Cappuccino Experience

Coffee & Culture. Exploring Italy’s First Capital.

Written by admin on 30 June, 2009 – 8:59 pm -

A couple of weeks ago my aunt and uncle came to Turin (Piedmont). It was their first time here and they had no idea what to expect. They were pleasantly surprised by the baroque architecture of many of the palazzi and the overall elegance of the city. Combining culture, coffee and ice cream: that was our goal. You’re invited to retrace our footsteps on this short tour. Enjoy with us the delights of Italy’s first capital.

To view the images at full size please click on the thumbnails. Take advantage also of the many links included throughout the article – they give more detail about the topic or show a 360 degree panorama.

Benvenuti

Only two days to explore one of Italy’s finest cities. That can’t be enough, can it? The answer is obviously no, especially if you want to take life easy, drink lots of coffee, stroll (the famous Italian passeggiata), and eat ice cream as well. However, if you only want to see (i.e. glance at) all the main attractions you could probably just about do it.

Our ‘journey’ began from the Principi di Piemonte, a luxury 5 star hotel near Piazza San Carlo, one of the main squares, where my uncle and aunt were based. It’s possible to get very good deals if you book early enough, much cheaper than you might expect.

A Little Light Reading

A good place to start our cultural tour was at the Circolo dei lettori (Readers’ Club), whose motto is chi legge vola (he who reads flies).

Housed on the first floor of the Graneri della Roccia Palace, the Circolo is not noticeable from the street. It is full of impressive reading rooms, including one with hanging basket chairs. Not many people come during the week so it is even possible to work here (there are sockets for laptops) and there is a lovely bar if you need a pausa.

Entry to the rooms is free and there are many events held here each month (you may need to buy a ticket for some of these). A programme can be downloaded.

City of Piazzas

Not far from the Circolo is one of Turin’s most spectacular piazzas, Piazza Carignano. The square hosts the recently refurbished Teatro Carignano, Italy’s first parliament building the Palazzo Carignano (now the National Museum of the Italian Risorgimento), Il Ristorante del Cambio (where both the Count of Cavour and Gianni Agnelli used to dine – not together though!), and the Gelateria Pepino (later there is a photo of my uncle and I eating one of their famous ice creams). Nearby is the Galleria Subalpina, an elegant arcade decorated in Art Nouveau style. Inside is one of Turin’s poshest (and most expensive) cafés, Baratti & Milano.

Mr Cappuccino Tip: Drink your coffee al banco, at the bar, stood up. The prices are set by law. For example, you will pay €1.50 for a cappuccino. Sitting down you will pay at least €4.

The Cupola

Commissioned by Emanuele Filiberto the Chiesa di San Lorenzo was the first piece of work by one of Turin’s most important baroque architects, Guarino Guarini, and was the original home for La Sacra Sindone when it arrived in the city. The dome is of major importance and has an amazing interlocking rib structure.

A Guarini dome, such as the one in his Church of S. Lorenzo in Turin, becomes a luminous cage of slender intersecting ribs over which floats the light-filled space of the lantern visible through the complex rib network; the base of the dome is a circle, and the base of the buoyant lantern is formed by eight semicircular lobes, each framed by a pair of splayed ribs. This extraordinary configuration of space, light, and mass has been described by a Guarini scholar as ‘a great work of hallucinatory engineering’.
Marvin Trachtenberg and Isabelle Hyman. Architecture: from Prehistory to Post-Modernism. p349.

From inside Piazzetta Reale, one can admire the magnificent view across Piazza Castello, down Via Roma, and towards Porta Nuova, the main railway station.

The Royal House of Savoy

When the Kingdom of Italy came to an end in 1946, the House of Savoy (Casa Savoia) was the world’s oldest reigning dynasty. The Palazzo Reale was their official residence. Formerly the Palazzo del Vescovo (Bishops Palace), it was transformed into a royal palace by Carlo Emanuele II in 1584 and renovated by Madama Reale, Christine Marie of France, in the seventeenth century.

The Palace’s exterior is quite plain. However, after a guided tour (€7.50) – free if you have the Abbonamento Museo Torino Piemonte (a yearly museum pass costing only €45) or the Torino+Piemonte Card (a similar pass valid for 2, 3, 5, or 7 days costing from €19 to €35) – we discovered the beauty of the interior. The Giardini Reali (Royal Gardens) were designed by André Le Nôtre who was responsible for the gardens at Versailles. They can be seen from within the palace and are worth the admission fee alone.

