Turin

FIRST ITALIAN CAPITAL

Turin, or Torino in Italian, Italy’s first capital city from 1861–1864, in the greater Metropolitan City of Turin, Città Metropolitana di Torino, at the base of the Alps in the northwestern Italian region of Piedmont, or Piemonte.

The Po River, which flows on the east side of the city, crosses the northern country from its Alpine origin in the west to the Adriatic Sea within the greater Mediterranean Sea in the east. Historic royal palace residences within and surrounding the city from the House of Savoy, evidence of the Duchy whose dominant power peaked in the 18th century, were declared UNESCO World Heritage sites.

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Basics

• Torino: Province + Metropolitan City (provincial namesake capital + regional capital of Piemonte)
• Languages: Italian and Piemontese
• Currency: Euro; VISA and MasterCard are widely accepted
• Airport: Torino Airport (TRN), known simply as Caselle
• Train Stations: Torino Porta Susa and Torino Porta Nuova are closest to the center
• Transportation: Metro, tram, and bus passes (daily, 48- & 72-hour, 7-day) — purchase at rail stations, newsstands, or Tabaccherie (tobacco shops indicated at the entry by a blue sign with a large white T)
• Bicycles and scooters: popular forms of transportation on designated paths and lanes with a bike share program throughout the city
• Safety: Safe and well-policed with a low crime rate; friendly, walkable city; public spaces are warmly lit and enjoyed after dark (like any city, take general precautions and be aware of your surroundings)

Torino Favorites

Rail

• Trenitalia high-speed FRECCE trains from Torino Porta Susa take just under 1 hour to Milan, with service to all other major cities, like Venice. I found this “Walks of Italy” rail GUIDE to be very helpful.
• TrainLine rail app is a good resource for making reservations
• Rail Europe is also a great source for making necessary train reservations—more travel information can be found in my post on an earlier trip: Northwestern Europe
• Our Eurail passes covered our train travel between cities and villages within our selected countries on the continent
• Although we walked, local bus transport is available throughout Florence—Visit Florence provides good information

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