Among the most popular tourist cities in the northwest of Italy, Turin is home to magnificent old churches, fascinating museums, Renaissance and medieval architecture and a solid tourist infrastructure. As if all that wasn’t enough, the city is home to the famous Turin Shroud, a textile said to feature the face of Christ himself.
The Shroud is perhaps Turin’s most notable attraction and certainly a significant factor in influencing visitors to come to the city. Housed in the splendid 15th century cathedral (Duomo), the shroud brings religious pilgrims and those with a simple curiosity for seeing what might be a genuine religious relic or could just as easily be an intricate forgery. The Duomo itself is a building of significant note, famed for its artwork and strong architectural features.
There is no shortage of architecturally interesting structures across the city with buildings such as the churches of San Lorenzo, Gran Madre di Dio and Santuario della Consolata, the castles of Rocca Medioevale, Borgo e Castello Medioevale and Castello Valentino and the palaces of Palazzo Carignano, Palazzo Reale and Palazzo Madama. After exhausting the cultural trail and yourself in the process, head towards the city center, where one of the many cafés, bars and restaurants will offer you respite and sustenance.
Highlights
Basilica di Superga: Commissioned by Vittorio Amedeo II and designed by Sicilian architect Juvarra in the early 18th century, this Baroque basilica is among the finest of its kind in the region.
Cattedrale di San Giovanni Battista: this is the Duomo in which the famous Shroud of Turin is located; expect large numbers of visitors when the shroud is being displayed.
National Film Museum: contains exhibits and artifacts relating to the history of celluloid entertainment with film stills, storyboards and clips available for viewing, among other interesting items.
Automobile Museum: car buffs will enjoy the fine examples of classic Italian design and engineering with notable contributions from major Italian manufacturer Fiat.
Civic Museum of Ancient Art: located in the Palazzo Madama, this museum features art from the medieval and Renaissance periods.