By the side of the Palace is the Caffè Reale which opened its doors to the public on 1 July 2007. Formerly home to the royal fruitery, then to the library, it was finally demoted to storeroom. Renovation has restored it to its past glory.

The Savoy family is responsible for many royal residences in and around Turin and Piedmont.

Time Out

Late afternoon we crossed the river Po towards the Gran Madre . This church, which takes its inspiration from the Pantheon in Rome, was built to celebrate the return of King Vittorio Emanuele I after the French occupation. Legend also has it that the Holy Grail is buried here!

As there are quite a few nice bars and restaurants in this area we decided to take time out and have a snack and ice cream.

A bit later on we headed to Piazza Vittorio Veneto, one of Europe’s largest squares, for our evening meal. We then took a stroll towards Piazza San Carlo where, sitting outside the Neuv Caval ‘d Brôns, listening to live music (it was 26 degrees at 10pm) we slid down some squisito home made ice cream (mine was the house speciality and included marron glacé and gianduja chocolate).

On the way home a London bus drove past. I don’t think I had eaten anything strange or drunk too much wine.

Turin’s Best Coffee?

The next morning, before meeting my aunt and uncle, we had breakfast at what has become my favourite bar in Turin. Situated beneath the arches in Piazza Vittorio Veneto, Torrefazione Coloniale is very small. The cappuccino is second to none, the croissants mouthwatering, the owners friendly, and the prices cheap (same sitting as standing). They sell coffee from all over the world. However, there are only two tables outside so if you decide to go, just make sure it is not Saturday morning. That’s my time!

La Sacra Sindone

The Shroud of Turin, brought to the chief town of the Dukedom of Savoy in 1578 by Emanuele Filiberto, is kept in a special fireproof case in the Duomo di San Giovanni Battista (a photographic copy is on display). It is normally only exhibited every 25 years, the last time being in 2000 as part of the Church’s millennium celebrations. However, the next viewing will be 10 April – 23 May, 2010. The Cappella della Sacra Sindone (Chapel of the Holy Shroud) was originally part of the Palazzo Reale and was designed by Guarino Guarini.

For those wanting to find out more about the Shroud, which is believed to be the burial cloth of Jesus, there is a museum below the cathedral.

La Mole Antonelliana & the Great Glass Elevator

The “Mole“, which now houses the National Cinema Museum, was originally intended to be a Synagogue. The architect of the venture, which began in 1862, was Alessandro Antonelli. Several problems were encountered along the way (mainly financial) and eventually the City of Turin took over the project. The building was finally completed and was dedicated to King Vittorio Emanuele II. It is 167m in height.

The panoramic lift (€4.50) has to be one of the most spectacular of its type. Made of glass you can see the interior of the cinema museum while you ascend to a height of 85m. Once at the top the view of the city is breathtaking. The students here have a superstition that if they go up the Mole then they will never graduate.

To get another spectacular (and free) panoramic view of Turin you can ‘climb’ Monte dei Cappuccini (a walk up a steep hill, not very difficult if you are reasonably fit). There is also a viewing platform if you decide to enter the Museo Nazionale della Montagna situated there.

Coffee & Culture

Turin is home to some of the best historic cafés (see the list at the bottom of post) in the whole of Italy. We only managed to visit a few of them. There are also plenty of ‘normal’ cafés so it’s very easy to stop for a break at regular intervals.

The centre of Turin has many arcades so even if there is wet weather you can keep reasonably dry (fortunately for us it was sunny). Take time to browse the many small kiosks selling second hand books (these are mainly situated along Via Po).

Madame’s Palace

At the centre of Piazza Castello is a Palazzo Madama which dates back to the fourteenth century. In 1637 Christine Marie of France chose this as her residence. Sixty years later Marie Jeanne Baptiste de Savoie-Nemours decided to live here too, and commissioned the architect Filippo Juvarra to design a new baroque facade. The nickname acquired is due to the latter ‘Madama’.

Roman ruins are visible from within the inner yard where a video explains the history of the palace with English subtitles.

Currently there is a large poster of Lapo Elkan (Gianni Agnelli’s grandson) whilst the castle undergoes restoration.

