Turin (Torino) is Italy’s elegant surprise: a former royal capital of baroque palaces, grand squares and 18 km of arcades, set against a backdrop of snowy Alps. It gave Italy its first king, its cars and its favourite chocolate, and it holds the finest Egyptian museum outside Cairo, a cinema museum inside the soaring Mole Antonelliana, and a ring of Savoy royal residences. Historic cafés serve bicerin, a layered drink of coffee, chocolate and cream, and the aperitivo spreads are legendary. Turin is about an hour from Milan by fast train and the gateway to the Langhe wine hills, perfect for wine tasting. Give it two or three days for the city, more with the vineyards and the Alps.
Right now in Turin
- Wed 15–18°C 59–64°F 6 mm Light rain
- Thu 14–20°C 57–68°F 9 mm Rain
- Fri 8–20°C 47–68°F Mostly clear
Weather: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · Rates: ECB
Top tours in Turin
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Turin at a glance
- Best for: world-class museums, baroque architecture and arcades, historic cafés and chocolate, food and wine, and a base for the Langhe and the Alps.
- How long: 2 days for the main sights, 3–4 with the Reggia di Venaria, Superga and a wine day in the Langhe.
- Best time: April to June and September to October; autumn adds truffles and the grape harvest. Winters are cold but clear, with the Alps close by.
- Book ahead: the Egyptian Museum sells tickets online only; book the Mole Antonelliana’s panoramic lift for weekends.
- Getting in: high-speed trains from Milan in about an hour; buses and trains from Turin airport (Caselle).
- Before you go: entry rules, money, trains and general safety are on our Italy travel guide.
Turin’s neighbourhoods and who each one suits
Turin’s centre was laid out on a Roman grid, so it is easy to find your way, and its long arcades let you walk for kilometres under cover. The river Po runs along its eastern edge, with green hills on the far bank.
Centro and Piazza Castello
The royal heart: Piazza Castello with the Royal Palace and Palazzo Madama, the arcaded Via Po and Via Roma, and the elegant Piazza San Carlo. Most museums are a few minutes’ walk away. The best base for a first visit.
Quadrilatero Romano
The oldest part of the city, north-west of Piazza Castello, a grid of narrow lanes with wine bars, restaurants and boutiques around the Porta Palazzo market, one of the largest open-air markets in Europe. Lively in the evenings.
San Salvario
South of the centre, beside Porta Nuova station and the Valentino Park: a multicultural, slightly bohemian neighbourhood of bars, cheap eats and nightlife. Good value and fun, though noisy on weekend nights.
Vanchiglia and the Po
East of the Mole Antonelliana, towards the river, Vanchiglia is a trendy area of student bars and bistros, and the riverside Murazzi come alive on summer nights. Across the river, the Gran Madre church and the hills of Borgo Po are calm and residential.
Crocetta and around Porta Susa
West and south-west of the centre, smart residential Crocetta and the area around Porta Susa station, the main stop for high-speed trains. Quieter, with good business hotels and fast links to the airport.
Top things to see in Turin
Prices and hours were checked on the official sites in October 2026; check again before you go. Note that different museums close on different days: the Egyptian Museum shortens its hours on Mondays, the Cinema Museum closes on Tuesdays and the Royal Museums on Wednesdays.
The Egyptian Museum (Museo Egizio)
The oldest museum in the world devoted entirely to ancient Egypt, with around 40,000 objects, statues of pharaohs, painted coffins, mummies, papyri and the complete tomb of the architect Kha and his wife Merit. As of October 2026 a full ticket costs €18; young people aged 15 to 18 and university students pay €3, children aged 6 to 14 pay €1, and under-6s go free. Tickets are sold online only with a time slot, on the museum’s official ticket shop, even if you buy minutes before entry. It is open Monday from 9:00 to 14:00, Tuesday to Friday and Sunday from 9:00 to 18:30, and Saturday from 9:00 to 20:00, with last entry an hour before closing. Allow at least three hours.
The Mole Antonelliana and the National Cinema Museum
Turin’s landmark, a 19th-century tower with a slender spire about 167 metres high, was meant to be a synagogue and now holds the National Cinema Museum, a playful journey through film history arranged up a spiralling ramp around a vast central hall where you can lie back on red chairs to watch films. A glass panoramic lift rises through the middle of the hall to a terrace with views over the city and the Alps. As of October 2026 the museum costs €18, the lift €9, or €23 for both, with reductions for ages 6 to 26 and free entry for under-6s. Both are open from 9:00 to 19:00 and closed on Tuesdays; the lift’s queue can close early, so book a slot.
