mels

We will be in Italy for 5 nights before heading to France. After arriving in Milan we plan on visiting Turin for 2 nights and head to Santa Margerita for 3. My husband says he always wanted to visit this City and it's a short trip from Milan to relax after a traveling from the US. The City gets mixed reviews as a great location. Maybe there is a better location in the Piedmonte area.

Any recommendations of another location easy from Milan and headed somewhat towards Santa Margerita?

frencharmoire

I think you and your husband will not be disappointed seeing Turin -- if anything, you'll be sorry you didn't stay longer. Don't feel obliged for one minute to see sights in the city that don't sound interesting you. Instead, look up online as much as you can about Turin and pick what sounds like fun. Turin has exceptional variety when it comes to extremely well-done, first class attractions: an auto museum, the national movie museum, a great Egyptian museum, the first EATALY, chocolate shops, a beautiful palace, gardens, an outdoor street-art walk, historic bars & cafes (most Italian cocktails were invented in Turin), an underground military museum, great windown shopping along the via Po -- just a lot of variety, more than you can do in a few days.

If you haven't seen the original version of The Italian Job, it's fun to watch before going.

tonfromleiden

Last year we made a detour from Northern Italy back to the Netherlands just to enjoy Turin. You won't regret it.

mels

Thanks! I am doing the research....that's when I came across the negative side, industrial city, but has an Historic area, food and wine better outside Turin.
Yes, there were positives and I do like the hotel we booked. The Grand Hotel Sitea, looks very nice.

Thanks again, helps me to get more positive feedback.

isabel

I spent about three days there a couple of years ago and enjoyed it. I wouldn't put it on a par with the 'biggies' like Rome, Venice, Florence, etc. but it's a pleasant city with plenty to do for a few days. And like you said very easy to get to from Milan.

Here's the trip report that includes Turin: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...nd-castles.cfm

And here are the photos: http://andiamo.zenfolio.com/p972905159

mels

Thanks, great report!

mels

The pictures are beautiful!

WoinParis

Torino is one of my favorite cities in Italy.
In the top 3 I'd say.
Center is fabulous. There is a great egyptian museum - check if it open, it was being renovated last time I was there (one year, 18 months ago ? ).
Like big renovations.

I slept at Town House 70. Great hotel.

mels

Thanks, great to hear all positives, and The Grand Hotel Sitea has received great reviews as well, I booked 2 nights in September. I'm going to check to see if I'm staying in the Center.

massimop

That Turin is an "industrial city" doesn't mean it doesn't have elegance and style. Turin's industry, in its heyday, was high-end precision manufacturing - things like typewriters, fine watches, movie cameras, and of course Fiat. Its aspirations in remaking itself in the modern age -- with trams, streetlights, pavement good for car tires -- was to be more like London, Paris and Vienna at the "fin de siecle", and much of that architecture & aesthetic survives, as does a sit-down caffe-culture that more resembles northern Europe than much of the rest of Italy.

mels

I'm glad I asked this question....I need to stop second guessing! Thanks for the good feedback.....Jack thanks you all as well!

neckervd

Turin is just a 1 1/2 hrs airport bus ride from Malpensa airport Terminal 1.
But for relaxing after a overnight flight, I would rather go to Sta Margherita first.
You could then reach Turin from there by train (3 hrs journey).

Turin - France:
From Turin, you can easily reach Chambery by train (3 1/2 hrs) and continue from there to Paris (6 hrs journey from Turin) or change to a train to the South.

neckervd

Turin was the capital of the county of Savoy and became then (March 1861) the first capital of the Kingdom of Italy. A lot of buildings in the city center were built at this period. The former Royal palaces can be visited nowadays.

Not only Turin, but also the cities in the neigbourhood got indistrialized in the 19th Century, like Ivrea (Olivetti works: typewriters, calculators, etc.) and Biella (textile industry).

Turin is also called the worlds capital of chocolate, although some of the most famous chocolate factories are in the province of Cuneo, south of Turin.

Peter_S_Aus

The cinema museum in Turin is excellent, in the Turin "needle".

mels

Thanks, great information.

Neckerved, another reason to choose Turin first because it's closer to the airport. Last time we traveled over 3 hours to Venice after an overnight flight, we didn't want to do that again.

tonfromleiden

One special feature of the Turin cityscape hasn't been mentioned: the arcades. A local told me they total to some 16 kilometres. Following the main streets you can walk most of the city centre under them, protected from sun or rain, and perfect for window shopping.

Tulips

Same here - we stopped 2 nights on our way to the south of France, and plan to return for another visit soon.
The Egyptian museum is stunning. Don't miss it.

mels

Thanks...

neckervd

" another reason to choose Turin first because it's closer to the airport. Last time we traveled over 3 hours to Venice after an overnight flight, we didn't want to do that again"

I see the problem. I thought that it would be much easier to relax at the beach of Sta Margherita than in a city like Turin.

Pvoyageuse

If you like open-air markets, don't miss the Porta Palazzo market in Truin which is supposed to be the largest in Europe !