Turin and Its Olympic Mountains ebook

Turin and its Olympic Mountains

Enrico Massetti

Copyright Enrico Massetti 2016

Published by Enrico Massetti

All Rights Reserved

Fourth edition - 2018

Turin

Turin

Turin, the regional capital of Piedmont, is reputed to be a magical city. And it can only be by magic that a city, considered to be the capital of Italian heavy industry (FIAT, one of the biggest automobile producers in the world, is based here), is also one of the main tourist attractions of Italy.

Of course, there are good reasons for this. In the cathedral of Turin is kept the Holy Shroud, the ancient linen winding-sheet in which, according to the tradition, the body of Christ was wrapped after his crucifixion. At Turin there is also the Egyptian Museum, which contains an extraordinary collection of art from Ancient Egypt, and the Sabauda Gallery, full of masterpieces by great European artists.

Finally, at Turin there are some great monumental testimonies to the important role played by Piedmont in modern Italian history, as the seat of the House of Savoy (the reigning dynasty of Italy until 1946) and the first capital of the Kingdom of Italy: the Royal Palace, Palazzo Madama, the Mole Antonelliana, and the Royal Villa at Stupinigi.

The natural landscape is splendid and varied: mountains, valleys, hills (the Langhe are famous as the setting for many stories by Cesare Pavese and Beppe Fenoglio, famous writers from Piedmont), lakes ( Maggiore, with Stresa, d'Orta, di Viverone), and the Valgrande National Park.

Walking is definitely the best way to feel the pulse of Turin: stroll around the city parks, drop into its historic cafès, take in the multiethnic quarters, enjoy fashion and shopping, but don’t forget that Turin is magical too. So put on your walking shoes and let your curiosity lead the way.

Torino+Piemonte Card

Discover the amazing beauties of Torino and Piemonte in an easy and economical way with the Torino+Piemonte Card, the pass is available in the 2, 3, 5, 7 days version, and the 2-day Junior Card. It provides:

•          Free entry in more than 180 museums, exhibitions, monuments, castles, fortresses and Royal Residences in Torino and Piemonte.

•          Free rides on tourist transports (panoramic lift in the Mole Antonelliana, Sassi - Superga rack tramway, boats on the river Po, tourist shuttle buses) train to/from Torino-Torino International Airport.

•          Reduced ticket on the main tourist services of Turin:panoramic lift in the Mole Antonelliana, Sassi - Superga rack tramway, “Venaria Express” shuttle bus.

•          Discounts on prominent cultural events, outdoor activities, adventure parks, guided tours in the whole region.

•          Free admission to the companies visits of Made in Torino Tour, The Excellent (booking required).

•          10% off on the ticket for the City Sightseeing Torino open-top bus and validity for 48 hours, instead of 24.

•          Car rental and tourist transports in the region at special rates.

•          Rebates on sports equipments rental, outdoor activities and theme parks.

•          Reductions on guided tours, events, shows and much more!

What's more, with a little supplement and just in combination with a Card you can buy the multi-day ticket to travel on all urban and suburban public transports of Turinand/or the special Pass for the Tourist Services of GTT.

The Torino+Piemonte Card is valid for an adult and a child under age 12.

The Torino+Piemonte Card Junior is valid for one person under 18.

PRICES2 days € 35.00; 3 days € 42.00;5 days € 51.00; 2-day Junior Card: € 15.00.

WHEN

The Card is available throughout the year.

WHERE

Purchase your card online at least 48 hours before your arrival, or in person atTurismo Torino e Provincia Tourist Information Centres, or at Rivoli Castle, at La Venaria Reale and at Stupinigi Hunting Lodge.

www.turismotorino.org/it/il-tuo-viaggio/i-prodotti-turistici/shop-online

Architecture

Royal Palace Turin

Turin has a Baroque face and an Art Nouveau face, it has its Royal Residences, its bridges and 18km of arcades lining the city center, but there are innovative installations too, set on creating a brand new look.

A tour of 20th-centuryand contemporary Turin combines a history lesson with an introduction to some avant-garde infrastructures and works of art.

Baroque Turin

Turin Palazzo Madama

For centuries Turin lingered on the edge of the Ancient Roman “checkerboard” layout legacy (even today a distinguishing feature of the city center) and it entered a golden age in the 1600s, thanks to the commitment of the Savoia family, who commissioned the greatest architects of the time to enhance their capital.

Capital of the Duchy of Savoy, the Kingdom of Sardinia and then the first capital of Italy, the heart of the Torinese baroque system is the “Corona delle Delizie”: a circuit of 14 Royal Residences – urban, suburban and some located in the rest of Piedmont – declared “Patrimonio dell’Umanità” in 1997.

The entire region is starred with these magnificent buildings that form a vast circuit. Stately palaces, fairytale castles and immense parks recount a history of dukes and bellicose kings, lovers of art and collectors, refined royal ladies who loved ballet and the theatre, famous royal architects.

Places built for the purpose of entertainment and leisure, splendid hunting lodges, palatial buildings at the heart of modern Italy, the Royal Residences narrate the epic deeds of the House of Savoy, from the grand dukes to the first kings of Italy.

In town we should remember: Palazzo Reale, the Royal Palace was the Savoia residence until 1865, Palazzo Madama, the home of the Museo di Arte Antica and Palazzo Carignano, location of the Subalpine Parliament and first national Parliament, following the Unification of Italy.

The Palazzo Reale is an impressive seventeenth-century building, which has been altered and extended on various occasions down the centuries. It still bears traces of the work of the most important artists active in Turin. Until 1865 it served as the residence of the Dukes of Savoy, the Kings of Sardinia and the Kings of Italy.

Out of town: the Stupinigi Hunting Lodge or Palazzina di Caccia, the palace at Venaria Reale and Rivoli Castle.

Palazzo Madama (Piazza Castello, tel. +39-011-443-3501, Tues.– Sat. 9 a.m.– 7 p.m. and Sun. 9 a.m.– 8 p.m., € 10, free first Tues. each month) web site at:   www.palazzomadamatorino.it

Palazzo Reale