The Royal Museums (Musei Reali)
The Savoy family’s palace complex on Piazza Castello: the gilded state rooms of the Royal Palace, the Chapel of the Holy Shroud by Guarini, the Royal Armoury, the Sabauda Gallery of paintings, the archaeological museum with the Roman theatre, and the Royal Gardens. One ticket covers the whole route for the day; as of October 2026 a full ticket costs €15. The museums are open Thursday to Tuesday from 9:00 to 19:00 and closed on Wednesdays. The Royal Library, with Leonardo da Vinci’s red-chalk self-portrait, opens for limited hours.
The Cathedral and the Shroud
Next to the Royal Palace, the Renaissance cathedral holds the Shroud of Turin, the linen cloth some believe wrapped the body of Christ. It is kept in a sealed case and shown in public only on rare occasions, but a replica and information are on display.
More classic sights
- Palazzo Madama: a castle with a baroque front in the middle of Piazza Castello, now the city’s museum of ancient art, with a staircase by Juvarra.
- Piazza San Carlo and Via Roma: Turin’s elegant “drawing room”, with twin baroque churches and historic cafés.
- Valentino Park and the Borgo Medievale: a riverside park with a fake medieval village built for an 1884 exhibition.
- Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile: a superb car museum by the Po, for fans of Fiat, Lancia and Ferrari.
- Porta Palazzo market: a huge, noisy morning market of food, clothes and flea stalls (Monday to Saturday).
- Lingotto: the former Fiat factory, with a test track on the roof now turned into a garden.
The Torino+Piemonte Card: is it worth it?
The region’s official museum card, sold by Turismo Torino e Provincia, gives free entry to the main museums of Turin and Piedmont, including the Egyptian Museum, plus discounts on the Mole lift and other services. As of October 2026 it costs €29.90 for 24 hours (with a maximum of three free entries), €39.90 for 48 hours, €45.90 for 72 hours and €52.90 for 120 hours, with a €18.90 72-hour Junior card. A 48- or 72-hour public-transport ticket can be added at a promotional rate. With the Egyptian Museum alone at €18, it pays off if you plan two or three big museums a day; book your slots with the card, as weekend places fill up.
Other things to do in Turin
Cafés, chocolate and aperitivo
Turin’s historic cafés, with marble counters, mirrors and velvet chairs, are part of the experience: order a bicerin, the local layered drink of espresso, hot chocolate and cream, or a gianduiotto, the boat-shaped hazelnut chocolate invented here. Turin also claims to have invented aperitivo and vermouth, and early-evening bars serve generous spreads with your drink. At dinner, try agnolotti del plin, vitello tonnato, bagna cauda in winter, and white truffles from Alba in autumn.
Superga and the hills
Across the Po, the hills are green and calm. The Basilica of Superga, a baroque church on a hilltop with the tombs of the Savoy kings, has one of the best views of the Alps; reach it by the historic Sassi–Superga rack railway, or walk up through the woods (see our hiking guide). Nearer the centre, the Monte dei Cappuccini church gives a classic view over the city to the mountains.
Along the river
The Po’s riverside paths are lovely for walks and bike rides from the Valentino Park; in summer, bars open on the Murazzi along the river. See our cycling guide.
Day trips from Turin: Venaria, the Langhe and the Alps
The Reggia di Venaria
Just north of the city, the Savoy hunting palace of Venaria Reale is one of the largest royal residences in Europe, with the dazzling white Great Gallery, the Juvarra chapel and huge restored gardens. It is part of the UNESCO-listed Residences of the Royal House of Savoy. Reach it by bus from the centre in about 40 minutes; check the official site, lavenaria.it, for hours, prices and closing days.
The Langhe, Roero and Barolo
South of Turin, the UNESCO-listed vineyard hills of the Langhe, Roero and Monferrato produce Barolo, Barbaresco and other great Nebbiolo wines. Base yourself in Alba, reachable by train or bus in about an hour or more, and visit hilltop villages such as Barolo, La Morra and Barbaresco. In October and November, Alba’s white truffle season is the highlight. A car, a driver or a guided tour is best for tastings.
The Alps and beyond
The Susa Valley, Sestriere and the other resorts of the 2006 Winter Olympics are within two hours for skiing and summer walks, and the Sacra di San Michele abbey sits dramatically on a peak at the entrance to the valley. Direct trains also link Turin with Lyon and Paris, and the mountains of Chamonix are not far over the border.
