Grand Torino

Old Nov 11th, 2014, 12:29 PM
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Grand Torino

Just came back from a weekend visit from magnificent Torino.

We stayed in the Majestic Hotel near the train station. It was very good and well-located for our daily walking tours around the town.

Food: Divine. Fresh pasta, fresh vegetables, yummy desserts and sublime wine. Seriously good everywhere we went.

Cafes: So many and still very typical of Italy. I didn't see a single Starbucks or any other chain coffee store.

Shopping: Lots of brands, especially the more upmarket ones.

Sights: We visited the Real Palazzo and walked through its interior. Decadent, gold, marmor-filled and a historical landmark on how opulant the Italian/Savoyen royalties once lived.
On Sunday morning, we took the lift to the top of the cinema museum for a fabulous view of the city. Because we were one of the first visitors, we went straight up without waiting. Later in the day, we saw long lines so be aware.
We also visited the Don Bosco church and grounds. Truly magnificent. It was a highlight.

The quaint and lively small streets of Torino are easily navigatible on foot and offer wonder to the eyes. We loved the small piazzas, monuments and the many pedestrian-only areas.

Torino is the fourth largest city in Italy but it has a small town feel to it. It's easy to get to from Milan and if you've been to Florence, Rome and Venice, it's time to get to the "smaller", non-touristic cities and towns of Italy because they have a magic all on their own. On Saturday and Sundays, there are many markets throughout the city. Most museums are closed on Mondays and many shops are closed Monday mornings. The shops tend to open again at about 3.30.

We went in November so we had some nice days and then some cool, rainy days.

So if you're pondering on whether to go to Torino or not, here's a nudge to go for it. Lovely, friendly people with fewer tourists than many other towns.
kleeblatt is offline  
Old Nov 12th, 2014, 12:33 PM
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I owned a Gran Torino once but can't remember it having any of the options yours seems to have had.


https://www.google.ca/search?q=Gran+...A&ved=0CCsQsAQ
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Old Nov 12th, 2014, 01:09 PM
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ekc
 
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Thanks for the report! We had an all-too-brief 1 day/night in Torino a couple of years ago and cannot wait to return!
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Old Nov 13th, 2014, 09:46 PM
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It truly is a lovely city and the food is authentically divine. It makes one realize how medicore the food in the center of Rome actually is.
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Old Nov 16th, 2014, 10:31 PM
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Love,love,love Torino! Agree with all that has been said. If you stay near the train station, you will be nearer to the main market area. We were told the neighborhood just N.W. of the train station is the up-and-coming "happening" place for nightlife. If you get tired of Italian food or love Sushi...this the Kobe is elegant in a simple, modern style with super sushi http://www.koberestaurantorino.com/index.html

We, however, stayed more central and really enjoyed our stay at Le Petit Hotel...can't beat the location, excellent breakfast buffet, comfortable rooms. http://www.lepetithotel.it/eng/index.php

Don't need a car in Torino as it has excellent public transportation (as well as a hop-on-hop-off bus). If you do drive, be sure to check out the parking beforehand (hotel was of no help in this area)as there is a ZTL zone you need to avoid with your car.
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Old Nov 16th, 2014, 10:46 PM
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Sorry, kleeblatt, I meant to thank you for the concise yet lovely trip report!

If anyone wants to continue on from Torino and visit a wine village...we loved Barolo. It has an extremely well done wine museum that includes displays that kids can operate, and the view of the vine covered hills from the museum (which is in the castello)are amazing. For a fantastic meal with a decent wine selection try: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran..._Piedmont.html

Lovely area! I want to return AND include Asti next time
klondike is offline  
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