1 Ultimate Day in Turin, Italy

1 Ultimate Day in Turin, Italy

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. Note: When you click and buy through links in this guide, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. To help fund production of these guides, tips are highly appreciated.
Updated ago
3
Share

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.

CONTENTS

MATTINA (MORNING)

☕️ Caffè | Colazione

🏰 Royal History

POMERIGGIO (AFTERNOON)

🍝 Lunch | Pranzo

🛍️ Passeggiata (Stroll)

🏛️ Musei (Museums)

SERA (EVENING)

🍽️ Cena (Dinner)

BEFORE + AFTER

🚄 Frecciarossa (High-Speed Train)

🛌 Alberghi (Hotels)

MATTINA (MORNING)

☕️ Caffè | Colazione

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.

Caffè Al Bicerin
@aligiaudrone
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.
Add to
Details

Looking for something more local? Check out my in-depth guides of Turin and the Piedmont region with over 100 recommendations.

Turin is so underrated. With a fairytale backdrop of the Alps, the city along the Po River feels refined but in a relaxed way. Charm and quality still feel friendly and warm. Historic Torino (as we say in Italian) is renowned for its rich heritage, a history spanning over two millennia, iconic landmarks, and its role as the host of the 2006 Winter Olympics. Discover its roots in Ancient Rome and past ties to the House of Savoy with an interactive guidebook. This digital guide focuses within the city limits of Turin and is filled with info and insider tips gained through my hours of research, the experience of my travels, and by talking with locals. Unlock this guide to uncover hidden gems and day trips with information, photos, links, and bonus guides to provide a visual sense of this place. Discover what to see in the neighborhoods of Turin, where to eat, sleep, and shop. Then, go beyond into the greater Metropolitan Turin province and Piedmont region. Discover: 🏛️ 32 points of interest 🍽️ 28 restaurants, cafes + bars 🛍️ 10 places to shop 🛌 4 places to stay (+ 4 transport hubs) In addition to cultural immersion, in this guide you'll get a: 1. Interactive map 2. Portable, mobile-first format 3. "Remixable" make-your-own itinerary 4. "Living" guide that receives updates This guide is intended for you to make your own. Explore at your own pace within your available timeframe. Visit all of the sites or just those that call to you. Skip around or simply glance on the way to your next meal. As a travel expert and creative, I built AMG Inspired to design quality architecture and support sustainable tourism, defined as “tourism that respects both local people and the traveler, cultural heritage and the environment.” Be sure to tag @amginspired in your photos.
$20.00

🏰 Storia Reale (Royal History)

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.

Palatine Gate
@aligiaudrone
Roman ruins from the wall of Augustus in Parco Archeologico Torri Palatine (partially rebuilt in 1400)
Add to
Details

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.

Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist
@aligiaudrone
Also known as the Duomo di Torino, the Turin Cathedral dedicated to Saint John the Baptist was built at the end of the 15th century.
Add to
Details
Royal Palace of Turin
@aligiaudrone
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.
Add to
Details
Palazzo Madama
@aligiaudrone
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.
Add to
Details

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. 

Ristorante Consorzio
@aligiaudrone
€€ Try agnolotti and panna cotta at this Michelin's Bib Gourmand-rated restaurant.
Add to
Details

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.

Via Giuseppe Garibaldi
@aligiaudrone
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.
Add to
Details
Piazza Palazzo di Città
@aligiaudrone
City Hall is reached by Via Palazzo di Città from Piazza Castello.
Add to
Details
GROM
@aligiaudrone
All-natural gelato is served at this popular local gelateria chain.
Add to
Details
Juventus Store
@aligiaudrone
Sport your official black and white striped Juve jersey from one of two local Serie A football (soccer) teams.
Add to
Details

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.

Piazza Castello
@aligiaudrone
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.
Add to
Details
Galleria San Federico
@aligiaudrone
Stile Liberty (Art Nouveau) indoor shopping gallery
Add to
Details
Piazza San Carlo
@aligiaudrone
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.
Add to
Details
Via Roma
@aligiaudrone
This pedestrian shopping street runs from Piazza Castello through Piazza San Carlo and continues to Piazza Carlo Felice at Stazione Porta Nuova.
Add to
Details

From here, you could continue down Via Roma and through Giardino Sambuy to Porta Nuova Train Station.