Nearby destinations
- Val d'Isère68 km
- Courchevel90 km
- Zermatt105 km
- Chamonix113 km
- Genoa124 km
- Milan126 km
- Lake Maggiore139 km
- Lugano144 km
Getting there and getting around
From Turin airport
Turin airport (TRN, Caselle) is about 16 km north of the city. As of October 2026, direct buses run between the airport and the centre, including Porta Nuova and Porta Susa stations, every 30 minutes from early morning until midnight; a one-way ticket costs €7.50 (€1 more on board), or €6.50 with the Torino+Piemonte Card. A railway line also links the airport with Porta Susa station, and a taxi to the centre costs about €40.
By train
Turin has two main stations: Porta Susa, the main stop for Frecciarossa and Italo high-speed trains, and Porta Nuova, nearer the old centre. Fast trains reach Milan in about an hour, Florence in about 3 hours and Rome in about 4 to 4½ hours; regional trains run to Genoa in about 2 hours. Direct trains also run to France.
Metro, trams and buses
GTT runs the city’s buses, trams and the driverless Metro line 1, which links Porta Susa, Porta Nuova and Lingotto. As of October 2026 a City 100 ticket costs €1.90 and is valid for 100 minutes on buses and trams plus one metro ride, and a day ticket costs €3.70. You can tap a contactless card on board vehicles marked with a yellow sticker and at metro gates. The centre itself is best on foot under the arcades.
Driving and the ZTL
Turin’s central ZTL covers the historic centre and is active Monday to Friday from 7:30 to 10:30, when cars without a permit may not enter or park; cameras record every gate. Some streets and squares are pedestrian or reserved for public transport at all times, so follow the signs even outside those hours. Use car parks on the edge of the centre, and ask your hotel about access if it is inside the zone.
When to go and how long to stay
Weather for your datesSunrise and sunset
Turin lies at the foot of the Alps on the Po plain, with cold winters, warm and sometimes stormy summers, and the Alps on the skyline on clear days. There is no Turin station in the official WMO 1991–2020 set, so the table uses the normals for Novara Cameri, about 90 km north-east on the same plain (178 m): long-term average daily highs and lows, and days with at least 1 mm of rain. Turin, at about 240 m and right by the hills, has a very similar climate, with slightly more summer thunderstorms.
| Season | Average high / low | Rainy days per month | What it’s like | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter (Dec–Feb) | 7–9 °C / -2 to -1 °C | 4–5 | Cold, frosty nights, often clear with views of snowy Alps | Museums, cafés, skiing nearby |
| Spring (Mar–May) | 14–22 °C / 3–11 °C | 4–8 | Mild, with a rainy spell in April and May | Walking the arcades, the hills, gardens |
| Summer (Jun–Aug) | 27–29 °C / 15–17 °C | 5–6 | Warm to hot, with afternoon thunderstorms | Evenings by the river, the Alps |
| Autumn (Sep–Nov) | 24 °C falling to 12 °C / 13 °C falling to 3 °C | 6–7 | Golden September and October, foggy November | Truffles, wine harvest, food festivals |
These are long-term averages and recent summers have been hotter. November is usually the wettest month.
Events worth planning around
- 24 June: the feast of San Giovanni, Turin’s patron saint, with fireworks over the Po.
- October and November: the white truffle season and fair in Alba, and the grape harvest in the Langhe.
- November: the Torino Film Festival and the city’s contemporary-art week, with Artissima.
- Winter: ski season in the Susa Valley and Sestriere, usually from December.
How long to stay: 2-, 3- and 4-day plans
2 days: Day 1, the Egyptian Museum in the morning, a bicerin in a historic café, then the Royal Museums and Piazza Castello (not on a Wednesday). Day 2, the Cinema Museum and the Mole’s lift (not on a Tuesday), the Quadrilatero Romano and Porta Palazzo market, and sunset from Monte dei Cappuccini.
3 days: add the Reggia di Venaria, or Superga by rack railway and the car museum. 4 days: add a wine day in the Langhe, or the Alps.
Where to stay in Turin and the tourist tax
- Centro and Piazza Castello: the most central, near the museums.
- Quadrilatero Romano: atmospheric lanes, food and nightlife.
- San Salvario: lively and good value, near Porta Nuova.
- Vanchiglia: trendy bars, near the Mole and the river.
- Porta Susa and Crocetta: quiet, with fast trains and airport links.
