Turin (Torino) is a city of elegant arcades, regal piazzas, and mountain-framed views. Once the first capital of unified Italy (1861–1865) under the House of Savoy, it still wears its royal pedigree in palaces, grand boulevards, and a refined café culture.

Beyond the aristocratic sheen lies serious culture: the Egyptian Museum is second only to Cairo, the National Cinema Museum crowns the Mole Antonelliana, and contemporary design hums inside a converted Fiat factory at Lingotto. Chocolate, vermouth, and grissini were perfected here, while nearby hills produce Barolo and truffles.

Turin is walkable and wonderfully arcaded—handy in rain or summer sun. Many museums close on Mondays; dinner reservations are wise on weekends. For value, consider the city’s museum card, and savor local specialties like vitello tonnato, agnolotti del plin, tajarin, and bicerin (a layered coffee-chocolate cream).

Turin

Elegant yet creative, Turin balances stately history with a thriving food scene. Start at Piazza Castello and Piazza San Carlo, then wander the Quadrilatero Romano and San Salvario for aperitivo and dinner.

• Top sights: Royal Palace and Armoury, Cathedral and Guarini’s Shroud Chapel, Egyptian Museum, Mole Antonelliana (Cinema Museum), Piazza San Carlo, Valentino Park and the Borgo Medievale, Basilica di Superga (hilltop views).
• Food and drink: Sip a bicerin at Caffè al Bicerin (since 1763), taste gianduiotti from artisans like Guido Gobino and Peyrano, and try Piedmontese classics—agnolotti del plin, brasato al Barolo, and hazelnut desserts.
• Fun facts: Turin helped popularize aperitivo, invented grissini breadsticks for a young King, and pioneered Italian automotive history at Fiat’s Lingotto, whose rooftop test track you can still see.

Where to stay (our curated picks):

• Classic luxury, steps from Via Roma: Principi di Piemonte | UNA Esperienze — polished rooms, spa, sweeping city views. Check rates
• Design in a landmark: NH Torino Lingotto Congress — inside the former Fiat factory; spacious rooms and easy metro access. Check rates
• Chic value near Porta Nuova: Hotel Bologna — compact, comfortable, and walkable to main sights. Check rates
• Top budget/social vibe: Tomato Backpackers Hotel (San Salvario) — friendly, smartly run, great for solo travelers. Check rates
• Prefer an apartment? Browse entire homes and unique stays: VRBO Turin or compare hotels across budgets on Hotels.com.

Getting to Turin:

• By train (within Europe): High-speed services connect Milan (about 1 hour, ~€15–€35), Bologna (2h15, ~€25–€50), Florence (3h, ~€35–€70), and Rome (4h15–4h30, ~€40–€85). Search timetables and prices on Omio Trains. Budget buses also run; compare on Omio Buses.
• By air: Turin Airport (TRN) has flights from major European hubs; compare fares on Omio Flights (Europe). From TRN, the airport bus to Porta Susa/Porta Nuova takes ~35–45 minutes (~€7–€8); taxis take ~30 minutes (~€30–€40).

Day 1: Piazzas, Porticoes, and Turin by Night

Morning: Travel to Turin and check into your hotel. Drop your bags, freshen up, and get oriented under the city’s gracious arcades along Via Roma and Piazza San Carlo.

Afternoon: Start with an easy introduction on the Turin Highlights Small-group Walking Tour (about 2 hours). You’ll trace Piazza CLN to Piazza Castello, passing royal façades, elegant galleries, and stories of the Savoy court.

Reward yourself with a historic pick-me-up: a bicerin at Caffè al Bicerin (layers of espresso, chocolate, and cream) or pastries at Baratti & Milano beneath Galleria Subalpina. Stroll Galleria San Federico—film buffs may recognize it from Italian cinema.

Evening: Join aperitivo hour in the Quadrilatero Romano: try Pastis for a Negroni with small plates, or Porto di Savona (piazza Vittorio Veneto) for Piedmontese nibbles. For dinner, consider:

• Consorzio — nose-to-tail and Slow Food champions; order vitello tonnato and agnolotti del plin.
• Tre Galline — a classic for tajarin (silky egg pasta) and brasato al Barolo.

Cap the night with the atmospheric Torino Magica® Evening Tour, exploring Turin’s legends of white and black magic, Masonic symbols, and uncanny corners after dark.

Day 2: Masterpieces of Egyptology and the Savoy Court

Morning: Espresso first: Orso Laboratorio Caffè pulls meticulous single-origin shots; Caffè Mulassano is beloved for its tramezzini. Then dive into antiquity on the Turin: Egyptian Museum 2-hour monolingual guided experience. Mummies, statuary, papyri—the collection is second only to Cairo, beautifully displayed with compelling storytelling.

Lunch options nearby: Mercato Centrale Torino (inside Porta Palazzo) for a curated food hall spanning agnolotti to fried seafood, or Pastificio Defilippis on Via Lagrange for hand-rolled tajarin and plin.

Afternoon: Step into the House of Savoy at the Royal Palace: gilded halls, the Royal Armoury’s dazzling arms, and the restored Shroud Chapel. Save time with the Small-group Royal Palace Skip-the-line Tour. Afterwards, cross to Piazza Castello, then amble to the riverside and Valentino Park for a breather under plane trees.

Evening: Dinner in San Salvario: Scannabue is a neighborhood favorite (expect seasonal Piedmontese plates), or head to Ristorante Solferino near Piazza Solferino for refined classics. Sweet finale at Gelateria Alberto Marchetti or La Romana. Nightcap options include Bar Cavour (upstairs from Del Cambio) for impeccable cocktails or Jazz Club Torino if you fancy live music.

Day 3: Barolo Hills—Wine, Views, and Truffles

Spend your last day in the Langhe, where undulating vineyards produce Barolo and Barbaresco. Join the Full day Barolo&Barbaresco Wine Tour from Torino with a local winemaker for cellar visits, tastings of nebbiolo-based wines, and panoramic villages like La Morra or Barbaresco. Expect an 8–9 hour outing with 2–3 wineries and a leisurely lunch featuring tajarin with ragù or carne cruda all’albese.

Back in Turin, keep dinner light: graze on cheeses, salumi, and vegetable antipasti with a glass of vermouth at a wine bar around Piazza Vittorio Veneto, or sample regional counters at Eataly Lingotto. For a farewell view, stroll the Po’s Murazzi embankments; if time allows before sunset, taxi up to Monte dei Cappuccini for the city skyline and Alps beyond.

Practical bites and sips to bookmark:

• Historic cafés: Caffè al Bicerin (bicerin), Baratti & Milano (gianduiotti, sabaione), Platti (classic pastries).
• Chocolate stops: Guido Gobino tasting room, Peyrano, Venchi for fun and gifts.
• Markets: Porta Palazzo (Europe’s largest open-air market) for seasonal fruit, cheese, and street snacks like farinata.
• Aperitivo hubs: Quadrilatero Romano and San Salvario; order a Americano or local vermouth on ice with citrus.

Getting onward: Afternoon departures are easy—Porta Nuova and Porta Susa connect to Milan in ~1 hour and Rome in ~4h20. Check schedules and book seats on Omio Trains; compare flights across European hubs via Omio Flights. Buses can be a good-value backup from central stations: Omio Buses.

In three days, you’ll have traced royal corridors, sipped Turin’s storied drinks, and gazed over vineyards that define Piedmont’s table. It’s a city that rewards the curious—and invites you back for another round of palaces, porticoes, and perfect pasta.