Turin, a royal Savoy city with two thousand years of history, was founded around the 3rd century BC close to its current position. It is the capital of the Piedmont region and, if you aren’t traveling by car, can be reached by air, by booking a direct flight to the Turin Caselle airport, 16 km away from the city, or by train, with direct routes to Turin, Porta Susa station.
Many artists and writers had the good fortune to be born here or chose to make it their adopted home because of the artistic atmosphere that emanates from the city that celebrates the Art Nouveau style which makes it fascinating and unique.
Today Turin is a city where the quality of life is among the best in Italy and is a hub of industry, particularly of the Italian automotive industry: this is where the headquarters of the FIAT group was born and continues to thrive.
After this brief overview of the origins and development of the city, let’s move on to the list of things to see in Turin: we will focus on what you cannot miss on your Italian tour that you can customize with Dragonfly Tours with a visit to the Piedmontese capital.
The Mole Antonelliana of Turin
The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Turin? Certainly, the Mole Antonelliana, named after the architect who designed it in 1863. With its 167 m in height, this monumental building is the symbol of the city. The Mole (pronounced Mo-lay) was born as a synagogue and then became a monument dedicated to King Vittorio Emanuele II. Today the Mole hosts one of the most unique museums in the country: the Cinema Museum. Inside, the rooms are dedicated to various genres, cameras, poster collections, video installations and much, much more. What is more, with the building’s glass elevator, you can reach 85 m in height and enjoy the panorama of Turin from a different perspective.
Piazza Castello
Piazza Castello is one of the most beautiful piazzas in Italy, and the point around which the entire artistic and cultural life of the city developed. It is also the point where the principal streets of Turin converge. It is surrounded by palaces and monuments from different eras, and it illustrates the wealth of styles that populate the city.
The Holy Shroud
Over the years, Turin has also established itself as a destination for religious tourism: the Holy Shroud of Turin, the actual shroud of the remains of Jesus, is preserved in the Cathedral dedicated to the patron saint of the city, San Giovanni Battista. A fire in 1997 effected the chapel dedicated to the custody of the shroud but it was not damaged. Since then even greater precautions are used to protect the Shroud.
The Egyptian Museum of Turin
Another site in Turin deserves particular attention, the Egyptian Museum, dedicated exclusively to the art and culture of Ancient Egypt. The museum was founded about two centuries ago, and its collection is one of the richest in the world with more than 30,000 highly sought after pieces, including the statue of Ramses II, the intact tombs of Kha and Merit, and the rock temple of Thutmose III which was transported from Egypt and entirely rebuilt on site. Your eyes will fill with wonder on a tour of Italy with Dragonfly.
What you didn’t know about the city of Turin!
Do you know what else bears the name of the city?
- The scientific world celebrated the city in 2010 by giving its name to an asteroid discovered in 1981: 9523 Torino. And also, the method used to determine the risk of impact on the Earth of asteroids or comets that are in the earth’s orbit is also called the Torino Scale.
- We all grew up with the two intrepid American police officers Starsky and Hutch and their red and white muscle car. Well, the car used by the protagonist Starsky is precisely the Ford Torino, produced for the American market between 1968 and 1976.
- Turin is the Italian city to have won more soccer titles: between the city’s two teams, Juventus and Turin, there is a strong competitive spirit, and the derbies are among the most heartfelt and heated in the country. The citizens are divided by their devotion to their teams , but united by the same passion that for years has fed the sporting tradition of the Piedmontese capital. The total number of trophies held in Turin by both teams amounts to about 60, including badges, Italian Cups and Supercup titles.