Turin And Its Mountains

Turin, the regional capital of Piedmont, is reputed to be a magical city. And it can only be by magic that a city, considered the capital of Italian heavy industry (FIAT, one of the biggest automobile producers in the world, is based here), is also one of Italy's main tourist attractions.

Of course, there are good reasons for this. The Holy Shroud, the old linen winding-sheet in which, according to tradition, the body of Christ was after the crucifixion, is kept in Turin's cathedral. There is also the Egyptian Museum at Turin, which contains an extraordinary collection of art from Ancient Egypt, and the Sabauda Gallery, full of masterpieces by great European artists.

Finally, at Turin, there are some tremendous, monumental testimonies of the vital role played by Piedmont in modern Italian history, as the seat of the House of Savoy (the reigning dynasty of Italy until 1946) and the first capital of the Kingdom of Italy: The Royal Palace, Palazzo Madama, the Mole Antonelliana, and the Royal Villa at Stupinigi.

The natural landscape is splendid and varied: mountains, valleys, hills (the Langhe are famous as the setting for many stories by Cesare Pavese and Beppe Fenoglio, favorite writers from Piedmont), lakes (Maggiore, with Stresa, d'Orta, di Viverone), and the Valgrande National Park.

This booklet guides Turin for a visit lasting two, three, or more days; extensive descriptions and photos of museums, churches, nightlife, and other attractions. In addition, it contains reviews of places where to eat. It has sections covering single or half days, so you can combine several areas depending on the length of your stay and your preference of what o see.