Description
Turin never shouts about being Italy's first capital, and this Turin historic centre walking tour shows why: broad baroque avenues, some eighteen kilometres of arcades, palaces that give little away from the street. A licensed Italian guide leads you for around two and a half hours, speaking English or Turkish first-hand, without an interpreter.
The walk starts at Porta Nuova and climbs Via Roma to Piazza San Carlo, framed by twin churches and old cafés. Next is Piazza Castello, home to Palazzo Madama, which is a medieval fortress behind and a Juvarra baroque façade in front, and to the Royal Palace, for centuries the seat of the Savoy family. More arcaded streets lead on to Via Po and the Mole Antonelliana, an improbable tower, planned as a synagogue, that ended up as the city's emblem.
- baroque squares and royal palaces
- porticoed streets tied to Italian unification
- historic cafés to stop at
The monuments are visited from outside; admission is not included, but the guide can help you organise it beforehand. The group sets the pace, you can ask for a route that suits your interests when you book, and the walk goes ahead whatever the weather. A free souvenir of Turin is included.