Turin Italy
Turin is the capital of Piedmont, the first capital of unified Italy, and the home of Fiat, which gave it an industrial character quite unlike Florence or Venice. The centre is a regular baroque grid with around 18 km of covered arcades, built so the royal family could cross the city without getting wet, and they make the whole centre pleasant to walk in any weather.
It is also markedly less visited than Italy’s headline cities, which means better value hotels and restaurants that are not tuned for tourists. On a clear day the Alps are visible at the end of the streets. The University of Turin is one of Europe’s oldest, founded in 1404, and its computer science department sits north of the centre.
- Mole Antonelliana and the National Cinema Museum - The city’s landmark tower, with a museum spiralling up inside it and a glass lift straight up the middle.
- Museo Egizio - The Egyptian Museum, generally considered the most important collection outside Cairo.
- Palazzo Reale - The Savoy royal palace complex on Piazza Castello.
- Lingotto - The former Fiat factory with a car test track on the roof, now a shopping and conference complex.
- Aperitivo - Turin invented vermouth, and the early evening aperitivo with free food is taken more seriously here than almost anywhere else in Italy.
Turin Airport (TRN) at Caselle is about 16 km north, with a direct train to Torino Porta Susa in roughly 20 minutes and buses to Porta Nuova. For long-haul or budget routes, Milan Malpensa (MXP) is about two hours away by coach and often has far better connections.
The centre is walkable and largely arcaded. Metro Line 1 runs from Fermi through Porta Susa and Porta Nuova down to Lingotto, which covers most of what a visitor needs, and it is supplemented by an extensive tram network. Porta Nuova and Porta Susa are the two main rail stations, with Milan about an hour away by high-speed train.
April to June and September to October are ideal, at roughly 18 to 26C. July and August are hot and humid and much of the city empties in August. Winter is cold and foggy but the Alps are close enough for a day on the snow.
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1 upcoming conference in Turin
Stay inside the central grid between Porta Nuova station and Piazza Castello. Everything worth seeing is walkable from there, the arcades keep you dry, and the restaurant and aperitivo scene is on the doorstep. Hotels near Porta Nuova suit anyone arriving by train or connecting to Milan, while the quieter streets around Piazza Carlina trade a few minutes of walking for a calmer evening.
Our picks in Turin
A curated selection of hotels chosen for location, value, and fit for conference travellers.
Grand Hotel Sitea
35 Via Carlo Alberto, 10123 Turin, Italy
Five-star between Porta Nuova and Piazza Castello with a well regarded restaurant, about 610 m from the centre. The splurge option, and...
NH Collection Torino Piazza Carlina
15 Piazza Carlo Emanuele II, 10123 Turin, Italy
Four-star in an eighteenth century palazzo on a quiet central square, about 540 m from the centre and the closest of our...
Principi di Piemonte, UNA Esperienze
15 Via Piero Gobetti, 10123 Turin, Italy
Landmark 1930s five-star with a rooftop pool, about 710 m from the centre and a short walk from Porta Nuova. Suits senior...
Turin Palace Hotel
8 Via Paolo Sacchi, 10128 Turin, Italy
Four-star directly opposite Porta Nuova station, about 1.2 km from the centre. The most practical choice for anyone arriving by train or...
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