Italy Diary - Day 4 & 5: Torino

DAY 4

We checked out of Ca Alfieri and made our way to Torino to spend the next two days exploring the city. Originally we had planned to take the bus from Govone to Asti, then the train from Asti to Torino, but as luck would have it, a couple staying at the B&B decided to check out a day early, were packing up to leave, and offered to drive us to Asti to catch the train. This saved us a three hour wait for the bus! They had been at the B&B with us for most of the week and were from Switzerland (with their dog, so of course they were AWESOME!) They were so sweet and we swapped contact info so when we’re in Switzerland we can meet up with them and vice versa if they some to Sweden!

When we arrived in Torino, the first thing we did was check into our hotel and drop our bags off. Our room wasn’t ready yet, so we left our bags there and decided to wander around to find some lunch. Our hotel was in a great location - we were steps from the train station, a block from one of the best shopping streets, and close to the museums I wanted to explore. The only drawback? The HEAT. It was HOT. Like 100 degrees hot. So we opted to grab a bite to eat inside instead of enjoying all the outdoor cafes. As luck would have it, we were right by Caffé Torino in Piazza San Carlo. It’s home to the iconic Martini sign and one of the most beautiful cafes in Torino. I really wanted to try a Bicerin, a hot coffee with chocolate and cream in it that was created in Torino, but it was too hot to even think about that. Instead, I opted for a white wine :) Speaking of coffee, in Italy coffee drinking is seen as a right and the price of coffee is regulated by the government. Meaning, if you stand at a bar to order your coffee (vs sit at a table) you will always be charged a fixed low price, no matter the restaurant. But, if you choose to sit a table and enjoy your coffee, the restaurant can charge any price it wants. Pretty cool! We enjoyed our lunch and then ventured back out into the heat. We didn’t last long. We ultimately decided to head back to the hotel, check in and take a nap in the A/C.

We ventured out one more time in the afternoon to find Porta Palatina. Located in a small park, the Porta Palatina is an ancient Roman gate that provided access to the city through it’s wall back in the first century. It was supposed to be torn down in the 18th century, but an architect successfully lobbied to keep it by convincing the duke who wanted to remove it that it was a piece of ancient architectural work.

In the evening, we made a quick run to the grocery store to grab some food and came back to our room with plans to enjoy the Barolo we had bought earlier in the week. If you follow me on IG, you know this was no simple feat. There wasn’t a wine opener or any glasses in our room. I went to the front desk to see if they could help, they directed me up to the terrace bar and said they could give me both. The staff at the bar wouldn’t give me glasses, but loaned me an opener with the stipulation that I bring it right back! So then I went back down to the front desk to get glasses. They were quick to find me some and apologized that they bar didn’t help me (they should have!) After all that running around, we finally were able to open our wine and enjoy the evening. And enjoy we did. We’ve never opened a Barolo that didn’t need to be aged or decanted so were were very skeptical it would be good. Color us shocked when it was not only good, but wonderful. We enjoyed our 3 euro dinner with our 56 euro bottle of wine!

DAY 5

This was our one full day in Torino and I was bound and determined to make the most of it regardless of the heat. We started early with breakfast at the hotel and then made our way across the city to visit the Monte dei Cappucini - aka Church on the Hill. I had read the views of Torino were worth the walk and climb to get there, and since it was still early, the heat hadn’t set in yet. The views were incredible and the only thing that could have made them better would have been to see the Alps in the background. Because of the heat, it was hazy, even that early, and you couldn’t see them very well. On a clear day, they are supposed to be spectacular.

From the church, we made our way back into the city and decided museums were the best way to combat the heat. First up was the Museo Egizio (Egyptian Museum). Torino is home to the oldest and second largest collection of Egyptian artefacts in the world. It contains everything from tools and kitchenware to mummified remains and statues, to what they ate daily and clothing/shoes they wore. It was impressive to see such a large collection.

Next stop was the Palazzo Reale - The Royal Palace. The Royal Palace was built for the House of Savoy and was the residence of the court, dating back to the 16th Century. This was by far our favorite stop. The palace itself is grandiose and ornate. showcasing the opulence in which they lived during that time. The most impressive room was the armoury. Seeing all the various weaponry and armour over the eras was incredible.

Also part of the Royal Palace is The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (Cattedrale di San Giovanni Battista). This cathedral houses the Shroud of Turin - a linen cloth believed to be depicting the negative image of Jesus. This cloth is believed to be what he was wrapped in after crucifixion. The shroud is not viewable as it is locked away for safe keeping and only brought out for very special occasions.

There is also an art museum attached to the palace that contains amazing works from Italian and Dutch masters.

We stopped at a cafe for lunch and then Ramesh went back to the room to cool down and take a nap while I explored more of the city. I aimlessly wandered around taking in all the piazzas and arcades (passages with shops). After clocking in around 8 miles for the day, I figured I better grab R and get a cocktail :). I was super excited to learn that Eatly is actually a store/restaurant in Italy. I’ve been to the ones in NYC and love the concept so I brought R here to see what it’s all about and then we enjoyed an aperol spritz in the cafe outside. (we went to their smaller outpost near our hotel, but their main one in Lingotto looks impressive).

We walked around for a bit and then went back to our room to enjoy another bottle of wine we got from Bruno at our B&b. Once the sun set, and the heat dissipated a bit, we went in search of dinner. We found a cute pizza place with all outdoor seating, so we had pizza under the stars. It was the perfect ending to our day. We were up bright and early the next am to catch out flight home. I can’t wait to come back and visit again (when it’s not so HOT)

Via Roma (Famous Shopping Street) at 5am before we left

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about our trip! We felt like we did a lot and yet feel like we barely scratched the surface on this area of Italy. There is just so much to do and see. We will definitely come back (during a cooler season!) and explore more. Happy Travels!