Orientation

Geographically, there are really two Turins. On the left bank of the River Po, there’s a dense Neoclassical city and a street grid with—gasp—right angles at nearly every corner. On the right bank, there’s an Alpine village, with roads winding up the mountainside and castle-like homes clinging to the slopes. The city’s spiritual center is found in Piazza Castello, the square east of the river and home to many museums and sights. To reach the charming Quadrilatero Romana, follow V. Garibaldi and turn right onto V. San Agostino. C. Regina Margherita runs just north of the Castello, passing through P. della Repubblica, the site of a major outdoor market, to the east. V.Po runs from P. Castello to the long plaza of Piazza Vittorio Veneto, a major nightlife destination in addition to the riverbanks themselves, and then across the river to the Basilica di Gran Madre di Dio. V. Roma, the major shopping street, runs south from the castle to Stazione Porta Nuova, the point of arrival for most travelers. In front of Porta Nuova, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II runs west toward the river past a number of pubs and pizza joints, crossing the water at Ponte Umberto I and leading to the leafy residential neighborhoods of the hills. From C. Emanuele, V. Nizza runs south alongside the railroad tracks through an area filled with cheap hotels and onward to the revitalizing area of Lingotto, site of a former Fiat factory that has now been transformed into a mall and art galleries.