A day trip to Turin is convenient and takes just one hour from Milan via the high-speed Frecciarossa train from Milano Centrale to Stazione di Torino Porta Susa.
To squeeze the most out of just one day in this city, here’s where I’d spend my time to experience the best of Turin's architecture, culture, and local cuisine.
This tour provides a few options to allow you to pick and choose based on your interests and budget. Just be sure to walk from piazza to piazza to get a feel for this beautiful city.
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Buongiorno, Benvenuti a Torino. Hello, Welcome to Turin.
Many know of Turin as the host of the 2006 Winter Olympics and as a manufacturing hub that’s home to the FIAT Italian cars, but this city offers so much more.
The architecture and culture reflect its locale and rich history. Founded in the Po River valley by Ancient Rome, then absorbed by the Frankish Carolingians, and later ruled by the House of Savoy, Turin (Torino) was the first capital of the newly unified Italy in the 19th century. Today, this elegant city is the regional capital of Piedmont (Piemonte) bordered by the Alps in Northwest Italy.
The region is recognized as a culinary hub with great wine like red Barolo made from Nebbiolo grapes. Gianduia is locally produced creamy hazelnut-chocolate. As home to LAVAZZA—my favorite Italian coffee company—Turin brews exceptional coffee and is known for historic bars serving a variety of espresso drinks and alcoholic pleasures beyond wine, such as a Negroni, a cocktail of gin and Campari mixed with sweet vermouth by another local brand, Martini & Rossi.
Though Italian is the official language, the Piemontese dialect is a Gallo-Italic language spoken by many throughout the region. Many places use its unique terms, so it's important to distinguish this vernacular, as well as to learn some basic Italian terms, expressions, and cultural nuances.
Start the day at a local icon for this Italian-style breakfast, and maybe even indulge in a Torinese treat, the bicerin.
If you arrive at Porta Susa Train Station, walk from Piazza XVIII Dicembre, down the arcaded portico of Via Cernaia to the tree-lined pedestrian street of Corso Giuseppe Siccardi. Continue past the obelisk (tall triangular-topped stone column) in Piazza Savoia down Via della Consolata to its namesake basilica sanctuary and piazza.
Here you'll find the famed Caffé Al Bicerin, although as such, the menu items do have heavy touristy price tags. I'm a fan of their namesake drink, the bicerin. Though I couldn't do it everyday, how can you not love velvety dark chocolate melted and mixed with espresso and rich cream?
Pro Tip: "Colazione," breakfast in Italy, is typically a light fare of coffee and a pastry, just enough to hold you over until lunch. "Il bar" typically serves more than alcohol; many are open in the mornings for coffee and pastries.
Established here in Turin in 1763, this iconic cafe is today named for the bicerin, a hot drink of espresso mixed with hot chocolate and cream. Try the Marenda Regale Bicerin, a 19th-century high "tea" featuring the bicerin, or opt for other specialty drinks, teas, and aperitifs.
In addition to an array cakes and pastries, they also offer a savory assortment of tremezzini, little triangular sandwiches, and panini.
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Looking for something more local? Check out my in-depth guides of Turin and the Piedmont region with over 100 recommendations.
This neighborhood is Quadrilatero Romano, the oldest part of Turin. Let's wander through the streets surrounded by baroque architecture to discover the city's 1st-century BC Roman roots, then continue into the rest of Centro.
Roman ruins from the wall of Augustus in Parco Archeologico Torri Palatine (partially rebuilt in 1400)
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Save: If you want to maximize your experience of history and culture, purchase a 24-Hour City Card to get free entry to the main castles, fortresses, and royal residences in Turin (and beyond in Piedmont).
Walk from the archeological park to the cathedral at Piazza San Giovanni. In the far corner to the right, a loggia leads to the entrance of the Royal Palace and Piazza Castello in the heart of Torino Centro (the center), which houses several landmarks, museums, theaters, and cafes.
Musei Reali di Torino, Royal Museums of Turin, include:
The Royal Palace, Savoy Gallery, Royal Armoury, Royal Library and Archaeological Museum, Chapel of the Holy Shroud, and Chiablese Palace.
Statues of the mythical twins Castor and Pollux guard the entrance of this palace built for Carlo Emanuele II around 1646, now a protected World Heritage Site, with lavish rooms that house a treasure chest of tapestries, porcelain, and canvases.
