the train station. It’s easy to arrange a Turin day trip from the nearby city of Milan by taking the high-speed train that runs between these two Italian regional capitals.
When to Get There
The Duomo is most crowded when the original Holy Shroud is being displayed to the public, and tickets to these showings must be booked far in advance. Hours are daily from 7am (Sundays from 8am) to 12:30pm and again from 3pm to 7pm.
The Duomo di Torino
Most visit the Duomo di Torino primarily to view the Holy Shroud, but the church itself is worth a look. Built at the end of the 15th century, the Renaissance Cathedral is attached to the original bell tower from 1469.
Address: Turin, Italy
Hours: Open daily
Admission: Free; reservations are mandatory.
From $ 17
Valentino Castle (Castello del Valentino)
Set in acres of landscaped parkland on the banks of the Po River, Valentino Castle (Castello del Valentino) is Turin’s most stately building and one of the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy.
The UNESCO-listed royal palace dates back to the 16th century, but its heyday was under Duchess Christine of France, who redecorated in a style fit for her lavish parties. Today, visitors can admire many of the beautifully preserved rooms, including the Roses Room, the Zodiac Room, the Valentine Room and the War Room, each richly decorated with white and gold stuccoes, colorful frescoes, and elaborate friezes.
As well as touring the former palace, visitors can enjoy views from the castle gardens, now a public park and a popular inclusion on walking and biking tours of Turin.
Practical Info
Valentino Castle is located on the Po Riverfront in central Turin, and is open to visitors on the first and third Saturday of every month. Guided tours (held at 10am and 1pm) are free of charge, but reservations are recommended.
Address: Viale Pier Andrea Mattioli, 39, Turin, Italy
Hours: First and third Saturday of each month
From $ 93
National Cinema Museum (Museo Nazionale del Cinema)
The soaring square dome and spire of the Mole Antonelliana is Turin’s most recognizable landmark and home to the National Cinema Museum, where the vast collection of silver-screen memorabilia draws film buffs from around the world. Take the glass elevator to the top of the dome for sweeping views across the city.
The Basics
The National Cinema Museum was founded in 1953 with a private collection of film memorabilia; in 2000, the expanded collection was moved to the Mole Antonelliana tower and is one of the most important cinematic museums in the world. Pieces in the museum's collection include Darth Vader's mask from The Empire Strikes Back, the alien costume from Aliens, and a mask from Fellini's Satyricon. There are also vintage movie posters, film screening rooms, and props from movie sets. The museum's library includes more than 12,000 movie reels, 300,000 film posters, 80,000 pictures, and 26,000 books.
A stop at the National Cinema Museum is a must for fans of movie history; it’s one of the museums included in the Turin Sightseeing Pass: Torino and Piemonte Card. In addition to touring the museum collection, visitors can take the panoramic elevator up through the center of the dome to the observation platform above for an unbeatable view of Turin.
Things to Know Before You Go
- In addition to the permanent collection, the museum hosts a number of annual festivals, including the prestigious Torino Film Festival.
- The museum is accessible to wheelchair users via a dedicated entrance with an intercom.
- A museum shop located on the ground floor sells books and other items related to cinematic history.
How to Get There
The Mole Antonelliana is located in the center of Turin, and is well-served by a number of city bus and tram lines. Turin is one of the most important cities in northern Italy, and connected by direct high-speed train to other major Italian cities like Milan, Rome, Florence, and Venice.
When to Get There
The museum is open daily except Tuesdays. Lines can be long on the weekend—the panoramic elevator is a real draw—so plan your visit for a weekday, or first thing in the morning on weekends.
The Mole Antonelliana Towering over Turin
When construction began in 1863, the imposing Mole Antonelliana was meant to be a synagogue. By the time it was finished in 1889, however, it had been purchased by the city of Turin as a monument dedicated on the unification of Italy. Designed by the architect Alessandro Antonelli, the building is the most famous monument in Turin, and the view from the “tempietto” platform at the top of its square dome is among the city’s main tourist attractions.
Address: Via Montebello, 20, Torino 10124, Italy
Admission: Varies
From $ 32
Palazzo Reale
Elegant Turin, which was the seat of the Duchy of Savoy before briefly becoming the first capital of unified Italy, is home to a number of sumptuous historic palaces and castles. The Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace) is among the most opulent, and today it houses the Royal Museums, with an extensive art collection, armory, and gardens.
