Who for the first time arrives in Turin with the idea of finding a gray city and the atmosphere a bit ‘sad, he should think again. Because then when you know you have the surprise of an unexpected beauty. In the words of Giorgio De Chirico: “The beauty of Turin is not revealed that little by little like a good and honest Gorgon who knows how much it costs to those who have the misfortune to see his face intensely and at a stretch. It’s in fact a beauty which in some cases can be fatal”.
The beauty of Turin is not revealed that little by little
There are many things to do. Just let yourself be guided by curiosity and wander through the picturesque arcades, squares and historic buildings. Of course one day is definitely not enough to know it thoroughly. So we propose a taste of the city from Piazza Castello, the monumental center designed in 1587 by architect Ascanio Vitozzi behest of Carlo Emanuele II. The square is dominated by the Palazzo Madama (Open daily from 10:00 to 18:00; closed on Tuesdays, tel. +39 011 4433501 – palazzomadama@fondazionetorinomusei.it), medieval castle on one side and a remarkable example of Baroque on the other with magnificent facade by Filippo Juvarra.
On the same square even the Royal Palace (Closed on Mondays and on January 1st, May 1st and December 25th. It’s open for free every first Sunday of the month, tel. +39 011 4361455 – pr-to@beniculturali.it), the official residence of the Savoy family until 1865. Inside, we visited the private apartments of King Charles Albert and Queen Maria Theresa, the halls entertainment and ballroom that could accommodate up to two hundred people.
The living room of the city is instead Piazza San Carlo with the twin churches of San Carlo and Santa Cristina, its bars and its cafes. We stopped at the historic Caffè San Carlo (Piazza San Carlo 156, Tel. +39 011 532586), which opened in 1822: a neoclassical triumph of mirrors, capitals and columns where you can enjoy the rich buffet with cold cuts, pies, vegetables, cheese, pasta and meat dishes. For fast and light snack, however, you go to the Mulassano (Piazza Castello 15, Tel. +39 011 547990 – www.caffemulassano.com – info@caffemulassano.com). Also this place is historic and full of ornaments and decorations with a marble counter where they are placed on display toast and tramezzini that were born right here in the Twenties.
The “after” can only be the Bicerin, the wonderful concoction of chocolate, coffee and milk’s cream that was crazy Cavour. You drink in small and local self-titled (Piazza della Consolata, Tel. +39 011 4369325 – www.bicerin.it – bicerin@bicerin.it) in front of the Shrine of the Consolata since 1763.
A few steps you enter the courtyard of the Palazzo Carignano, the building where he was born Vittorio Emanuele II and which hosted the subalpine parliament, the study of Cavour and the court of first Italian parliament.
Behind the original building of red brick facade from the concave and convex lines, it is the elegant Subalpina Gallery where you seem to wander for the charm of another era, among sparkling windows of yesteryear.
Turin, with twenty-seven kilometers of arcades, is a city that invites you to stroll. And a ten-minute walk leads to the Mole Antonelliana, symbol of the city with its 167.5 meters high, designed by Alessandro Antonelli.
Inside the Cinema Museum (Via Montebello 20, open daily from Monday to Friday from 9.00 to 20.00 and on Saturdays from 9.00 to 23.00, closed on Tuesdays, tel. +39 011 8125658 – www.museocinema.it), structure scenic, full of sound and light effects. Do not miss the rooms inspired by the films that have made the history of cinema. And then the library with 20 thousand volumes, 140 thousand photographs, 150 thousand posters and 5,650 film: a real show!
There is also a panoramic elevator that goes up to the tip of the Mole, where you can enjoy an excellent view of the city. You can not give up a selfie from Turin in the background!
In the city the magic atmospheres do not live only in the halls housed in the great eclectic architecture of the Mole. Turin is with Lyon and Prague one of the triangle vertices of the European esotericism. Two statues mark the most magical place, balance of mysterious energies: those of Castor and Pollux of which includes the gate of the Royal Palace, a sign of division between the sacred and evil. Under the church of the Great Mother of God, according to esoteric traditions, it is buried the Holy Grail, while the fountain of Frejus, in Piazza Statuto, you would drop directly into Hell and the angel that dominates others would not be that Lucifer.
All this wandering in an atmosphere of sacred and profane has put in appetite? It’s time to indulge in a bollito misto: veal pieces, including the head, beef, chicken, pork trotters that are seasoned with cold sauces calls Bagnet. Those are green with garlic, parsley, soft bread soaked in oil and vinegar; red if prepared with tomato, carrot, red pepper and grape mustard, cognà, with grapes, pears, cinnamon, cloves and hazelnuts.
To taste it we moved in Carrù where every year on the second Thursday before Christmas, they celebrate the Fat Ox Fair characterized by the preparation of the dish: the bollito, favorite dish by Vittorio Emanuele II. Rigorously prepared according to strict “rule of seven” the large boiled meat of Piedmont of Trattoria Vascello d’Oro (Via San Giuseppe, Carrù – Tel. +39 0173 75478 – www.vascellodoro.it – info@vascellodoro.it). On the cart appeared, steaming and fragrant, the seven cuts of one of the most monumental dishes of Italian culinary tradition: softie, scaramella, thigh muscle, shin, shoulder, peak bow, hat priest. In different pots they are fired seven ornaments of the head complete with calf nose, tongue, the zampino, the tail, the chicken, the sausage and rolata. Although at this point it will be very hard not to feel more than satisfied, you can not waive the delicious homemade desserts served too on the cart: a load of goodies, from hazelnut cake, the Bunet, the typical pudding with cocoa, yolks ‘beaten egg, crumbled amaretti and milk, until the pears cooked in Nebbiolo and moscato.
