Turin

In a beautiful position, so close to the Alps that on clear days (of which there are many, in spite of what natives say) it seems as if you could almost touch them. After a windy day the view from the top of the Mole Antonelliana or from the Superga Basilica is truly sensational. Even the relationship of the city with the river is very beautiful, in spring blooming trees and bushes adorn the river banks and the green hills. When the sky is clear the air is invigorating and similar to mountain air, so that you feel full of energy and you can walk for hours without getting tired, hungry, or thirsty. If it is possible, don't hurry: Turin needs to be appreciated slowly, getting lost in the orthogonal knitting of its straight streets, which all seem the same but are really different, which flow into large, beautiful piazzas full of light, bordered by powerful noble private and public buildings of different periods, entering elegant courtyards, pausing to look at shops in the large glass galleries. You can study an itinerary on a map of the centre, but you should, however, be ready to modify it, to visit a building if you find it open, to go and see an unexpected exhibition along the street that you chose, to enter a antique shop or old book store and chat with the owner, to go into a nice café for a cup of hot chocolate or an aperitif with snacks (where you can also have a tranquil lunch or dinner). Differently from other cities, the major part of the personnel of the shops, hotels, and restaurants are still from Turin or at least from Piedmont; they are generally very polite and available to give information and explanations; they often are endowed of a slight sense of humour. The old shops, and some actually ancient, are numerous and very well-kept: cafés, bakeries, pharmacies, jewellers , fabric shops, etc., united in an association to maintain and preserve the historical shops. In Valentino park the small medieval village and fortress were in reality built at the end of XIXcentury, perfectly designed in medieval style by D'Andrade, one of the most important protagonists of international debate on the themes of restoration and conservation. In Superga rises the huge basilica designed by Iuvarra, one of the Baroque architects who mostly worked in Turin; from up above you'll enjoy a lovely panorama of the city. As the marvelous Sindone Chapel by Guarino Guarini, one of the great Baroque architects of the 18th century, is today in restoration due to a fire, you should at least see, in Piazza Castello, again by Guarini, the very elegant Church of San Lorenzo, the windows of the dome which seem like ironic masks with large mouths. Also by Guarini, in Piazza Carignano, the majestic Palazzo Carignano, recently entirely restored. If you happen to be in the city at the moment of the Book Fair, which takes place in the ex-industrial buildings of the FIAT at Lingotto, go to that large and lively festival. Among the royal Savoia family residences go to see la Venaria, the largest of the residences which hosted the Court for hunting competitions. It was in complete decay until some years ago, above all because of the different types of occupation that the building underwent and for its successive abandon and sacks after the Second World War. Today it has been perfectly and entirely restored with European funds and with a large commitment of the municipality. The guided visits are very interesting. To see the majestic Baroque sanctuary of the Consolata, the most beloved by the people of Turin, where people come at all hours. Immediately beside, in the small piazza from which you enter Church, in front of the entrance, you will find a small café with wooden ceiling and small marble tables, enter and ask for a "bicerìn", a drink made up of espresso coffee, melted dark chocolate, and cream, that kind ladies serve in tall goblets: an absolute speciality! If you like history and the stories full of drama of the old families, go to the beautiful Palazzo Barolo, where they will tell you everything about the origin of Barolo wine, the stormy relationships between the original owner, the noble Provana (it seems that the last name is derived from the verb "provanar" which means to bury alive) and the Savoia family, about the tragic suicide of the young only-daughter married to a Falletti di Barolo; about Giulia Colbert, affectionately called "Giulietta", niece of the French minister of finance and wife of the last of the Falletti di Barolo, about her great gifts of administrator and patron and about her relationship with Silvio Pellico. In the evenings in the area next to Piazza del Mercato di Porta Palazzo (Market Square of Porta Palazzo) you will find the young people of Turin, many restaurants, shops, and interesting bars. Up until a few years ago, it was completely overrun by crime, but actually it has been completely reclaimed and cleaned up.