Turin
Italy
Turin is often overlooked by tourists in favor of the modern-day capital of Rome. However, Turin is a treasure waiting to be discovered, as it offers its visitors some of the finest examples of baroque palaces in Europe, a museum with one of the largest collections of Egyptian antiquities outside of Egypt, and the Turin Shroud—allegedly, the veil that covered Jesus Christ after his crucifixion.
Located in northwest Italy, Turin was at the crossroads of trade between the Italian Peninsula and Western Europe. It rose to prominence thanks largely to the House of Savoy, one of the most influential Southern European royal dynasties between the 14th and 20th centuries. Overtime, Turin became more splendorous, with hundreds of palaces, churches, and castles built in and around the city to accommodate its growing population, including an incipient bourgeoise class and early-industrialists. Eventually, Turin’s power was solidified when it was declared the capital of the Kingdom of Italy and the city led the unification process of a single peninsular state. Economically, Turin was one of the first cities in Italy to industrialize, a characteristic it retains today as the home of several auto manufacturers, most notably FIAT, and is one of the reasons why it is the third-most prosperous city in Italy.
Why learn Italian in Turin?
The local dialect, Piamontese, is the closest the Italian language can get to French, so studying Italian in Turin is especially useful if you already know some of the latter language’s vocabulary.
Proximity to both the Alps and the Mediterranean.
Fabulous architecture, predominantly baroque.
Industrial and business hub, tightly related to the car manufacturing industry.
Language Schools in Turin:
L’Italiano Porticando is a school that focuses heavily on conversational skills, offering courses with fewer in-school classes and more activities which allow students to practice speaking. It also offers a very wide variety of add-on courses.
Travel
tips
When
Best time to go is April to October.
FYI
Because of Turin’s geographic and historic proximity to France, the city looks more French than Italian, with wide boulevards, palaces, parks, and gardens.
Meet
The famous but controversial Shroud of Turin is stored in a vault in the Chapel of the Holy Shroud. Believed to be the shroud that was used to wrap Jesus Christ upon his death, scientific research has dated it to the Middle Ages.
See
The Mole Antonelliana is Turin’s most prominent landmark: rising over 167 meters (550 feet) above the city, it houses the National Museum of Cinema.
Turin hosts two of the most important football clubs in Italy: Torino F. C. and Juventus F. C, the latter being one of teams with the most titles won in the world. When they play each other, the city halts for the Derby della Mole (fittingly named after the Mole Antonelliana).
The surroundings of Turin are dotted with the magnificent royal residences of the House of Savoy. The Palace of Venaria is one of the largest palaces in the world today, an absolute Baroque masterpiece, a World Heritage site, and one of the most visited museums in Italy.
Do
Known as “Fiera del Libro", the Turin International Book Fair is the largest trade fair for Italian books, drawing over 300,000 visitors every May.
For 8 days in April or May, over 250 artists play in the Torino Jazz Festival. Established in 2012, the festival is one of the fastest-growing music festivals in Europe.
The Artissima, or the International Fair of Contemporary Art, is the perfect excuse to stay in Turin in November. Around 500 artists and 150 contemporary art galleries from around the world draw thousands of visitors to see some of the top emerging artists.
Eat
Gianduja is Piamonte’s ubiquitous hazelnut and chocolate sweet. In fact, world-famous Nutella was invented in the area as a spreadable version.
Buy
Since Turin hosts the biggest book trade fair in Italy, books are a great souvenir to buy in the city! There are many bookstores around Via Po and Piazza Carignano.