Tour guides Italy > Turin

5 ideas for guided tours in Turin

• Palazzo Reale

  

  In Turin, the Palazzo Reale keeps an almost austere façade, but the moment you cross the threshold everything changes — stucco, mirrors, creaking parquet floors. Look up and the painted ceilings catch the light. Visiting the Palazzo Reale means accepting a slower rhythm.

  You pass through the throne room and then the Armeria Reale, your steps naturally slowing without you noticing. Stepping back outside, Palazzo Madama stands on the same square, and the Mole Antonelliana rises in the distance — two landmarks that extend the visit without distracting from it.

  In the Giardini Reali, attributed to Le Nôtre, the paths mirror one another, fountains breathing softly. A bench, a patch of shade, marble still warm. The palace behind you keeps whispering.

  To finish, a stop at the Duomo di Torino and the Chapel of the Holy Shroud brings the day to the scale of stone. Back at Piazza Castello, cafés under the arcades, your gaze still caught on the gilded details.

• Valentino Park

  

  Valentino Park stretches along the Po River, a wide green ribbon where you can walk without keeping track of time. Tall trees, soft paths, cyclists gliding past, benches inviting you to stop. The air smells of cut grass, sometimes of the river itself.

  The Castello del Valentino appears between the treetops, its façade discreet, its salons just glimpsed. You follow the gravel path, listening to your own footsteps, the river always within earshot. For a moment, the city feels far away.

  Farther along, the Borgo Medievale recreates an old village — cobbled streets, dark woodwork, quiet little shops. A bit theatrical, perhaps, but the details charm. Ten minutes are enough, though you might linger longer.

  Before leaving, the Fontana dei 12 Mesi sprays a fine mist, stone figures glistening, droplets on your arms. A picnic, a few pages read, and the light falls gently over the Po. Valentino Park keeps everything, quietly.

• Mole Antonelliana

  

  In the heart of Turin, the Mole Antonelliana rises like a beacon. Its slender silhouette catches the eye the moment you arrive in the city. Built in the 19th century, it towers over the rooftops and seems to touch the sky. Located not far from Piazza Vittorio Veneto, it is one of Piedmont’s most iconic landmarks.

  The moment you step inside, you look up, struck by its immense dome. The panoramic elevator whisks you to the terrace, and suddenly the whole city unfolds. The Po flows below, the Alps trace the horizon. It’s a moment that stays with you — Turin feels both grand and intimate.

  The Mole houses the National Cinema Museum, a fascinating space where images, posters, and sets intertwine. Interactive installations immerse you in the history of the seventh art. You wander from one room to the next, as if in a waking dream, forgetting time.

  Around it, the neighborhood invites you to linger. The cafés of Via Po are perfect for a bicerin, the local mix of coffee, chocolate, and cream. At dusk, as you leave, the Mole glows against the night sky — a final glance before continuing your exploration of the city.

• Piazza San Carlo

  

  In the very heart of Turin, Piazza San Carlo stretches out with its perfectly symmetrical arcades and refined atmosphere. Just steps from Via Roma, it breathes history and elegance. The equestrian statue of Emanuele Filiberto stands in the center, like a stone guardian watching over the square.

  The cobblestone ground invites you to walk slowly, to listen to the city’s softened sounds. The historic cafés, like Caffè Torino and Caffè San Carlo, make you want to sit down. An espresso, a glance toward the twin churches of Santa Cristina and San Carlo Borromeo, and time seems to pause.

  Here, Turin shows its most elegant face. The arcades shelter boutiques and galleries, perfect for strolling even on rainy days. At night, the golden light turns the square into a stage. Shadows lengthen, conversations soften, and you almost feel like an actor in an Italian film.

  From Piazza San Carlo, it’s easy to reach Piazza Castello or Piazza Carignano to continue exploring. But somehow, you always come back here, drawn by its harmony. This square, lively yet serene, remains one of Turin’s most memorable places.

• Turin’s covered walkways

  

  Beneath their glass canopies, Turin’s covered arcades slow the city’s pace. In the Galleria Subalpina, mirrors and ironwork catch the light, and voices drop to a whisper. A couple of shop windows, a café — you linger for no reason at all.

  The Galleria San Federico goes grand with pale marble and vaults that stretch your stride. The sounds soften, footsteps echo. You look up, then move on, unhurried.

  Farther north from the center, the Galleria Umberto I crosses beneath the glass in a perfect X. Shopkeepers, the smell of fresh bread, a trace of the old city that still holds on. You cut through here when it rains — or just for the light.

  And then there’s the small covered passage between Via Maria Vittoria and Via Eleonora Duse, almost hidden. A narrow frame, a glimpse toward Piazza San Carlo, a quick photo. You step back outside already knowing you’ll return.