Porta Nuova center and station
Elegant palaces, arcades lined with boutiques, monumental squares, historic cafés and an exceptional museum hub: this is the most elegant part of the city. For almost four centuries, the people of Turin have strived to make this district worthy of rivalling the great European capitals. A successful gamble, as the "royal" atmosphere can still be felt through the various chronological stages of this majestic urban planning. Leaving the Porta Nuova station, the fascist colonnades of via Roma run in a straight line through a string of squares, each more surprising than the last. It's hard to choose between the illuminated store windows lining the arcades and the beauty of the buildings' volumes. Piazza CLN, with its two statues of the River Po and the River Dora Riparia; Piazza San Carlo, the "living room of Turin", with its historic cafés and beautiful 17th-century buildings; and finally Piazza Castello, the true heart of the city, designed at the end of the 16th century and surrounded by arcades and remarkable palaces such as the Palazzo Madama and the Palazzo Reale, surrounded by a park that is a true haven of peace in the heart of the city. In nearby Piazza Carignano, the palace of the same name, seat of the first Italian Parliament, the historic Il Cambio restaurant and the Egyptian Museum steal the show. Nearby, in Piazza Castello, stands the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Turin's only example of Renaissance architecture. Inside is the Holy Shroud, the precious relic in which Christ's body is said to have been wrapped. Behind the Palazzo Madama begins the Via Po, which, as its name suggests, heads towards the river. But before reaching the Po, the street passes through the university district, particularly lively and animated with its bars and the imposing Mole Antonelliana, the symbol of Turin. The arcades of Via Po lead down to the vast Piazza Vittorio Veneto and the banks of the River Po. Finally, a large part of the district's urban fabric is reserved for pedestrians. A pleasant initiative by the municipality, which delights tourists and locals alike.
Roman Quadrilateral, Borgo Dora and Vanchiglia
Roman Quadrilateral. The long, lively Garibaldi shopping street (Europe's second longest at 963 m, after Bordeaux's Rue Sainte-Catherine, which is 1,250 m long) opens the passageway leading to the Roman Quadrilateral, a semi-pedestrianized area that is now the hub of Turin's nightlife. Medieval and Baroque palaces such as the Palazzo Barolo, home to major temporary exhibitions, and the Palazzo Paesana di Saluzzo, coexist with aperitif bars, wine bars with the fragrance of yesteryear, restaurants serving traditional cuisine with a pleasantly decadent decor, and vintage and trendy boutiques. The quaint, poetic charm of old Turin reaches its peak along Via Barbaroux, where, between a courtyard with stripped walls and the balconies of a popular dwelling, avant-garde art galleries, dusty second-hand stores and vintage clothing boutiques follow one another. As its name suggests, the district's location corresponds to the ancient route of Augusta Taurinorum, Roman Turin. The Porta Palazzo archaeological park is the only one in the city to commemorate this imperial past. Once through the gates, the Porta Palazzo market boasts the record for Europe's largest open-air market.
Borgo Dora and Vanchiglia. A faded, mysterious air hangs over the ancient district of Borgo Dora, one of the city's most popular and distinctive. Rhythmed by the flow of the Dora Riparia river, a tributary of the Po, Borgo Dora is famous for its extremely busy flea market, the Balôn. A vast labyrinth of overcrowded stalls, this trading tradition has survived since the 19th century and has grown in importance over the years. Turin's inhabitants love the bric-a-brac atmosphere of yesteryear, and flock to the stalls in search of a collector's item or a second-hand bicycle... Bars and studios for alternative architects and artists have recently replaced the old factory sheds that used to take advantage of the river's proximity to provide energy. And the district is not without its points of interest, such as the Cineporto, Turin's film studios. To the east of Corso San Maurizio lies the student district of Vanchiglia, with its many bars and cafés, especially around Piazza Santa Giulia, as well as curiosities such as the original façade of the building known as "Tranche de Polenta".
Lingotto, Crocetta and San Salvario
The added value of a city like Turin comes from the fact that every nook and cranny hides an interesting address or site. This makes it difficult to divide the area around the city center and the major districts into a single geographical perimeter. The southern part of the city and the eastern suburbs are therefore loosely referred to as "Lingotto and inner suburbs".
Lingotto. Off the beaten tourist track, this district's appeal has been growing for almost a century. Forever marked by the establishment of the first Fiat factory, the Lingotto (lingot, because of its rectangular shape), which gave it its name, the district is a poignant testimony to the industrial and entrepreneurial character that characterized early 20th-century Turin. And although the industrial activity has left the area since 1982, the neighborhood continues to be just as vibrant today, and perhaps even friendlier. The factory's original structure is now a multi-purpose center, housing a shopping mall, the Agnelli Pinacoteca, 11 cinemas, several restaurants, a parking lot and the annual Salons du livre. Directly opposite what was once the temple of the car stands the immense Eataly, a temple to quality Italian gastronomy and a must-see pilgrimage for gourmets from all over the world. The nearby Olympic Village and the Oval, once home to the skating competitions, celebrate the glory of Turin as an Olympic city. On the banks of the River Po, the Automobile Museum confirms the district's growing appeal.
San Salvario. This district, located between Porta Nuova station and Valentino Park, takes its name from the church of San Salvario on Via Nizza. Today, however, there's nothing sacred about the area, apart from its "damn wild" atmosphere! If you're looking for Turin's multicultural soul in San Salvario, you won't be disappointed. Long forgotten by the Turinese, who only saw it as an immigration district, it has recently regained its aura thanks to the spirit of its nightlife. There's no shortage of bars and restaurants here: pubs, rum shops, restaurants and rotisseries all form a single open-air lounge. Small and medium-sized businesses are also plentiful here, from handicrafts to patisseries. And for your viewing pleasure, along Via Saluzzo, Via Berthollet and Via Baretti, the 19th-century buildings have retained all their character. The immense Valentino Park invites you to stretch out on one of its lawns, while along the riverbanks, canoe clubs have been keeping alive the tradition of this sport, so un-city-like, for over a century...
Crocetta. Separated from San Salvario by the tracks leading to the Porta Nuova station, Crocetta is an elegant, tree-lined district. Its standing buildings, built in various architectural styles from neo-Gothic to Turin Liberty, its daily market and, above all, the headquarters of the Politecnico, make this part of Turin one of the pillars of its identity. A quiet part of the city, it is lively in the mornings when the market takes place on the Largo Gian Domenico Cassini side. Further north, don't miss the GAM, Turin's modern art gallery.
Beyond the Po
Bursting with greenery, this district on the right bank of the River Po has long been one of the city's most bourgeois. Untouched by urban development, pretty alleyways lined with elegant mansions wind between the trees of the hillside. The Liberty style (Italian Art Nouveau) has flourished here. The church of the Gran Madre di Dio and its mysterious statues seem to guard access to this privileged domain. In the heart of the district, pretty perfume and fabric boutiques, themed bookstores and small restaurants with gardens nestle on street corners. A beautiful walk leads to Villa della Regina with its urban vineyard and up to the Capuchin Mount with its conventual complex; this romantic spot offers one of the finest views of the city. A little further on, at an altitude of 600 m, the Superga basilica stands silently guard over the necropolis of the House of Savoy.
