Description
A Turin bike tour is a good way to read the story of how the city began and developed into what you see now, and this one is built for first-time visitors. Over about two and a half hours, a guide licensed by the Piedmont Region takes a group of six people at most through the old town at the pace of a conversation, with no cycling experience required.
The ride starts in Piazza Arbarello and soon reaches the Quadrilatero Romano along Via Garibaldi, one of Europe's longest pedestrian streets, with a pause by the Town Hall before Piazza Castello. Then come the Roman Theatre and the Porte Palatine, traces of ancient Augusta Taurinorum, and the tree-lined paths of the Royal Gardens, with a view of the Mole Antonelliana.
- the Fetta di Polenta, the trapezoid-shaped 19th-century building in Vanchiglia
- Piazza Vittorio Veneto, Italy's biggest square with porticoes
- Piazza Carlo Alberto and Piazza Carignano, with the Egyptian Museum nearby
- Piazza San Carlo, nicknamed the living room of Turin
The bikes are TORPADO touring models with a stable frame, easy handlebars and broad tires that smooth out the cobblestones. The rental, a helmet and technical assistance are included, while museum admissions are not. Routes use mostly bike paths, with short stops at public fountains. A moderate level of fitness is needed, and the tour ends back in Piazza Arbarello. It is not suited to anyone under 150 cm.