TURIN

TURIN ( Torino)

Now that the winter Olympics have started, we thought we ought to take a look at the city that is playing host to the hordes of sporting enthusiasts, who will converge in their thousands on a bewildered populace, more harmonised to its cultural attributes.

That is not to say this elegant conurbation is not without its industrial heritage either . In 1899 Giovanni Agnelli founded his Fiat car empire here, and built the Lingotto factory. This has since been developed into a vast conference, exhibition and shopping complex, incorporating the Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli, art gallery.

Situated in the North West of Italy, Turin rests sedately between the Alps and the River Po. Its baroque architecture is found everywhere and is most evident in the Museo Eglizio and the Galleria Sabauda.
This museum and gallery house an important collection of Egyptian treasures, and paintings by Venetian, Flemish and Dutch masters.

If your tastes run to something more contemporary, try the modern art gallery at the Galleria Civica d’Arte Modema e Contemporanea, Via Magenta 31, 20100 Torino, which houses 15000 exhibits, from mainly Italian artists.

Two other museums, well worth the attention of non participants to the winter sports-melee, are:
1.The Museo del Risorgimento, located in the Palazzo Carignano, Piazza San Carlo.
A former palace with access available to the royal apartments and royal armoury.
2. Mole Antonelliana. Via Montebello 20.
At 548 feet (167 m.) it is often called Turin’s Eiffel Tower, and contains stage sets, film projections, and an interesting history of cinema.

For Food and drink try some of the baroque café’s that can be found in many of the city’s Piazzas.
Piazza San Carlo, is an elegant example of where these institutions that have been in vogue since the 19th. Century are enjoyed by many.
A speciality frequently sort after by locals and tourists alike, is the delicious bicerin, a speciality coffee served with chocolate and cream!

If frequenting any of the plush bars throughout the city, it might be worth noting that aperitivo snacks are often served free with drinks, and Turin is also famous for its Vermouth, which has been made here since 1786.

The town is full of wide boulevards and splendid squares, pedestrian only streets, and shopping centres.

Porta Palazzo is an open-air daily market believed to be the largest in Europe, where just about anything can be bought On Saturdays, the streets around the square are used for a flea market known as the Balon, with a Gran Balon, held on the second Sunday of every month.