TURIN — Turin is not a city that reveals itself at first glance. It prefers to be discovered slowly, keeping some of its finest qualities discreetly out of sight.
And that is part of its charm. Wander through the historic centre and you gradually find yourself surrounded by grand royal squares, elegant arcades, unexpected corners and centuries of history.
The influence of the House of Savoy still lingers in the city's historic cafés and even in the manners of its residents, who may seem a little reserved at first but soon warm up once the conversation gets going.
There are world-class museums, of course, from the Egyptian Museum to the spectacular National Museum of Cinema inside the Mole Antonelliana.
But Turin also has more eccentric attractions, including a museum devoted to criminal anthropology and another entirely dedicated to fruit.
The pleasure lies in combining the great landmarks with the smaller discoveries — and finding time to eat and drink as the Torinese do.
Where to stay
For a weekend in Turin, there are four very different hotels to consider.
The Opera35 Boutique Hotel, a short walk from Piazza Vittorio Veneto and the River Po, occupies a late 19th-century neoclassical building where original frescoes, stucco decorations and floors sit comfortably alongside contemporary furnishings. Rooms, suites and apartments, some with kitchens, make it an appealing choice for anyone looking for a more intimate setting without sacrificing comfort.
For a more luxurious stay, Principi di Piemonte | UNA Esperienze, just off Via Roma, is one of the city's most prestigious hotels and also attracts visiting celebrities. Its five-star elegance feels entirely at home in Turin's understated, timeless atmosphere.
Near Porta Nuova station, the Turin Palace Hotel occupies a beautifully restored building dating from 1870. It has a room dedicated to the architect and designer Carlo Mollino and a panoramic terrace overlooking the city.
Then there is NH Collection Torino Piazza Carlina, housed in the former residence of Antonio Gramsci. Overlooking Piazza Carlo Emanuele II, known locally as Piazza Carlina, it combines period architecture with contemporary comforts and a particularly attractive inner courtyard.
The first walk
Start in Piazza San Carlo, one of Turin's most elegant squares, and take your time beneath the arcades. This is a city made for walking, especially when the weather is less than perfect.
From here, head towards Piazza Castello, the heart of royal Turin, where Palazzo Madama and the Royal Palace recall the centuries when the Savoy dynasty ruled from the city.
Continue towards Piazza Carignano to admire the palace that housed Italy's first parliament, with its striking curved façade designed by Guarino Guarini. Here, another side of Turin comes into view: elegant architecture, historic institutions and the city's enduring passion for good food.
At Farmacia Del Cambio, housed in an old pharmacy dating from 1833, the original wooden panelling provides the setting for a tempting display of pastries, viennoiserie and savoury specialities.
This is where the Crubik, a cube-shaped croissant, was born. An excellent excuse for an afternoon treat, even if you have only just arrived.
A taste of Piedmont
For dinner, head towards San Salvario, one of the city's liveliest neighbourhoods and home to some of its best piole — traditional Piedmontese taverns where local cooking takes centre stage.
At Scannabue, the classic trattoria has been given a contemporary twist without losing its roots. Vitello tonnato, agnolotti, tonno di Coniglio (rabbit prepared tuna-style) and Piedmontese beef share the menu with more adventurous dishes such as finanziera, a traditional speciality now rarely found elsewhere. The wine list is exceptional.
For a more informal evening, Barbagusto offers marble tables, checked tablecloths and wooden furnishings that recall old neighbourhood trattorias. The menu is a tribute to Piedmont, from raw Fassona beef and anchovies in green sauce to agnolotti del plin and tajarin. The warm welcome from Fabio and his young team is part of the experience.
Or choose Coco's, a bar and trattoria that has been around since 1973 and seems blissfully untouched by fashion. Photographs, postcards, newspaper cuttings and football memorabilia cover the walls. People drop in for a glass of wine and sometimes stay until late. The food and service are straightforward, genuine and completely unpretentious. And that is precisely its appeal.
