A question about Turin
 

How does Turin rate as compared to other European cities for things like food, sights, interest, etc. Could it be fulfilling as a vacation destination?

I visited Torino for 6 nights last year and barely scratched the surface of all there is to do and see. The food is excellent. Because of the recent Olympics, the city of Torino has been very forward-thinking in developing an infrastructure that will appeal to tourists. They have very reasobale turism cards that incude local transport and museums throughout the region.

http://www.turismotorino.org/index.php

Turin has righly been described as "Italy's best kept secret". The city is historically important, stacked with museums and galleries, wonderful baroque centre, not bad cafe scene and night life and in the centre of Piedmont region which is also loaded and relatively untouced by tourists.
Check out www.turismotorino.org and
www.piemonte-emozioni.it

I agree with all of the above after i saw Turin, which though like many northern Italian cities is shrouded in pollution has a gem of an inner city

PalenQ, when were you in Turin? I don't think its a very polluted city at all, but at certain times of the year it gets very hazy due to its proximity to the mountains forming an inverse layer. This year was bad for the haze, but not the heavy type of industrial pollution associated with industrial cities in the abd old days before green laws.

Well in all fairness it must have been 15 years ago

and i still see Milan listed ubiquitously as one of the most if not most fouled air cities in Europe

but Turin today i don't know but it seemed to be back then so may be wrong now

I must say I found Turin far less polluted than other big Italian cities. However, as in Milan, it does get quite foggy esp in autumn and winter. (Hence occasional flight delays in Turin and Milan).

Turin has very extensive art collection, which I believe belong(ed?) to the Agnelli family (of Fiat). Food is northern Italian, quite similar to Milan. Though they have fantastic almond noughat and chestnut-based sweets. At least I found the city more interesting than Milan, though not quite as extensive as Rome in terms of historical monuments.

I am sort of looking for a place to chill, eat good food, see some interesting sights and experience the culture. i have been to Rome, Florence and Venice.

Great city. Don't miss the Çinema Museum.

I reccomend the Star Hotels Majestic. Good restaurant too.

I found Torino a great destination. Only setback is the weather but I guess is similar in all Northern ITaly. Food is outstandig. A great city, do not miss, ...how can you ?the cafe life, and see the locals in the evenings chatting and eating those delicious tea sandwiches....good luck, any place that is not full with tourists for me has great advantages, and this city is one of them.
Excellent museums, lots of history and elegant and charming town.

I agree to not miss Museo del Cinema and, as you're there, its bar named CIAK BAR.
Turin is also the town of the ice cream and I suggest to eat it at the following ice cream shops: BARATTI & MILANO, MONDELLO, GROM and RIVARENO. Smart tip for dinner is the restaurant AB+, located at the first floor of the beuatiful reniassance palace "Palazzo Pingone" in a zome of Turin named "Quadrilatero Romano". The chef is Alessandro Boglione. Do not miss Petto di galletto farcito di Verzin di Frabosa. Verzin di Frabosa is a cow cheese coming from Cuneo valley.

Vincenzo

Hi Richardab,
I have purposefully NOT read the other responses to your query. I was in Turin for the 1st time last summer for about a week and I am looking forward to returning as it was not enough time! There is a lot to see - for example, the Palazzo, the film museum - we spent 3 hours and needed more time but were tired. The food was terrific with many local specialities, the walking and shopping were great - Turins' history is also very interesting. One disappointment was our trip out to the Fiat factory shopping mall - I forget the name - the mall is kinds of crumby BUT, there is a fine art gallery in the mall and from the art gallery you can walk out onto the Fiat car test track..that was great fun but the mall itself was a disappointment. Turin is definitely a great city to visit.

I spent 5 nights this last September and I can't wait to go back. Of course its charms are very subtle. Of course, don't expect the grandeur of Rome, Paris and London (although it reminded me a lot of the two latter in a very subtle way). Nothing about the city is tourist-oriented, which I find very refreshing. I didn't visit any museums, but they're supposed to be very good. The food is as excellent as in any other italian city. Perhaps, it's better if you included some other nearby destinations like Lake Orta (sublime lake), Asti (famous for its wine) and Alba (famous for its truffels). I visited it along with Lake Orta and I had a great time. Paris isn't that far from Turin, so maybe you can combine them in one trip.

Based on all the rave reviews of Turin here I've booked a free flight there for next October which I will combine with 10 days in Sicily. I really want to go right now!

I am so glad I read this as I have been toying with the idea of going there before a trip to Nice (business)

I posted earlier looking for ideas of what to do for 3 days and this might fit the ticket!!!


Does anyone know how long of a trip by train to Nice? Maybe we fly into Milan?

Thanks, Anne

Torino has its own airport, so depending on where you are traveling from, you may be able to fly directly there, especially if you must connect through another European airport.

The train trip from Torino to Nice can take anywhere from 4-5.5 hours, depending on the route and service. We took a train from Torino to Ventimiglia--the border--where we switched to a train to Nice.

Thanks! Isn't it so much fun to plan a trip!!! :)