Once a medieval castle, turned into a royal residence by the House of Savoie, then the First Senate of the Kingdom of Italy when Torino was the capital city (1861-1865), and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site housing the Museum of Acient Art.
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POMERIGGIO (AFTERNOON)
🍝 Lunch (Pranzo)
Turin is a culinary hub, known for exquisite cuisine. Taste Piemonte specialties at one of the city's many Michelin-rated restaurants.
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Try agnolotti and panna cotta at this Michelin's Bib Gourmand-rated restaurant.
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Pro Tip: "Pranzo," Italian lunch, is served in many restaurants for just a small midday window of time, so for an authentic experience, time it accordingly. Understand that a restaurant's table will be yours for the duration of the mealtime. There will be no rushed feeling by the restaurant to turn it over for the next patron. In fact, you'll need to request your check when you're ready to pay since they want you to feel relaxed and welcomed to stay. As such, for the better Italian restaurants, be sure to make reservations ahead of time
After lunch, take an Italian "passeggiata" to amble along the beautiful streets. Here are some options for where to spend the afternoon:
🛍️ Shop
If leisurely shopping is your thing, Turin has miles of "portici," arcades to protect you from sun and weather, several "gallerie," indoor tunnels filled with shops and restaurants, and many pedestrian streets and squares.
After lunch stroll down pedestrian, shop-lined Via Garibaldi back toward Piazza Castello. Along the way, find City Hall ("Comune di Torino") at Piazza Palazzo di Città, then stop at local favorites to enjoy a gelato at GROM Gelateria and pickup some gear at the official Juventus store.
In an area filled with Baroque architecture and places to eat, drink, and socialize, stroll along this mostly shop-lined pedestrian street, the oldest in Turin, which runs from Piazza Statuto through Piazza Castello and the Turin University district. Pretty any time of day, the street comes to life after 10am as the shops begin to open.
Sport your official black and white striped Juve jersey from one of two local Serie A football (soccer) teams.
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Continue from Piazza Castello, stopping in Galleria San Federico, down the portico-lined pedestrian shopping street of Via Roma which runs through Piazza San Carlo.
This grand pedestrian plaza feels like the heart of Torino flanked by arcades and Palazzo Madama with the Royal Palace at one end. In the evening, the architecture comes alive as the piazza lights up with a warm glow.
This grand pedestrian plaza, known to hold events, is surrounded by 17th-century baroque architecture and porticos with famous cafes and is connected at both ends to the shopping street, Via Roma, and Galleria San Federico.
This pedestrian shopping street runs from Piazza Castello through Piazza San Carlo and continues to Piazza Carlo Felice at Stazione Porta Nuova.
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From here, you could continue down Via Roma and through Giardino Sambuy to Porta Nuova Train Station.
🏛️ Musei (Museums)
If you enjoy ancient artifacts, the Egyptian Museum is the place to start. (City Card link above; location link to make a tour reservation) The museum has an impressive collection of Egyptian artifacts—the largest outside of Egypt.
Second only to the museum in Cairo as the largest collection of Egyptian relics. Delve into the great dynasties of the pharaohs to learn about their intriguing history and secrets.
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Piazza Carignano is open on weekends (City Card link above) to learn about the 19th-century unification movement. Or, just pass through the main doorway into the central courtyard and through the loggia to find yourself on the other side in Piazza Carlo Alberto.
Piazza Carignano, an imposing baroque Savoy palace, is now a protected World Heritage Site that houses the National Museum of the Italian Risorgimento, the 19th-century unification movement. Local were out in front holding a peace rally as we approached the piazza.
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Want a late-afternoon snack? Or go for the Aperitivo
Pro Tip: Small afternoon sandwiches like the tramezzino or panino bridge the gap between lunch and dinner, which most locals start around 8:30 pm (20:30)—maybe later than you're used to.
Within Galleria Subalpina is Baratti & Milano, one of many historic cafes worth a visit. Enjoy another espresso or tea with Torinese "gianduja" (pronounced jon-DOO-yuh), chocolate creamed with hazelnuts.
Founded in 1858 and noted for having the best in world gianduiotto (chocolates with cream and hazelnuts), Baratti & Milano serves coffee drinks, tea, cakes, gelato, and sandwiches, as well as full course meals featuring regional dishes in an elegant 19th-century setting.
