Turin in 3 Days: A First Person Itinerary
Turin surprised me more than any city in Italy. I arrived expecting a quiet industrial stopover and found an elegant capital full of arcaded streets, royal palaces, and some of the best coffee I have ever drunk. Three days is enough to get a real taste, provided you pace yourself. There is a lot of walking and a lot of espresso involved. Here is how I used three days to fall for a city.
Day One: Palaces and the Portico
I started in the Piazza Castello, the natural heart of the city, with the Palazzo Reale rising on one side. The royal palace is worth a couple of hours; the interiors are grand and the gardens behind it are a quiet escape. Next door the Palazzo Madama holds the art museum and offers a rooftop terrace with wide views. In the afternoon I walked the graceful arcades, the covered walkways that stretch for kilometres across the city, dodging rain without ever getting wet. I ended the day in the Piazza San Carlo, the city’s drawing room, with an apetol-perched over a plate of grissini.
Day Two: Museums and the Mole
Day two belongs indoors. The Egyptian Museum here is the largest collection outside Cairo, and I gave it most of the morning. Even if you are not normally a museum person, the statues and papyri are worth the walk. In the afternoon I went to the Mole Antonelliana, the odd, towering landmark that holds the National Cinema Museum. The glass lift to the top is not for the faint of heart, but the panorama over the city and the distant Alps is unforgettable. Finish with a slow walk along the Po.
Day Three: Sacra di San Michele and Food
On the third day I took the short train ride up the valley to the Sacra di San Michele, the dramatic abbey perched on a mountain ridge that inspired the book The Name of the Rose. The climb up the famous stone steps is steep but the vision is worth it. Back in town I spent the afternoon eating; try agnolotti pasta, vitello tonnato, and the rich chocolate of gianduia. Turin is the home of chocolate, and the historic cafes on Via Roma do it properly.
Where to Stay and Eat
Stay near the historic centre and you can reach most sights on foot. The area around Piazza Castello is the most convenient. For food, the student districts are cheap and lively, while the old cafes serve the finest coffee. I never once had a bad meal, which is rare.
Final Thoughts on Three Days
Three days in Turin left me wanting more, which is the best review I can give. If your schedule allows, stretch it to four or five and add a day trip to the lakes or the hills of Langhe. But even a short stay will show you why so many people quietly hold this city dear.
Day One in Practice
Let me be more specific about the first day, because the palaces alone can swallow a morning. I bought my ticket to the Palazzo Reale early, walked its grand rooms in about ninety minutes, and used the rest of the daylight for the arcades. The covered walkways are one of Turin’s defining features, more than eighteen kilometres of them linking the squares, and strolling them in the rain is a pleasure rather than a problem. I saved the Palazzo Madama for the late afternoon, when the light falls nicely on its broad staircase, and ended with an apetol in the Piazza San Carlo as the buildings turned gold.
Day Two in Practice
The museum day needs an order. I arrived at the Egyptian Museum when the doors opened and gave it a focused two hours, which is enough for most people without turning it into a marathon. From there the Mole Antonelliana is a short walk, and the lift to the top is best done before the queues build in the afternoon. The cinema museum inside is a pleasant surprise, but honestly the view is the point. I came back down and took the slow riverside stroll along the Po to burn off the morning, then found a trattoria recommended by a local and let the evening just happen.
Day Three in Practice
For the abbey day, catch an early train to avoid the mid-morning rush. The Sacra di San Michele is unforgettable, but a warning: the famous staircase is steep and the climb is real, so give yourself time and bring water. Once at the top, the view over the valley and the Alps is enormous. I lingered for a long, quiet while before heading back for the food tour of the afternoon. If your schedule means skipping the abbey, the city still rewards you; just make sure those historic cafes on Via Roma are on your list, because the bicerin is worth the walk alone.