The Basics
Originally the Bishop’s Palace, the Palazzo Reale was taken over by Duke Emmanuel Philibert when the city became the Savoy capital, and was expanded and embellished following the marriage of Victor Amadeus to the French Princess Christine Marie during the 17th century. The princess and architect Filippo Juvarra added a number of features, including the Scala delle Forbici staircase and the Chapel of the Holy Shroud, to house the Shroud of Turin.
Today, you can see firsthand how the European aristocracy lived by visiting the palace’s richly decorated rooms filled with tapestries and artwork. The Palace is also home to an armory, the Sabauda art gallery, Royal Library, Archaeological Museum, and Royal Gardens. A visit to the Royal Palace and gardens is included in most Turin small-group walking tours.
Things to Know Before You Go
- Inside the Royal Museums, there is a cafeteria, restrooms, and a locker room where large bags and backpacks must be stored.
- There are two wheelchair-accessible entrances: one on Piazzetta Reale and one on Piazza San Giovanni.
- Visitors may take photographs without flash or tripods inside the Royal Museums.
- Modest attire covering shoulders and knees is required to enter the Chapel of the Holy Shroud.
- Admission to the Royal Gardens and reading room in the Royal Library is free; there is a single ticket for access to all the museums in the Royal Palace complex.
How to Get There
The Royal Palace is located on Piazza Castello, a short walk from the Porta Nuova train station. From the nearby city of Milan, you can take a day trip to Turin via the high-speed train that runs between these two capitals.
When to Get There
Though the Royal Palace museum complex stays open until 7:30pm, there is a lot of ground to cover and it takes at least two hours to visit, so plan to begin your visit by the late afternoon. The complex is closed Monday; the library is closed Sunday.
The House of Savoy’s Controversial Shroud
The Holy Shroud, housed in a chapel adjoining the palace and cathedral, has been the subject of debate by theologians and historians for centuries, because its authenticity as the cloth laid over Jesus’ body after his crucifixion has never been officially recognized by the Catholic Church. However, this doesn’t deter the thousands of faithful and curious who come to view this religious relic on the rare occasions when it is shown publicly.
Address: Turin, Italy
Admission: Free
From $ 17
Museum of the Automobile (Museo dell'Automobile)
Turin is headquarters to Fiat and Alfa Romeo, so it's only fitting that the city is home to the Museum of the Automobile, as well. With one of the largest collections of cars on display in Europe, this museum is a mecca for antique car enthusiasts as well as those interested in prototypes for cars of the future.
The Basics
The Museum of the Automobile (Museo dell'Automobile) was founded in 1932, making it one of the oldest automobile museums in the world. In 2011, the complex underwent an extensive renovation and reopened with a contemporary new look and engaging curation. Its three floors walk visitors through the automotive history of not just Italy, but the world, with a collection of nearly 200 cars (including some of the first cars made in Italy), as well as racing cars made by Ferrari and Alfa Romeo. There are cars from eight different countries on display, plus an extensive library on automotive history.
A stop at the Museum of the Automobile is a must for car buffs, and the museum can be visited during a hop-on-hop-off tour of Turin along with other city sights like Piazza Castello, the Mole Antonelliana, Piazza Carlo Felice, and the Duomo.
Things to Know Before You Go
- In addition to the permanent collection, the museum hosts a number of temporary exhibitions dedicated to automobiles and automotive history.
- The museum is wheelchair accessible.
- The Museum of the Automobile is especially engaging for kids interested in cars.
- There is a museum shop and cafe located in the ground-floor atrium.
How to Get There
The Museum of the Automobile is located just south of the center of Turin just along the Po River, and is well-served by a number of city bus lines and the Lingotto metro stop. Turin is a major transport hub in northern Italy, and it's connected by high-speed rail to other important Italian cities like Milan, Rome, Florence, and Venice.
When to Get There
The museum is open daily except Monday afternoons and Tuesday mornings. It's best to visit on weekdays, when the space is less crowded than it is on weekends.
Turin's Automotive Past
The sprawling Lingotto building, just around the corner from the Museum of the Automobile, was originally a FIAT automobile factory that opened in the 1920s and was shuttered in 1982. Architect Renzo Piano revamped the complex, and it now contains concert halls, a theater, a convention and shopping center, and a hotel. Visitors can still see the original internal spiral roadway used to move cars through the vertical assembly line and the rooftop test track.
Address: Corso Unitàd'Italia, 40, Torino, Italy
Admission: Varies
From $ 14