# Elegance underrated: TURIN!



## aljuarez (Mar 16, 2005)

Does the thought of thousands of tourists put you off a trip to Italy? Well, then give Turin a try! You won't see tour buses, and tour groups are made up mostly of Italian schoolchildren duly visiting the first capital city of unified Italy. True, it lacks the unique layout of Venice, the lofty Rennaissance creations of Florence, or the art treasures of two millenia that Rome can boast, but Turin is no wannabe. This is a supremely classy city, where covered arcades extend for kilometres and where spectacular squares, baroque palaces and art nouveau residences line streets that offer glimpses of snow-capped Alpine peaks in the distance. While many Italian city centres feel like mazes, Turin's layout is mostly a grid, and its immaculately clean streets reflect a distincly Northern European civic pride. Indeed, some of the squares and broad boulevards feel like they could be in Paris, and some of the abundant, decadent old cafés feel Viennese. The place feels a bit staid sometimes, but make no mistake: you are in Italy. This is the city of Fiat, Martini, Persol, Illy, Lavazza, Eataly and many other quintessentially Italian products. And it's the capital of the Piedmont, where the world movement for slow food and quality local artisan cooking got started, and where milk chocolate was invented. If it were in any other country, Turin would certainly be a vitim of its own charms and many more tourist would be going in droves. This city, of Olympic fame, is no secret, of course, but take advantage of the fact that it exists at all: A fascinating large Italian city with the requisite abundance of churches, museums, palaces, squares, shops and artistic treasures. Minus the crowds! :banana:

The first thing you'll notice as you get your bearings downtown, is the abundance of large squares with megalomaniac statues in the middle. These are the heroes of Italian unification. While the merits of these men and of unification itself continue to be debated, and the presence of these metal horses is bemoaned by some as an imposition on poor Turin, for the visitor they are quite a sight. Although they do look a lot alike. Don't use them to orient yourself! The next piazza with some dashing dude on horseback is surely just around the corner! :lol:


Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Piazza San Carlo is the second largest square in town, built in the Sixteenth Century. The statue here is of Emanuele Filiberto, the French royal who moved the capital of the Savoy lands to Turin, turning it into a royal capital. 

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Right on this square, Caffè Torino is one of the oldest coffee houses in Europe. 

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

On the South side of the square, the twin churches of Santa Cristina and Carlo Borromeo complete the spectacular ensemble. 

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

This wouldn't be Italy without decadent Catholic churches, right? A few more: this is is the Church of the Consolation. 

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

San Filippo Neri

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Just beyond the pretty squares, you'll quickly notice that this is a hardworking, industrious city, where locals walk quickly, even if they do hit the bars and cafés for the obligatory apperitivo. 

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Covered passages are a feature of downtown Turin. This is the San Federico, a Musssolini-era concoction.

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Random impressions

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr


Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr


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## skymantle (Jul 17, 2010)

I concur, Turin is a stately and sophisticated city and you've only shown a fraction so far, around the Piazza San Carlo and Via Roma, if I recall correctly. 

Illy btw is from another lesser-visited gem on the other side of northern italy, Trieste, which like Turin is rationally planned with handsome buildings and squares, albeit of a different period, but also less discovered and with a famous cafe culture. Lavazza is Turin's coffee giant.


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## openlyJane (Feb 3, 2010)

Splendid! Maybe I will get to visit one day. But it is Puglia and the baroque city of Lecce that is next next on my list.


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Great, very nice photos from Turin! :cheers:


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## Why-Why (Jul 20, 2016)

Great shots! I especially like this one!


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## kiob (May 30, 2008)

thanks from a turinese forumer.
your images are great.

btw

the pictures you posted are all near the very city center, i hope you have in your hard drive some more images taken elsewhere, maybe along the Po river side, a landscape nearly unique in Italy


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## dreaad (Nov 22, 2004)

Excellent shots! I'm glad you appreciated my city a lot!

But much more remains to discover, during the day... and the night!


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## Benonie (Dec 21, 2005)

Wow! Splendid pictures of this underrated city! kay:


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## sky-eye (Jan 2, 2003)

Turin looks very nice. Thanks for posting.


