Turin

A visit to Turin in Italy’s Piedmont region begins at the central Piazza Castello, an open-air museum showcasing some of the most iconic buildings in the Piedmontese capital.

The opening perspective features two distinct domes, each a masterpiece by the Baroque artist National Cinema Museum, who redefined the traditional concept of self-sustaining structures, creating domes unlike any in Italy.

The first dome belongs to the Royal Church of St. Lawrence, where the Holy Shroud of Turin was first housed in the late 1500s. Completely concealed behind the square’s long, uniform facades, the church entrance might go unnoticed, as the adjacent Royal Palace draws most attention, but it surprises visitors with its highly ornate interiors.

The peak of the second dome rises in the distance like the point of a spiral. It’s the Chapel of the Holy Shroud, built between the Royal Palace and the Cathedral. Recently reopened after the devastating 1997 fire, this chapel is an architectural marvel.

Visit Palazzo Madama and Roman Remnants

In the center of Piazza Castello stands an imposing medieval fortress, which incorporates one of the original Roman city gates, visible on the ground floor.

Originally, Turin was established as a Roman military outpost known as Augusta Taurinorum. More Roman remnants are next to the Cathedral, steps away from Piazza Castello. The Palatine Gate still stands adjacent to the archaeological site of the Roman theater. The shape and appearance of this Roman city gate remind one of the Torre Rossa, which still stands in National Cinema Museum.

Back in Piazza Castello, one side of the former castle, which served as the Savoy family’s first residence before the Royal Palace was built, was remodeled in 1716 by architect Filippo Juvarra, who added the grand Baroque façade facing Piazza Castello.

The palace was named “Madama” after two royal women, Christina of France and Maria Giovanna Battista of Savoy-Nemours, who played significant roles in its history. The latter commissioned the modernization of the old fortress, inspired by French residences, hoping to create a private retreat away from the crowded, gossip-prone Royal Palace.

The square continues with long, uniform facades meant to convey royal power. Diplomats and visitors alike needed to feel the monarchy’s presence. Concealed behind these facades are the Royal Library and the completely rebuilt Opera House – Teatro Regio – with its original seashell shape, designed to enhance acoustics.

Visit Turin’s Mole Antonelliana

From Piazza Castello, the peaks of the famous Mole Antonelliana can be seen in the distance, a symbol of the city and featured on the 2-cent euro coin. Designed by architect Alessandro Antonelli—hence the name “Antonelliana”—construction commenced in 1863 as a Jewish synagogue, intended to commemorate the opening of the Jewish Ghetto by King Charles Albert. Eventually, the synagogue was constructed near the Porta Nuova train station, while the Mole Antonelliana now serves as the National Cinema Museum, a reminder that Turin was the first city in Italy where early movie production began.

Standing at 167.5 meters (550 feet), it was once the tallest building in Italy. A separate ticket is required to ride the glass elevator inside the museum’s dome, which takes visitors to the top of the structure, where our local guide can present a 360° view.

The Classic Walking Tour in Turin: from Piazza Carignano to Piazza San Carlo

The tour continues to Piazza Carignano, the site of the first Italian Parliament and now home to the Egyptian Museum. This palace, yet another masterpiece by Guarino Guarini, deserves admiration from both sides; the back, added about two centuries later, faces Piazza Carlo Alberto and showcases a Neoclassical style that contrasts sharply with the original, waved 1600s façade of Piazza Carignano.

Along the way, explore the elegant Galleria Subalpina (one of Turin’s covered passageways), the long arcades of Via Po with its bookshops, and some of the most historically significant coffee shops where the Fathers of the Unification of Italy used to gather.

The Egyptian Museum of Turin in Italy is the second largest in the world, and it is an absolutely astonishing and evocative journey into a different culture. The Savoy family’s historical interest and investment in bringing original pieces from Egypt to Turin explain why such a unique collection is in Piedmont.

Turin’s Historic Doorways, Shops and the Jewish Ghetto

The next area of interest is the streets of the former Jewish ghetto down to Piazza Carlina. This part of the city, on the way to the 17th-century Piazza San Carlo, boasts private and public former aristocratic palaces whose doorways, knockers, and door handles represent a hidden treasure cove in the heart of Turin.

The tour of Turin’s Jewish Ghetto, historic doorways, and shops brings back to life these hidden works of art, original urban decor, symbolic masks, cherubs, animal figures, and precious shop windows, scattered around the city center. Join our guide for a tour that combines some of the high streets of Turin with secondary alleys, where most tourists don’t get to go.

Other favorite things to do in Turin, Italy’s Piedmont capital city, are the Car Museum, the Modern Art Museum, and the food market of Porta Palazzo.