There is a lot to do, see, and eat in Turin, and it’s all over the city. But there is no doubt that the most exciting things in Turin are in the city center. A neighborhood with beautiful buildings that are hundreds of years old, restaurants that have been serving the best of the local food for decades, and cathedrals and museums that are known all over the world.
The House of Savoy’s palace, which used to rule the Piedmont region, is right in the middle of the city. The Royal Palace, also called Piazza Reale, is in the center of the town. It wouldn’t make sense for the royal family to be anywhere else. Even though it is all Baroque, the palace is impressive, but it doesn’t have a lot of opulence. In front of it is Piazza Castello, which was built to be the city’s main square.
Piazza Castello is a beautiful square with benches, notable buildings, and a view of the city that makes you want to stop and look. From Piazza Castello, the city’s main streets branch off. Po Street, which is named after the river that runs through the city and is full of shops and cafes; Roma Street, which is the famous shopping street you don’t want to miss, with stores of all the brands you can think of, from the famous Zara to the prestigious Louis Vuitton; Garibaldi Street, which was built in 1550 and is Europe’s longest pedestrian street; and Petar Micha Street.
Piazza Castello was built to be the city’s center, but it’s probably not the square people think of when they think of the city. If New York has Times Square, and Tel Aviv has Rabin Square, Turin has Piazza San Carlo. Only, unlike the other two, Piazza San Carlo has been around since the 1600s.
Like most of the city center, the square was built during the Baroque era, and all the buildings around it were also influenced by that style. Or, to put it simply, the court and the buildings around it look elegant and even royal. How about that? Everything works together beautifully.
Since then, San Carlo square has been called “the living room of Turin.” This is because the court has become the cultural and social center of the city. Even now, many tourists around cafes where locals and people outside the city can sit comfortably.
Carlo di Castelmonte, a famous architect, designed this beautiful square. Like every other square, it has a statue in the middle. This one is of Emanuele Filiberto, who was one of the kings of the House of Savoy. The Church of San Carlo and Santa Cristina are on either side of the square. The San Federico Gallery should also be seen. It’s a covered area that connects the courtyard to Roma Street. It’s like an early version of a shopping mall today.
The Egyptian Museum is just a few minutes away on foot. It is one of the most important tourist spots in the city and should not be missed. It has thousands of years old exhibits and tells the story of ancient Egypt’s fascinating culture.
There are many other museums in the area, but one that stands out is the National Cinema Museum. It is in a building called Mola Antonelliana, which was built to be a synagogue and has an exciting story behind it.
From there, you can go to one of the nearby cafes to cool off or to one of the restaurants to try some of the best food in the area. Nearly every kind of food can be found in the city center. Undoubtedly, you could walk around the neighborhood for a whole day without getting bored for a second.