Happy Hour

What could be better than an aperitivo (sometimes translated as Happy Hour for tourists) to prepare you for the evening? Many cafés and bars offer them from about 7pm onwards. What’s on offer varies greatly but generally there is a help yourself buffet and a drink. Some places give you enough food to last the whole evening, others just some nibbles. Prices vary (anything from €5–€10). We had our aperitivo at Caffè Torino in Piazza San Carlo. I enjoyed watching passers by stand on the golden bull’s balls which is situated right outside (it is supposed to bring luck)!

The Last Supper

After much searching for a place to dine, we finally found La Badessa (The Mother Superior) in Piazza Carlina. Unfortunately, as it was so crowded (crisis, what crisis!) we had to eat inside (it was the perfect evening for having a meal outdoors). However, the food and service were exceptional. A great end to a great ‘holiday’.

The Verdict

We only scratched the surface of the things there are to see in Turin. But our main objective was achieved – we completely relaxed, had a good time, took in some culture, drank lots of coffee and ate ice cream. A resounding success.

My aunt and uncle were extremely impressed with Turin and will return soon. There’s still so much more to do.

What to See

Here are just some of the attractions you can discover if you visit this city. In bold are the ones da non perdere – not to miss – well, in my opinion anyway!

Archivio di Stato, Atrium & Piazza Solferino, Basilica di Superga, Biblioteca Reale, Castello di Agliè, Castello di Rivoli/Museo d’Arte Contemporanea, Chiesa della Santissima Trinità, Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi, Contrada dei Guardinfanti, Duomo di San Giovanni Battista & Cappella della Sacra Sindone, Fontana dei Mesi, Galleria D’arte Moderna e Contemporanea (GAM), Galleria Sabauda, Galleria Subalpina, Giardino Reale, Gran Madre di Dio, Il Borgo Medievale, La Cittadella, Lingotto, Mole Antonelliana & Museo Nazionale del Cinema, Monte dei Cappuccini (Santa Maria del Monte & Museo della Montagna), Murazzi del Po, Museo Civico d’Arte Antica, Museo d’Arte Orientale (MAO), Museo Egizio, Museo Regionale di Scienza Naturali, Palazzina Promotrice delle Belle Arti, Palazzo Bricherasio, Palazzo Carignano (Museo Nazionale del Risorgimento), Palazzo Carpano, Palazzo dell’Accademia delle Scienza, Palazzo di Città (Palazzo Municipale), Palazzo Reale, Parco & Castello del Valentino, Piazza Castello & Palazzo Madama, Piazza San Carlo, Piazza Vittorio Veneto, Piazzo Carlo Emanuele II (Piazza Carlina), Pinacoteca dell’Accademia Albertina, Ponte Umberto I, Porta Nuova, Porta Palatina, Quadrilatero Romano, Ristorante del Cambio, San Domenico & Santa Chiara, San Filippo Neri, San Lorenzo, , Santuario della Consolata, Santuario Maria Ausiliatrice, Stupinigi, Teatro Regio, Teatro Romano, Torino Esposizioni, Venaria Reale, Via della Rocca, Via e Piazza Palazzo di Città, Via Garibaldi, Via Pietro Micca, Via Alfieri, Via Po, Villaggio Olimpico

Historic Cafés

To get a feel for the past take a break in some of these fine establishments.

Caffè Mulassano, Caffè Roma, Baratti & Milano, Caffè Al Bicerin, Caffè San Carlo, Caffè Neuv Caval ‘D Brôns, Caffè Ristorante Platti, Caffè Reale, Ghigo Pasticceria, Pasticceria Pfatisch, Caffè Elena, Caffè Fiorio, Norman

Related Websites

torinodailyphoto.blogspot.com Fabrizio’s daily photographic tour
turismotorino.org Turin Tourism portal
torino grand tour Walking itineraries with downloadable maps and audio
torinoplus What’s on guide
torino.arounder.com 360 degree images
torino.city-sightseeing.it Open-top bus tour
aeroportoditorino.it Caselle Airport
comune.torino.it/gtt/ Gruppo Torinese Trasporti – bus & tram services
metrotorino.it The new metro service
torinopiupiemonte.com Turin+Piedmont
piemontefeel.org What’s on in and around Piedmont

Pick Up a Leaflet

There is a wealth of information available from the tourist information centres located in Piazza San Carlo and Piazza Castello. With the help of leaflets you can plan your stay. I highly recommend Torino on Foot: Walks to Explore the City.

Last year a free DVD was produced by the Città di Torino. Its duration was only 6 minutes but it showed off the city at its best. If it is still available be sure to take one.

Posted in Culture, Exhibitions, Experience, Food & Drink, Travel |