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## mi3max (Sep 24, 2004)

Thanks a lot.
Excellent focus on architectural details.


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## marlonbasman (Apr 21, 2012)

beautiful and you caught the richness of the city in terms of art and architecture.


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## tommolo (Mar 25, 2008)

Greatly underrated city! Our neighbors of the West knows how to make a city beautiful! 
It is becoming a museum city more and more through the years, have you seen the Museo Egizio, right across San Filippo Neri? It has the best egyptian collection in Europe to me, yes, Louvre and British included...


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## aljuarez (Mar 16, 2005)

More of downtown Turin

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr


The Carignano Palace complex is a large buiding with several wings covering a whole block. On Carginano Square, the façade is baroque; on the Carlo Alberto Square side, it's neoclassical. Carlo Alberto Square is large and pretty, but a bit too formal for an Italian Piazza. It was a gloomy day with some rain, so I moved on. 

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

On the Carlo Alberto, the building houses the Italian Unification Museum. I think I got in to see the museum some other day, but that day I only went in looking for a toilet! :lol:

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

More megalomania. This is Solferino Square. 

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

And we make it to the Royal Palace Square, Piazza Castelo

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr



It was too rainy to walk around the square but I had to stop and see San Lorenzo, one of the most impressive churches I've seen. Even the jaded teenagers on school outing seemed awed by this interior! This one was the Royal Palace church of the royal Savoie family. Guriano Guarini gave it its final and current apperance, in the mid Seventeenth Century. 

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Moving towards the West now, the Church of San Francesco d'Asissi.

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Stile Liberty, Italian art nouveau.

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Caffè Platti, another Turin classic locale.

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

More downtown impressions.

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr


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## dreaad (Nov 22, 2004)

Excellent shots!


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## General Electric (Sep 12, 2010)

Interesting city, thank for sharing these nice shots kay:


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## skylark (Jan 27, 2010)

beautiful city and one of the best in old architecture.


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## dreaad (Nov 22, 2004)

do you have more?


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## Galadriel. (Feb 1, 2012)

> Carlo Alberto Square is large and pretty, but a bit too formal for an Italian Piazza


Turin is beautiful exactly because its architectural style is not so Italian!


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## aljuarez (Mar 16, 2005)

Elegant Torino!

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr




Palazzo Madama is one of several large palaces in central Turin. It houses the city museum and includes medieval, rennaissance and baroque sections.

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr 

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr


The Mole Antonelliana, the city's most famous and most visible landmark was meant to be the city's main synagogue, but it currently houses the National Cinema Museum, and an observation deck. 

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr


Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Via Po, named after the river that is still the city's lifeline, is one of the main toroughfares in town. Definitely elegant, but some of those locales have seen better days.

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Walking along the arcades lining Via Po, you can easily miss the entrance to the old building the University of Turin. Go in for one of the city's prettiest courtyards. 

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

You can't fail to see this big church, the lavishly baroque San Francesco de Paula along Via Po. 

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Also on Via Po, the elegant, old world of Caffè Fiorio. 

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

City life

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr

Turin, Italy by Alejandro, on Flickr


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## dreaad (Nov 22, 2004)




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## Hairless Heart (Apr 10, 2018)

Actually Porta Susa is right on the eastern border of the city centre, that is almost a rectangle.


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## Why-Why (Jul 20, 2016)

Wonderful set from Turin! Bravo!


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## dreaad (Nov 22, 2004)

Hairless Heart said:


> Actually Porta Susa is right on the eastern border of the city centre, that is almost a rectangle.


Western border...


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## Hairless Heart (Apr 10, 2018)

Whoops! Sorry! That's correct!


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## weirdo (Feb 15, 2003)

What a thread. Only know Torino because of the shroud, the Olympics and that it's an industrial powerhouse but I didn't expect it to be this beautiful. Thank you for sharing. You create quality threads consistently. I hope you don't stop traveling and taking pictures.


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## aljuarez (Mar 16, 2005)

Thanks, Weirdo! :lol:

that means a lot.... ^^


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