I have recently visited Turin for a few days. I have been before, mostly to see the Slow Food movement’s Salone del Gusto. I decided I needed to see more of the city.
Turin is the capital city of Piedmont in the north of Italy. It lies at the foothills (piedmont) of the alps. It is famous for grand architecture, huge public squares, magnificent arcaded streets and stunning cafes.
Turin is huge and is full of big things. The station is huge.
Statues are huge.
I began my exploring in Piazza san Carlo, presided over by Duke Emanuele Filiberto on his horse.
The church of Santa Cristina and San Carlo Borromeo stand at one end.
It looks lovely at night.
I stopped on the edge of the piazza, under one of the elegant porticos, for coffee and a snack at 200 year old Caffe San Carlo. It has a restaurant, but mostly it is a coffee shop in a magnificent setting.
There have been renovations since its creation, but the current one has worked around the 19th century Murano glass chandelier hanging in the centre of the room. It is said to be one of the largest in Europe. I see from some reviews that there is a queue to get in during the busy season. I was able to walk in and be seated without a wait… the benefits of travelling in March.
They have an all day menu. From this I ordered a toasted cheese sandwich. It rivalled the chandelier in size. It was delicious. I ate just the middle out of it and did not need to eat another thing all day.
The wide streets of Turin are lined with porticos, higher and wider than the ones in Bologna.

I found a stunning arcade with a cinema at the back. (closed)
There is an amazing mini market in the arcade with a great selection of delicious goodies.
Walking further on I came to Piazza Castello, Turin’s main square. Here you will find the Royal Palace and gardens. It was originally built in the 16th century and modified by Christine Marie of France in the 17th century. In 1946 it became the property of the state and was turned into a museum.
The facade of the Palazzo Madama, facing Piazza Castello was mostly covered for renovation.
The other sides are spectacular.
I went in here so you don’t have to. This is one of the famous cafes of Turin, Caffe Mulassano. It is tiny and very cute. I arrived just as it opened. It was empty and I went to sit down. I was sharply directed to another table squeezed into the corner.
The coffee was excellent, as was the small croissant, beautifully served. If it had come with a side order of friendliness it would have been lovely, in spite of the €15 charge, but at no point was I made to feel welcome.


The good news is that there is another cafe almost next door, lovely without the attitude.
Stratta is much bigger and has a courtyard at the side, which would be excellent in warmer weather.
It had a much bigger selection and service with a smile.

I do expect to pay a premium price to sit in these exquisite places, but rudeness is never a good idea. Stratta was a much better option. They also have a restaurant with an excellent lunch and dinner menu.
This post is dragging on a bit. In the next posts I can show you a 1st century Roman gate, a Cinema museum in an incredible building, some stunning architecture, a special dinner and a very special coffee.





































































































































































































































































































































