Sunday 9 May 2010

A weekend in Turin

Eat in Turin, Vineria Tre GalliEat in Turin, Vineria Tre Galli
Tre Galli, in the buzzing Quadrilatero Romano district, proves you can eat well in Turin without breaking the bank. Rib-eye steaks and steaming mussels are washed down with wines from Venice and Valle d’Aosta.
25 Via Sant’Agostino, +39 011 521 6027

Eat in Turin, Baratti & Milano
This Torinese institution is worth visiting as much for its sumptuous décor as its assortment of cakes, chocolates and Piedmontese specialities. It’s the perfect place for sweet tooths and gourmands to linger for an hour or two.
27 Piazza Castello, +39 011 440 7138

Stay in Turin, Le Meridien Turin Art+TechStay in Turin, Le Meridien Turin Art+Tech
The light filled rooms at this ultra modern five-star have been furnished by top designers, while the building itself, a former Fiat factory, also houses a concert hall, art gallery, conference centre and shopping mall.
230 Via Nizza

Stay in Turin, Golden Palace Hotel
Opened in 2006 for the Winter Olympics, this five-star hotel combines luxury with high-tech design. Bedrooms feature LCD TVs and electronic curtains, while marble bathrooms are stocked with products by Turinese perfumer Laura Tonatto.
18 Via dell’Arcivescovado

Stay in Turin, Town House 70
Located in the heart of Turin near the lively Via Roma, this boutique hotel offer a touch of urban sophistication. The 20 rooms, 26 junior suites and one suite come equipped with LCD TVs, spacious bathrooms, and stylish, modern furniture.
70 Via XX Settembre

See in Turin, Valentino ParkSee in Turin, Valentino Park
Home to Turin’s botanical gardens, this green oasis also has beautiful fountains, a French-style, 18th-century castle and a bizarre recreation of a medieval village.
Corso Massimo d’Azeglio

See in Turin, Porta Palatina
Dating back to the first century AD, these two magnificent red towers and archways near the cathedral were the gates to the city in Roman times. Nearby, you’ll find remains of a Roman theatre, part of which lies buried under the Royal Palace.
Piazza Cesare Augusto

See in Turin, Teatro Regio Torino
Rebuilt on the site of the original 18th-century theatre – destroyed by fire in the 1930s – the Teatro Regio combines striking modern architecture with surviving layers of the past. Superb acoustics make this an ideal venue for operas and ballets like La Traviata and The Nutcracker.

See near Turin, Asti
Explore nearby Asti, a town famous for its eponymous sparkling wine. Drop in at one of the many vineyards for a tasting or stop off at the 13th-century cathedral. Bareback horse race, the Palio d’Asti, thunders into town on 20 September.

See in Turin, Torino+Piemonte Card
The Torino+ Piemonte Card is a way to discover the city and the entire region, practically and economically. Available for 2, 3, 5 or 7 days (priced from 20 to 35 euro), it entitles you to free entry to over 170 cultural sites, including museums, exhibitions, monuments, castles, fortresses and Royal Residences in Turin and Piedmont; free use of all public ground transport and tourist transport in Turin (panoramic escalator to the Antonellian Mole and Sassi-Superga rack-railway) plus the GTT shuttle to Venaria Castle, Rivoli Castle and Pralormo, and the Turin-Ceres railway including the Caselle Airport stop, as well as a 10% discount on the City Sightseeing Torino ticket, valid for 48 hrs instead of 24.

See in Turin, City Sightseeing Torino
Turin can be discovered aboard the City Sightseeing Torino, a double-decker tourist bus with a view “from above”. The complete tour lasts approximately 1 hour and features a multi-language digital audio system. Price: 15 euro per person.

Shopping in Turin, Pastificio DefilippisShopping in Turin, Pastificio Defilippis
Feast your eyes on the past being folded and flipped at Defilippis, a foodie emporium established in 1872. Offering all sorts of shapes and squiggles, and varieties such as egg and Tricolore, it’s the perfect place to pick up some gifts for home or a simple dinner for later.
39 Via Lagrange, +39 011 542 137