Getting around Turin

 

Itís easy to get around central Turin on foot, but thereís also a vast network of GTT (Gruppi Torinese Trasporti; tel. +39-011-57641 or 800-019152; www.comune.torino.it/gtt) trams and buses. Tickets are sold at newsstands: €1.50 for a single, 90-minute ride; €3 for 24 hours. The Torino Card gets you free travel for the duration of the cardís validity.

The circular Piazza Carlo Felice, directly in front of the station, is built around a garden and surrounded by outdoor cafes that invite even business-minded Torinese to linger. A few steps farther, Via Roma opens into the Piazza San Carlo, which is flanked by the twin churches of San Carlo and Santa Christina. The Palazzo Madama, at the end of Via Roma, dominates the main Piazza Castello. Flanking the north side of the piazza is the Palazzo Reale, residence of the Savoys from 1646 to 1865, whose gardens provide a pleasant respite from traffic.
From here, a walk east toward the Po River along Via Po takes you through Turin's university district to one of Italy's largest squares, the much-elongated Piazza Vittorio Veneto. At the end of this elegant expanse run the Po.
The main tourist office (tel. +39-011-535181; www.turismotorino.org or www.comune.torino.it; daily 9:30am—7pm) had been in a pavilion in the middle of Piazza Solferino, but that was simply a temporary structure put in place for the 2006 Olympics. The pavilion will be torn down by the end of 2007 and the information office will moveóthe only problem is, they still had no idea where by the time we went to print. Check their Web site for updates. There's also an office in the airport, and another at the Porta Nuova train station.
For arts calendars, cultural events, sports, and nightlifeóplus, under the ìTorino Grand Tourî section, free downloadable mp3s of self-guided city walking toursócheck out www.comune.torino.it/torinoplus/. You'll find more information on the surrounding region at www.regione.piemonte.it.

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