Torino

Turin (Italian: Torino, Piedmontese: Turin) is a city in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, with a population of about 844,000 in 2023, and another 1.5 million across its metropolitan area. For many visitors it's simply the place where their budget flight lands then they jump on the coach to the Val d'Aosta ski resorts. It is however an outstanding destination in its own right, with its old-world aristocratic ambiance, grand boulevards and palaces, arcade streets, and cultural and artistic heritage. "Taurini" first appears in history in 218 BC, when the tribe of that name was subdued by Hannibal. Over the centuries it grew into a sizeable city but was repeatedly attacked or occupied by foreign troops, and Italy was a patchwork of warring principalities. One powerful faction was the Savoy dynasty, relocating from their original Alpine home to re-base in Turin, and they embellished it in the 18th century with baroque palaces (not all of these for their mistresses), elegant boulevards and grand piazzas. Napoleon captured Turin and the Piedmont region in 1802, but after his downfall the Savoyards were re-instated and the city (now a royal capital) was further enhanced. The Savoyards just-about stayed on the right side of history during the revolutionary era of 1840-60 and the struggle to unify Italy, and Turin was for four years the country's first capital. The city became an industrial powerhouse in the 19th century, especially through the automobile industry: "FIAT" stands for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino, founded here in 1899, and Lancia set up in 1906. These sucked in labour from the poor south, and were subsidised by Mussolini. Turin was heavily bombed by the Allies during World War II but afterwards was restored to its former grandeur as a second Paris. Car manufacture and other traditional industries withered in the late 20th century, as elsewhere in Europe, and the city became run-down, hollowed out and de-populated. It re-invented itself with new industry, design and services — not least to tourists — and in 2006 hosted the Winter Olympic Games. The climate of Turin is continental, with cold winters and warm summers. Snow is common in winter and summer thunderstorms are not uncommon either. The wealth of indoor attractions and open spaces make the city a year-round destination. Tourist information centres are on Piazza Castello (corner with Via Garibaldi, daily 09:00-18:00) and on Piazza Carlo Felice (front of Porta Nuova station, likewise daily 09:00-18:00).

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Torino is a stopover point on The Via Francigena. You can reach Civitas Vaticana - Città del Vaticano in 39 days.