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With an option to stop by for “un aperitivo” (try a Negroni) before dinner, Caffè Fiorio is a great historic cafe-bar with delicious gelato on Via Po. You’ll feel transported back 250 years. Continue down this arcaded street toward the Po River.
You might take a detour on the way, past the University of Turin, to step inside the city's architectural centerpiece, Mole Antonelliana, with its iconic 121-meter high spire and the National Museum of Cinema within it (City Card link above; location link to make a tour reservation).
Today the home of Museo Nazionale del Cinema (National Museum of Cinema) is Turin’s soaring centerpiece built in the Stile Liberty (Art Nouveau) period, although when construction began in 1863, the building was intended as a synagogue but was never used as a place of worship.
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At the end of Via Po is the giant piazza surrounded grand baroque architecture overlooks the Po River. Piazza Vittorio Veneto faces Ponte Vittorio Emanuele I, the bridge that leads to the hills of the Borgo Po neighborhood on the opposite side.
The largest baroque plaza in Europe faces the Po River at the end of Via Po.
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SERA (EVENING)
🍽️ Cena (Dinner)
"Cena," dinner in Italian (pronounced CHAY-nuh), begins later in the evening, typically lasts a few hours, and is often for a specific window of time, so like lunch, time it accordingly for an authentic experience.
Italians often go to a bar for an "aperitivo," a pre-dinner espresso or cocktail such as a vermouth, Negroni, or Campari Spritz.
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Indulge in the ultimate Michelin-starred dining experience at Del Cambio with a cocktail at their Bar Cavour next door. Be sure to make reservations well ahead of time to ensure seating.
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Founded in 1757, this Michelin one-star restaurant offers a modern take on traditional local fare where up to four diners can reserve the chef's table for the ultimate gastronomic experience.
Enjoy cocktails before dinner (aperitivi)—or drinks after—at the bar of Del Cambio.
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For less pricey traditional Piemontese cuisine, try L'Acino or La Piola for which reservations may still required. Both are in the Quadrilatero district of the center, though La Piola is nearest the train station.
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A Michelin Bib Gourmand-rated restaurant that experts revere for its version of vitello tonnato, a local specialty of cold veal with tuna mayonnaise (sounds weird, but it's delicious), and the panna cotta, my favorite Italian custard dessert.
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In the local Piemontese dialect, La Piola is a trattoria or restaurant serving simple regional cuisine. Here we sampled specialties of the Piedmont region such as vitello tonnato (poached veal served cold with a tuna mayonnaise—sounds weird, but it's delicious) and agnolotti (stuffed pasta).
I recommend a starter of Antipasto Misto Piemontese for a sample platter of typical local dishes. Then as a primo piatto or first course, Agnolotti al Ragù Piemontese is stuffed pasta similar to small ravioli with a meat sauce.
You'll find delicious pizza, pasta, and dessert at this no-frills pizzeria run two spirited brothers, Michel and Luca, with their Piemontese family who we all quickly grew to adore (particularly, mamma). During the warm day we craved their homemade sorbetto al limone.
One busy night, we had stopped by Fratelli Milù with our 3-gen family of six without any reservations. After giving me a playfully hard time, Luca welcomed us to wait outside with complementary glasses of wine while they made room for us inside.
For hours, we devoured delicious pizza, pasta dishes, and dessert, talking with the staff and family. Over the next few days, we met the whole family and forged a bond that surpassed language barriers.
Grazie mille a Luca e tutta la tua famiglia!
Pro Tip: Relax knowing that a restaurant's table will be yours for the duration of the mealtime. There will be no rushed feeling by the restaurant to turn it over for the next patron. In fact, you'll need to request your check when you're ready to pay since they want you to feel relaxed and welcomed to stay. As such, for the better Italian restaurants, be sure to make reservations ahead of time.
BEFORE + AFTER
🚄 Frecciarossa (High-Speed Train)
Milan connects to Turin via the Frecciarossa high-speed train in about 1 hour. There are 2 train stations servicing Torino Centro.
With the AC Milan bus sitting out in front, we decided to stop to see what all the fuss was about just as the Serie A Club President walked out to great awaiting fans.
This Michelin-recommended Hotel NH property is well-located in a beautiful area at Piazza Carlo Emanuele II near the tram between Piazza Vittorio Veneto at the Po River, Parco del Valentino, and Palazzo Carignano in the historic center.
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