Travel guide Turin

It's a tradition that's firmly rooted in the habits of the Turinese, who dispute the paternity of the Milanese and Genoese. More than just a preamble to dinner,aperitivo has become a rite of relaxation after work and a way to meet new people. Not to be confused with merenda sinoira, a late afternoon meal intended to replace dinner.

Since the early ^20th century, Turin has been the undisputed automotive capital of Italy. As the birthplace of Fiat, Turin enjoys a genuine love affair with the company, to the extent that it has succeeded in turning an industrial sector into a tourist attraction, notably with the restoration of the Lingotto, the historic factory built in 1915.

Coffee, hot chocolate, milk cream, and sometimes fresh cream: what better way to warm your body and heart than inside one of Turin's beautiful historic cafés? The bicerin (which means "little glass" in the local dialect) is a typical and traditional drink of Turin, known and appreciated since the 18th century.

Gianduja is a tasty paste of IGP Piedmont hazelnuts flavored with cocoa, popularized outside Italy by the Ferrero company. A small chocolate in the shape of an upside-down ship's hull, surrounded by golden paper, gianduiotto, created over a century ago, is one of the great prides of Turin's rich chocolate-making tradition.

A mythical soccer team, "Juve" embodies the very essence of soccer for the people of Turin. Linked to the Agnelli family for almost a century, the club in the black-and-white jersey has remained in Serie A for most of its history. Its supporters have every reason to be proud, as it is one of the most prize-winning teams in the world.

It's Turin's landmark. Commissioned from Alessandro Antonelli in 1862 and completed in 1889, the tower is 167 metres high. From its summit, which can be reached by elevator, there is an impressive view of the city and the entire region. Today, La Mole houses the National Cinema Museum, which is also truly extraordinary!

Turin is very proud of its alpine landscape and makes the most of it. The crown of snow-covered peaks is as much a part of the urban landscape as the Po River or the Mole Antonelliana. The 2006 Winter Olympics, admirably organized by the city, have made Turin the capital of winter sports.

The Po, Italy's longest river, runs alongside the city, shaping the urban landscape and creating evocative vistas. The people of Turin live in symbiosis with "their river". There are many rowing clubs, as the river in Turin is forbidden to commercial or tourist transport. The Po belongs to sportsmen and women, and its banks to strollers.

Since 1578, when it was transferred from Chambéry by the House of Savoy, the city of Turin has been the guardian of the Holy Shroud, the shroud that is said to have wrapped Christ's body in his tomb after his death on the cross. It is one of the world's most precious and famous relics, despite ongoing debates about its authenticity.

In 1986, in the Langhe region, a few friends, as a pacifist reaction to the opening of a restaurant of a famous brand of fast food in Rome, founded a movement advocating good eating and slowness, which the logo, a snail, symbolizes wonderfully. Since then the movement has become international, but its headquarters are still in Bra, south of Turin.

These are the pretty little bull-headed fountains that have dotted the city since the 1930s. In Turin dialect, toret means "little bull": the bull is the animal symbol of Turin. You'll find them particularly in parks and gardens. Originally made of iron, they are now made of cast iron and painted green.

Piedmont's wines rank among the best in the world, especially Barolo, "the king of wines and the wine of kings", highly prized by aesthetes. And let's not forget Nebbiolo and Barbaresco, the perfect accompaniment to Piedmont's subtle, local cuisine, with its emphasis on white truffles, another of the region's treasures.