🏛️ Musei (Museums)

Egyptian Museum
@aligiaudrone
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.
Add to
Details
Palazzo Carignano
@aligiaudrone
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.
Add to
Details

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.

Baratti & Milano
@aligiaudrone
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.
Add to
Details

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.

Caffè Fiorio
@aligiaudrone
This historic cafe-bar opened in 1780 and continues to serve the best, most traditional cappuccino and macchiato along with fresh, all-natural gelato.
Add to
Details

Read my article to learn about ordering coffee in Italy:

Mole Antonelliana
@aligiaudrone
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.
Add to
Details

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.

Piazza Vittorio Veneto
@aligiaudrone
The largest baroque plaza in Europe faces the Po River at the end of Via Po.
Add to
Details

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.

€€€€

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.

Ristorante Del Cambio
@aligiaudrone
€€€€ 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.
Add to
Details
Bar Cavour
@aligiaudrone
Enjoy cocktails before dinner (aperitivi)—or drinks after—at the bar of Del Cambio.
Add to
Details

€€

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.

L'Acino
@aligiaudrone
€€ 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.
Add to
Details
La Piola
@aligiaudrone
€€ 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.
Add to
Details

Fratelli Milù Ristorante Pizzeria
@aligiaudrone
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!
Add to
Details

Read my article about kinds of pizza in Italy:

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.

Torino Porta Susa
@aligiaudrone
One of the two central train stations in Turin, this one services Milan via the Frecciarossa.
Add to
Details
Porta Nuova
@aligiaudrone
Trains from this beautiful station service Genoa on the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea. Trains to Milan first stop at Torino Porta Susa.
Add to
Details

🛌 Alberghi (Hotels)

Turin Palace Hotel
@aligiaudrone
The grandeur of this Michelin-rated hotel matches that of the grand Porta Nuova train station across the street.
Add to
Details
Hotel NH Piazza Carlina
@aligiaudrone
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.
Add to
Details

FOLLOW ME

Be sure to tag @amginspired in your Instagram photos.

* * *
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ciao, Bonjour, こにちわ, Hola, I'm Ali Giaudrone, the creator of AMG Inspired (see website link), crafting Inspired Guides. Tap into my insight. As an avid traveler, I dive deeply into places of the world, valuing experiences over checking boxes. My Inspired Guides are informative interactive digital guidebooks offering you traveler tips gained through my hours of research, travel experiences, and talking with locals. My Focus: Architecture | Food | Culture As a designer, I've traveled throughout Europe and the Western world to learn about architectural products and methods. Now as a luxury travel advisor, I share culturally enriching experiences that aren't necessarily opulent but are focused on quality and authenticity. The best way to understand the world is to experience the unique aspects of places with an open mind and heart. I want to inspire others to experience the beauty and food of places I discover through my travels and research. Let my stories and photos spark your own journey. Then connect with me to help make your travel dreams come true. BACKGROUND: 🏛️✍🏼📷🥘✈️ Architectural Designer | Writer + Photographer | Travel Creator Over the years, my travels—along with a career in architectural design and hospitality—have deepened my appreciation for the fine details and quality that define exceptional experiences. Through these experiences, I’ve learned that the best way to understand the world is by exploring its unique aspects with an open mind and heart. I built AMG Inspired to create quality architecture and support sustainable tourism defined as “tourism that respects both local people and the traveler, cultural heritage and the environment.” Join me as I find cool places, great food, and interesting features. Check out my library. Let me know if you'd like me to create a custom guide for you with recommendations and/or itineraries focused on your needs, desires, and length of trip.
Send A Tip
Support Ali Giaudrone’s work.
Select your tip amount
$5
$10
$20
$50
Or type in other amount
Powered by Thatch
The home for unique & authentic travel
Powered by Thatch: Where great trips are made.
© Ali Giaudrone 2024 Help Privacy Terms Copyright Become a Seller Seller Academy About Careers Blog Explore Places