Art
Turin is home to art and culture. Their story is told by the museums, the buildings, the squares, by the courtyards and the churches, by the urban pieces of work and by the exhibitions held, by the ancient relics and the modern parts, by the tradition mixed with the avant-gardes. There are more than 40 museums which, together with the city’s architecture, tell the story of every corner of the city, which have seen the great architects, urban planners and landscapists pass by and create the city during the centuries. Different itineraries may be followed, like the Baroque Turin, the Turin of the XVIII century, or even the contemporary art Turin, the latter having a special appointment in November for the Contemporary Art Month and Artissima. From November until January the city is illuminated by the Luci d’Artista (Artists’ Lights).
Chocolate
Food and good wine are part of Turin’s and of Piedmont’s culture, which lays in the informal environment of several trattorias and in the great charming restaurants, as well as in the ancient cafés, and in the cake shops. That of the chocolate masters of Turin is an ancient art and a passion that has passed on through the centuries in numerous traditional businesses. A lot of scrumptious specialities were born from this passion, which are known today all over the world: little chocolates, in all sorts of forms (bonbon, praline, chocolate truffles, cremini), the gianduiotto – the tempting symbol of the city -, or the cocoa and hazelnuts cream. Here was also born the “strolling ice-cream”, which could be eaten whilst walking, and not sitting at a table anymore. The famous ice cream on a stick invented by Pepino in 1935, can still be found in the homonymous café or in several other bars, still characterised by its everlasting excellent quality. In the cold season you cannot do without a hot and steaming cup of hot chocolate, maybe with cream on top, or the traditional Bicerin, a coffee based beverage with chocolate and cream, which may be enjoyed in the homonymous historical café. Alexandre Dumas himself, had enumerated in 1850s, in his Turin living room, the Bicerin amongst “the good and beautiful things of Turin”.
Magic Turin
According to some esoteric legends, Turin is the point of a White Magic Triangle – Turin, Prague and Lyon – but also the point of a Black Magic Triangle – Turin, London and San Francisco. Turin’s magic lays in its central position of this geomantic knot, being the intersection point between the several energetic currents of the Earth. Turin is founded exactly on the 45th parallel, signalled by the obelisk at the centre of Piazza Statuto. An intriguing and particular tour, which starts in front of the legendary Devil’s Door and goes through all the mysterious and magical corners of Turin, to discover the most interesting side of the city. Every Thursday and Saturday, leaving at 9pm…obviously from Piazza Statuto, compulsory reservation (€ 20,00), the tour lasts 2 hours and 30 minutes.
