The Best Things to Do in Torino
Recently we spent a weekend in Torino, Italy. You may also know it as Turin depending on the language you are most familiar with. Either way, it was such a fun city to spend the weekend in. Here you can discover what to do when you visit Turin.
The reason we chose Turin is because Andrew attended a conference there. We decided to take a few extra days and explore the city. I took the train from Pisa on Friday and we left on Monday afternoon. I would say that with the way we tend to travel it was probably a day too long. We typically don’t visit very many museums, we just aren’t big museum people. Exceptions for me include natural history museums and in this case, the Egyptian Museum.
What to do in Torino in 3 days
Of course, traveling and spending your time in a new place is different for everyone. For us, we like to explore and wander. Here is a review of highlights to see each day in Torino.
Where to eat and drink
I am going to list the places where we dined in the city. I liked almost every place that we went which was a very pleasant surprise. Pricing isn’t too bad for it being a big city unless you are in the very center.
When I arrived in Torino, I was really hungry after over three hours on the train. Andrew was still at his conference and so I dined alone. This is out of the norm for me and I found it strange at first. A couple of my friends who travel solo gave me some ideas on how to make it more enjoyable after I posted an update to my Instagram.
Greek Food Lab
I loved this Greek restaurant. It was on a quiet street with a nice ambiance, plus the food was delicious! We got the mixed appetizer plate and everything was a delight. We then ate wraps with fried cheese.
If you are looking for a casual place to enjoy a glass or two of wine, this is a great option. We stopped here as it wasn’t too far from where we were staying. It has outdoor tables and a cute indoor area. The staff was really friendly, they spoke English and helped us pick out our wines.
This bar has an extensive menu of cocktails and they mix them strong! It is as it says, a dive bar but with a twist. I don’t even know how to explain it, it is just fun in a rough hipster way.
Classy cocktails and snacks. This bar was packed but luckily had a space open up just as we got there. The server was really nice and I enjoyed the bustling ambiance of friends out on the town.
Looking for good pizza? Fratelli Pummarò was delicious. We really enjoyed our pizzas and beers at this little pizzeria. There is a large selection of pizzas and Andrew was even hungry enough to order fries.
This caffè was just around the block from our apartment and we really liked it. It has a large variety of coffee as well as sizes. It is known for its specialty blends as well, so you can buy the beans directly from them.
Trattoria Bar Coco’s
This little trattoria is where I ate solo. The service was great and the food was delightful. I had the gnocchi with a gorgonzola sauce along with a glass of house wine. It was quite busy and seemed to attract more locals than tourists.
We love Mexican food and after a morning of walking around the city, burritos sounded really good. The nachos had more cheese on them than any other nachos we have had in the past. Luckily we love cheese. The veggie burritos hit the spot. It was a little bit more pricey than we expected, but we still enjoyed it.
What to do and see
The Egyptian Museum in Turin is one of the biggest in Europe. It is filled with artifacts, mummies, and tombs. The exhibits are tastefully done and the map marks where there are mummies in case you don’t feel comfortable seeing them.
I think my favorite exhibit was the Hall of Kings. This is where the large statues are housed and the way they set it up is really neat.
Parco del Valentino
Parco del Valentino borders the river and is a great spot to relax and enjoy the fresh air. There is a path that leads along the river and you will find little booths to enjoy a coffee, snacks, smoothies, and more. I really enjoyed exploring this park.
Borgo Medievale
This is a small village located in Parco del Valentino that is modeled after a medieval village. It was built in 1884 for the Italian General Exposition. The architecture models that of the Piedmont area in medieval times.
I found it to be much smaller than I had expected, but it is still fun to walk through. There was quite a bit of work being done on it when we visited which took away from the magic of being transported back in time.
Just walk around and explore
Simply start walking. Explore the different neighborhoods and sites. I really enjoyed taking advantage of the tree-lined paths and numerous porticos. You are bound to come across cute bars and restaurants to stop and try. There are many interesting places to discover.
Piazza Castello
The piazza is large and has a fountain and is a joy to walk around to see all of the old buildings. It is also where you can access the Civic Museum of Ancient Art.
Visiting Torino
Torino is a great city and I can see why people like to visit and live there. There are so many great bars and restaurants along with things to do. It may not top our list of favorite cities in Italy, but it was definitely fun to explore.