Photo: Wikibusters · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Turin
Royal palaces, the Egyptian Museum and café culture.
Italy's elegant first capital: royal palaces, kilometres of arcades, the world's second-greatest Egyptian museum and a café culture built on chocolate and vermouth. Calmer and cheaper than Milan, two hours from the Alps.
Places to see
- Mole Antonelliana and Cinema MuseumMuseum · Turin's symbol, a brick tower with a needle spire, with a playful cinema museum…≈ A$26
Egyptian MuseumMuseum · Mummies, painted coffins, papyri and a whole hall of pharaohs' statues lit dramatically…≈ A$33
Royal Palace of TurinMuseum · Gilded state rooms of the Savoy kings, a royal armoury lined with knights on horseback,…≈ A$26
Turin CathedralChurch · A plain white Renaissance church where the famous Shroud is kept out of sight; a…
When to go
- Jan7° / -2°Some rainQuiet
- Feb10° / -1°Some rainQuiet
- Mar14° / 3°Some rainBusy
- Apr18° / 7°Some rainBusy
- May22° / 11°Often wetBusy
- Jun27° / 15°Some rainBusy
- Jul29° / 18°Some rainQuiet
- Aug28° / 17°Some rainQuiet
- Sep
Staying and getting around
Good areas to stay
Piazza Castello and Via Roma. Royal Turin: palaces, arcades, the Egyptian Museum and the Mole.
Quadrilatero Romano. The old Roman grid of lanes, wine bars and the cathedral.
San Salvario. Lively bars and international food by Porta Nuova station and the Valentino park.
Porta Palazzo and Valdocco. Europe's biggest open-air market and its working neighbourhood; good-value beds nearby.
Flying in
Turin Caselle (TRN): Bus to Porta Nuova, about 50 min, ≈ A$13.
Flewaway's estimate for the usual budget way into Turin; check times and fares before you fly.
Getting around
Mostly on foot. A single ticket is ≈ A$3. Arcaded streets make the centre easy on foot. Trams, buses and the metro cost about €1.90 for 100 minutes (check); the Torino+Piemonte Card covers many museums.
Tourist tax
Turin's city tax: usually about €2–3 a person a night in hostels and B&Bs, more in hotels, for the first nights; under-12s don't pay. Paid at check-in (check).