Breakfast and the great museums
Breakfast in Turin deserves more than a hurried coffee.
At Maicol, pastry chef Maicol Vitellozzi, formerly head of the pastry laboratory at Farmacia Del Cambio, creates beautifully crafted croissants, laminated pastries and artisan breads. Among his signature creations are the Crubik and the Pianeta, playful in appearance but made with meticulous attention to technique.
Alternatively, try Tarì – Cake Lab Viennoiserie, a small bakery in the city centre where croissants and breakfast pastries become miniature works of art. Its most distinctive creation is a croissant inspired by the Mole Antonelliana, a sweet tribute to Turin's best-known landmark.
Then it is time for the museums.
The Egyptian Museum is one of Turin's essential attractions, with extraordinary collections that take visitors deep into the world of ancient Egypt.
From there, make your way towards the Mole Antonelliana, the extraordinary building that dominates the skyline and houses the National Museum of Cinema. Even before you explore the collections, the building itself is part of the experience. On a clear day, it is well worth taking the panoramic lift to admire the city from above.
If you prefer something more unusual, Turin has plenty to offer. The Cesare Lombroso Museum of Criminal Anthropology and the Museum of Fruit are reminders that the city's scientific and intellectual curiosity has always extended well beyond conventional subjects.
A quick bite or a proper piola
For a quick lunch, Tellia offers a particularly accomplished take on Roman-style tray-backed pizza.
Enrico Murdocco, who trained in fine dining, uses highly hydrated doughs, long fermentation and carefully selected ingredients to create inventive toppings. It is street food backed by serious culinary expertise.
If you would rather sit down for a meal, Caffè dell'Orologio is a historic establishment reinvented as a contemporary piola. Its kitchen revisits regional recipes with carefully chosen ingredients, while the wine list includes lesser-known producers alongside a strong selection of Piedmontese labels.
Chocolate, vermouth and royal traditions
In Turin, chocolate is not simply a sweet treat. It is part of the city's identity.
In the afternoon, a visit to the Guido Gobino chocolate factory in Via Cagliari offers a chance to see how cocoa beans are transformed into finished chocolates, from roasting to packaging. The tour ends with a tasting of the house specialities, including the celebrated gianduiotti, and the opportunity to buy chocolates directly from the factory.
Alternatively, explore another of Turin's great contributions to the pleasures of the table: vermouth.
Born here in the 18th century, the aromatised wine is the focus of Esperienza Vermouth, a workshop led by expert Fulvio Piccinino. After learning about its history and tasting different varieties, participants experiment with herbs, spices and tinctures to create their own recipe, taking home a small bottle with a custom label.
For something more traditional, there is the Merenda Reale, a delicious journey back to the Savoy court.
This historic afternoon ritual revives the custom of serving hot chocolate with bagnati — biscuits and other sweet treats designed for dipping. Savoiardi, baci di dama, torcetti, lingue di gatto and gianduiotti are among the specialities served in participating historic cafés and royal residence cafés.
It is perhaps the most enjoyable way to experience Turin's royal heritage without setting foot inside a palace.
A special dinner
For a special evening, Condividere, inside Lavazza's headquarters, offers one of Turin's most distinctive dining experiences.
Born from an idea by Ferran Adrià, with a theatrical setting created by Oscar-winning production designer Dante Ferretti, the Michelin-starred restaurant is led by chef Federico Zanasi. His cooking brings together his Emilia-Romagna roots, Piedmontese influences and a Spanish touch, transforming the tradition of sharing dishes — para compartir — into something unexpected.
Another option is Scatto, in Piazza San Carlo, inside the Gallerie d'Italia.
Here, contemporary cooking meets Piedmontese identity and an aesthetic approach that draws on the photography exhibitions and collections housed in the galleries. The kitchen is led by Christian Costardi, who, together with his brother Manuel, became known for serving risotto in tins reminiscent of Andy Warhol's Campbell's Soup cans.
