Turin and its Olympic Mountains

Turin, the regional capital of Piedmont, is reputed to be a magical city. And it can only be by the magic that a city, considered to be the capital of Italian heavy industry (FIAT, one of the biggest automobile producers in the world, is based here), is also one of Italy's main tourist attractions.

Of course, there are good reasons for this. In the cathedral of Turin is kept the Holy Shroud, the ancient linen winding-sheet in which, according to the tradition, the body of Christ was after the crucifixion. There is also the Egyptian Museum at Turin, which contains an extraordinary collection of art from Ancient Egypt, and the Sabauda Gallery, full of masterpieces by great European artists.

Finally, at Turin, there are some tremendous, monumental testimonies to the vital role played by Piedmont in modern Italian history, as the seat of the House of Savoy (the reigning dynasty of Italy until 1946) and the first capital of the Kingdom of Italy: The Royal Palace, Palazzo Madama, the Mole Antonelliana, and the Royal Villa at Stupinigi.

The natural landscape is splendid and varied: mountains, valleys, hills (the Langhe are famous as the setting for many stories by Cesare Pavese and Beppe Fenoglio, favorite writers from Piedmont), lakes (Maggiore, with Stresa, d’Orta, di Viverone), and the Valgrande National Park.

This booklet guides Turin for a visit lasting two, three, or more days; there are extensive descriptions and photos of museums, churches, nightlife, and other attractions. It contains reviews of places where to eat. It has sections covering single days or half days, so you can combine several areas depending on the length of your stay and your preference of what o see.