Turin tourist tax (imposta di soggiorno): paid per person per night at your accommodation, for up to seven consecutive nights. As of October 2026 the city’s rates are €3 in a 1- or 2-star hotel, €3.50 in a 3-star, €4.50 in a 4-star and €5 in a 5-star, €3.80 in B&Bs, guest houses, holiday homes and short-term rentals, and €1 in hostels and campsites. Children under 13 are exempt. For a couple in a 4-star hotel that is €9 a night.
Practical tips for Turin
- Check closing days: the Royal Museums close on Wednesdays and the Cinema Museum on Tuesdays; the Egyptian Museum closes at 14:00 on Mondays.
- Buy Egyptian Museum tickets online: there is no ticket desk sale for individual visitors.
- Do aperitivo: from about 18:30, a drink often comes with a generous buffet.
- Walk under the arcades: Via Po and Via Roma keep you dry in the rain.
- Watch your pockets at Porta Palazzo market, the stations and on crowded trams.
- Avoid the ZTL on weekday mornings if you have a car.
- Emergencies: call 112.
What to pack for Turin
Comfortable shoes for long walks under the arcades and the climb to Superga or Monte dei Cappuccini. In winter, pack a warm coat, hat, scarf and gloves, as nights fall below freezing; bring layers if you will head into the Alps. In summer, pack light clothes but also an umbrella or light rain jacket for afternoon thunderstorms, and covered shoulders for the cathedral and churches. Autumn calls for layers and a waterproof for foggy, damp days. Leave room for chocolate, vermouth and a bottle of Barolo.
Turin travel FAQ
Is Turin worth visiting?
Yes. Turin has the world’s second great Egyptian museum, a superb cinema museum in the Mole Antonelliana, royal palaces, elegant arcades and some of Italy’s best food and wine, with far fewer crowds than Rome, Florence or Venice.
How many days do you need in Turin?
Two days for the Egyptian Museum, the Mole, the Royal Museums and the old centre; three or four to add Venaria, Superga and the Langhe wine hills.
How much is the Egyptian Museum in Turin?
€18 for adults as of October 2026, €3 for ages 15 to 18 and university students, €1 for ages 6 to 14 and free for under-6s. Tickets are sold online only, with a time slot.
Can you go up the Mole Antonelliana?
Yes, by the glass panoramic lift inside the Cinema Museum, to a terrace with views of the city and the Alps. The lift costs €9 and the museum plus lift €23 as of October 2026; both are closed on Tuesdays.
Is the Torino+Piemonte Card worth it?
It is worth it if you will see two or three big museums a day. It costs from €29.90 for 24 hours to €52.90 for 120 hours and includes the Egyptian Museum and many others, with discounts on the Mole lift.
How do I get from Turin airport to the city?
By direct bus to Porta Susa and Porta Nuova, €7.50 one way as of October 2026, or by train from the airport to Porta Susa. A taxi costs about €40.
How far is Turin from Milan?
About an hour by high-speed train. Regional trains are slower but cheaper, and Turin works well as a day trip or a two-night stop from Milan.
What should I eat in Turin?
Agnolotti del plin, vitello tonnato, bagna cauda in winter and white truffles in autumn, followed by a bicerin or gianduiotti chocolates in a historic café. Try the aperitivo with a vermouth.
Can I drive into central Turin?
Outside the ZTL hours, yes, but the historic centre is closed to cars without a permit from 7:30 to 10:30 on weekdays, and some streets are always pedestrian or for buses only. Park on the edge of the centre.
How much is the tourist tax in Turin?
From €3 per person per night in a 1- or 2-star hotel to €5 in a 5-star, €4.50 in a 4-star and €3.80 in B&Bs and rentals, for up to seven nights. Under-13s are exempt.
Can you see the Shroud of Turin?
Only on rare public showings announced by the Church. The Shroud is kept in a sealed case in the cathedral, where a replica and information panels are on display.
Plan your trip
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Sources · last reviewed 4 October 2026
Researched and last reviewed on 4 October 2026. Prices and hours come from the Museo Egizio, the National Cinema Museum, the Musei Reali, Turismo Torino e Provincia (Torino+Piemonte Card), Turin airport (SAGAT), GTT and the Comune di Torino (tourist tax and ZTL). Climate figures are the WMO 1991–2020 normals for Novara Cameri (Italian Air Force station, archived by NOAA), the nearest station in the official set, as there is no Turin sheet. The Venaria details, train times and events are general and should be checked on the official sites. Prices, timetables and opening hours change, so check before you go. For entry rules, money and safety, see our Italy travel guide.
Place data: Wikidata (CC0)