Turin Italy – Tourist Attractions and Things to Do

Last updated by Indrani Ghose on Jan 2023.

Turin in Italy has several Tourist Attractions and interesting things to do. 20th century saw the rise of Turin as Italy’s industrial center. However that status hasn’t negated its heritage status in any manner. This city was once the seat of the powerful Savoy dynasty. Competing with their rivals they were determined to make their capital city as beautiful as Paris and Vienna.

Check this: 16 Exciting Europe Day Trips by Road

Is Turin worth visiting?

Torino is one quick day trip destination from Milan. We added this city to our Italy itinerary because of its UNESCO status. Turin is worth visiting for its long list of medieval attractions which are well maintained by Turin Tourism. Turned out that it was a good decision because Turin is a lot less touristy than some of the other cities of Italy. The chapel of Shroud makes it a holy place too, hence an ideal place to visit for tourists who are spiritually inclined.

The city today is a very exciting mix of ancient buildings and modern skyscrapers. The old buildings still retained their charm and magic. Museums, palaces, theaters, churches, cafes, all were in abundance there. If there was something lacking, it was the time in our hand. Read on to more about the top tourist attractions and things to do in Turin Italy.

Where in Italy is Turin

Before I explain further about what to do in Turin for a day let me help you out with tips on how to reach Turin.

Turin city, Torino in Italian, Augusta Taurinorum in Latin, is capital of Torino Provincia and of Piemonte (Piedmont) region in northwestern Italy. It is located on the junction of the Sangone, Dora Riparia, and Stura di Lanzo rivers with Po River which we crossed during our road trip from Milan to Turin. Nestled on a fairly flat plateau with backdrop of snow-capped Alps makes it a very scenic place.

Since we had hired a car for self drive through Italy reaching Turin by road was the best option.

By air: Turin has its own international airport, Torino Caselle or Torino Sandro Pertini (TRN), located 16 km northwest of the city centre. Take a shuttle bus from Caselle Airport to the city centre. It takes around 45 minutes.

By train: taking the high-speed train from Milan too is a great efficient mode of transportation. The two main rail companies in Italy have direct trains departing from Milan that get you to Turin in less than one hour.

Top Attractions in Turin Italy

Piazza Castello in Turin

We started our tour from Piazza Castello. Major historical monuments of Turin like Palazzo Madama and Palazzo Reale  are located here.

Palazzo Reale: Royal Palace of Turin

We visited the Palazzo Reale – the royal Palace of Turin. Built in 1646, it was residence of the royal family till 1865. It has a grand entrance, the interiors royal with rich tapestries, exquisite Chinese and Japanese vases. What a pity that photography was not permitted! It is just three months now and my memories have worn off quite a bit, wish there were photographs to refresh them.

Entrance to the palace is guarded by the statues of two mythical twins, read about them here: Castor and Pollux of Greek mythology.

Palazzo Reale in Turin Italy – Tourist Attractions and Things to Do

Chapel of the Holy Shroud

Next to the Palazzo Reale is the Cathedral of San Giovanni Battista. This was Turin’s first example of Renaissance architecture, built between 1492 and 1498. We walked across to the cathedral to see its  main attraction, the Santa Sindone, Holy Shroud. It was amazing to see it on display  in a bulletproof, fireproof, and climate controlled vault behind the altar in the left transept. Read more: Cathedral of San Giovanni Battista.

Palazzo Madama in Turin

Below is the view from the rear of Palazzo Madama with interesting architecture. A dark grey monument, one of the various UNESCO World Heritage monuments scattered in Turin. The rear part has been restored and maintains an ancient look while the front part of this Palazzo has, baroque facade, modern designs in white stone.

It was the first seat of the Italian parliament, today it houses museum with collection of rare ancient artifacts. You can go up the towers for mind blowing views of Turin town all around.

Palazzo Madama in Turin

Palazzo Carignano

Add the Carignan Palace to your list if you have time enough. It has a strikingly beautiful façade and is the third palace-museum to visit, after the above two palazzos. This palace-museum houses the Italian Risorgimento Museum and presents the history of Italy through numerous texts, documents, films and superb paintings.

Roman Amphitheatre Ruins

The most spectacular was the remains of Roman amphitheater; this belongs to first century BC. It is in ruins today, yet the atmosphere around it was silencing, history untouched by the modern structures coming around it. I hope it survives the wear and tear of time for many many more years.

Museums in Torino Italy

If you are a museum lover, a history buff, keep aside more than a day to see them all. Turin has a good mix of museums that display the latest technology as well as old historical remains.

Egyptian Museum – This museum has an impressive collection of 26,000 ancient Egyptian artefacts and antiquities collected between the 18th and 20th century. After a lot of renovations and reorganizing of the collections the museum was opened in 2015. This is now listed in tourist attractions and things to do in Turin Italy.

National Museum of the Automobile – Automobile industries like Fiat, Lancia, Iveco, Pininfarina, Bertone, Giugiaro, Ghia, Cisitalia have had their headquarters at Torino Italy for long. Naturally the idea of constructing a museum of automobiles seemed perfect. It was started in 1960, and dedicated to Giovanni Agnelli, founder of FIAT cars. The museum’s building and permanent exhibition were completely renovated in 2011.

National Cinema Museum – Turin’s most recognizable landmark and home to the National Cinema Museum has interesting architectural feature. You can read more here: Mole Antonelliana

What to Eat in Turin

Turin has amazing varieties of wine, cheese, chocolate and truffles. Turin is said to have invented the solid form of chocolate. A must have here is the hot chocolate drink called Bicerin. Visiting the city’s oldest café, Bicerin, which has been open since 1763, is another must do activity while you are in the city.

Torino is best explored on foot. Like other Northern Italian towns and cities you can find many secret places to discover the best chocolate. If you have time enough take a self-guided chocolate tour of the city. The tourist office in the town centre provides plenty of maps and leaflets to help you plan.

Have Ice Creams at Gelatarias

Palazzo Castello, the huge square is lined with several Gelatarias, ice cream shops. Summers will be a good time to visit when you can have ice creams and walk along the square admiring its water fountains.

Drink the Italy’s most favorite Espresso

I got my first taste of Lavazza Espresso here. Espresso is a full-flavored, concentrated form of coffee that is served in “shots.” They make it by forcing pressurized hot water through very finely ground coffee beans using an espresso machine.

What to do in Turin in two days

If you are planning to stay over for the night in Torino you can plan a day trip to one of the nearby vineyards. The Piedmont region of Northern Italy is well known for its rich reds, specifically Barolo and Barbaresco.

Did you like this travel blog on Turin sightseeing for a day?

If you have liked this list of things to see in Turin please consider saving and sharing this post to plan a visit to Turin City. You can follow me on my social media handles Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook to see the wonderful destinations, beautiful offbeat places and get instant updates about them.

Pin this for later