For something more relaxed, Sestogusto is the place to discover the work of Massimiliano Prete, one of Turin's most acclaimed pizza makers.
His approach centres on dough, fermentation and texture, with different styles ranging from the thick, soft Pizz'Otto, crisp on top, to the Croccante and the Fa Croc®. Creative toppings and a carefully selected wine list make this much more than an ordinary pizzeria.
Prete has also opened Matre, a bakery on Via Mazzini specialising in sourdough bread, focaccia, pizza alla pala and viennoiserie.
One last taste of Turin
Save the final morning for a leisurely walk through the city.
If you have not yet explored the area around Piazza Vittorio Veneto, head towards the River Po and enjoy the open views across the water, a striking contrast to the enclosed grandeur of Turin's historic squares.
On the banks of the river, Casa Mollino is a particularly fascinating, little-known gem. The house museum of the celebrated Turin-born architect and designer, known for his masterpiece, the Teatro Regio, offers a glimpse into his extraordinary world.
There is still time for one final breakfast or a mid-morning treat, perhaps at one of the city's many historic cafés, such as Baratti & Milano.
And before leaving, pick up some gianduiotti. After 36 hours in Turin, going home without chocolate would seem almost impolite.
Addresses
Where to stay
Opera35 Boutique Hotel
Via della Rocca 35, 10123 Turin
https://opera35.com/
Principi di Piemonte | UNA Esperienze
Via Piero Gobetti 15, 10123 Turin
https://www.unaitalianhospitality.com/it/soggiorni/principi-di-piemonte-una-esperienze
Turin Palace Hotel
Via Paolo Sacchi 8, 10128 Turin
https://www.turinpalacehotel.com/
NH Collection Torino Piazza Carlina
Piazza Carlo Emanuele II 15, 10123 Turin
https://www.nh-hotels.com/en/hotel/nh-collection-torino-piazza-carlina
Traditional restaurants and piolas
Barbagusto
Via Belfiore 36, 10125 Turin
https://www.facebook.com/BARBAGUSTO/
Caffè dell'Orologio
Via Oddino Morgari 16/A, 10125 Turin
https://caffedellorologio.net/
Scannabue
Largo Saluzzo 25/H, 10125 Turin
https://www.scannabue.it/
Coco's
Via Bernardino Galliari 28, 10125 Turin
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Trattoria-Cocos/163434223699948
Fine dining
Condividere
Via Bologna 20/A, 10152 Turin
https://www.condividere.com/
Scatto
Piazza San Carlo 156, 10123 Turin
https://www.costardibros.it/ristorante-scatto-torino/
Breakfast and pastries
Tarì – Cake Lab Viennoiserie
Via Giuseppe Mazzini 29/A, 10123 Turin
https://xn--tarbakery-74a.it/
Farmacia Del Cambio
Piazza Carignano 2, 10123 Turin
https://delcambio.it/settori/farmacia-del-cambio/
Maicol
Via San Tommaso 27/C, 10121 Turin
https://maicol.shop/
Pizza
Sestogusto
Via Giuseppe Mazzini 31/A, Turin
https://www.massimilianoprete.it/sestogusto-torino/
Tellia Lab
Via Maria Vittoria 20, Turin
Tellia Santa Rita
Corso Sebastopoli 241, Turin
https://www.tellia.it/
Turin food experiences
Guido Gobino chocolate factory tour
https://guidogobino.com/botteghe/la-fabbrica-prenotazioni/
Esperienza Vermouth
https://esperienza.com/esperienze/vermouth/
Merenda Reale
https://turismotorino.org/it/visita/pianifica-la-tua-visita/proposte-turistiche/merenda-realer
Historic cafés
Baratti & Milano
Piazza Castello 29, Turin
https://www.barattiemilano.it/caffe-baratti
This article was reviewed by an external translation partner