Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

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Previous issues for Turin

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Italy : Turin - June 2009

Country Code: Dial for Italy

Turin is the perfect summer getaway, a city where a Gallic café culture and rich culinary traditions meet cutting-edge art and contemporary design. And for all their cosmopolitan panache, nothing gets the Torinesi more excited than the thought of gelati and chocolate. This month parachutists, hanggliders and balloonists descend on the Piedmont capital for the World Air Games (6-14 June). Most of the events are visible from most parts of the centro – just look up. Jack Barnes turns his eyes to the sky

Getting around

Caselle airport

Bus: A bus service from the airport to the city centre runs every 30 minutes, from 5.15am to 11pm (see www.sadem.it). The journey takes 40 minutes and costs €5.
Train: Trains run directly into Dora station from the airport. The service departs every 30 minutes (see www.gtt.to.it) and takes 40 minutes. Tickets cost €3.
Taxi: A taxi to the city centre takes about 30 minutes and costs €35. Tourist information: The city’s main tourist office is at the Atrium, Piazza Solferino (tel. , www.turismotorino.org).

LA MOLE ANTONELLIANA AND CARIGNANO

Turin’s towering landmark spire was originally constructed as a synagogue in the 19th century and is surrounded by a cluster of shops and eateries.

Must eat – Caffè Fiorio (8 Via Po, ) is probably Turin’s favourite place for ice cream and is famed for its fruit varieties. For a more substantial meal, the relaxed Trattoria Ala (24 Via Santa Giulia, ) serves excellent fish, hailed as the best in the city. Try the spaghetti nero with cuttlefish.

Shop til you drop – The area is known for its bookstores, one of the best being La Bussola (9 Via Po), specialising in art and photography.

LINGOTTO

If La Mole is the traditional icon of the city, the Lingotto – the one-time Fiat factory now housing cultural venues, shops and bars – is a symbol of its rebirth as a capital of modish cool.

Culture vultures – Museo dell’ Automobile (40 Corso Unità d’Italia) celebrates of one of the city’s great passions. Up on the roof of the Lingotto, Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli (230 Via Nizza), designed by Philippe Starck, houses the Agnelli family art collection.

Must eat – Head up to La Pista (270 Via Nizza, ) – ‘The Track’ – a chi-chi pitstop perched on top of the Lingotto, which dishes up well-regarded local treats and seasonal specialities such as veal tongue with milk cagliata cheese and green onion.

VIA GARIBALDI

This long, busy pedestrian shopping street has a more informal air than Via Roma.

Culture vultures – For the full-on baroque experience, visit Chiesa del Corpus Domini (Piazza Corpus Domini), which dates from 1603 and is the site of the Miracle of Turin, and Palazzo di Città (Piazza Palazzo di Città), which is the city’s administrative centre.

Must drink – Caffè Lavazza (10 Via San Tommaso) is the official café for the coffee company of the same name. It also has a cocktail bar and you can grab a bite to eat here too. Folk Club (3 Via Perrone) may conjure up images of Argyle sweaters, but this is a sleek, jazzy bar with live music.

Shop til you drop – Lovers of candles, aromatic goodies and essences should head to Umbraculum (9 Via Barbaroux Giuseppe). Sclarandis & Masoero (8 Via Tasso) is a quirky, independent antique shop.

PIAZZA SAVOIA

On this regal square on the farthest reaches of Quadrilatero Romano you will find a number of bars and eateries – from the decidedly chic to the stoutly traditional.

Sleep soundly – Set in an 18th-century palazzo, Ai Savoia (1b Via del Carmine, , aisavoia.it, rooms from €100) is an elegant, hushed getaway. Book into the Vittorio Emanuele room, which has original antique fittings and a suitably regal air. Otherwise, Hotel Diplomatic (Via Cernaia, , hoteldiplomatic. it, rooms from €120) is a modern, business-minded bolthole.

Must eat – Lobelix (4 Piazza Savoia) is a cocktail bar that evolves into a nightclub as the evening progresses. Nearby Km5 (14/16 Via San Domenico) does a Torinese take on tapas, with Spanish treats to nibble on while you acquaint yourself with the cocktail list.

Shop til you drop – For vintage women’s clothes dating from the 18thcentury onwards, head to La Terra Delle Donne (18 Via San Domenico), a treasure trove for the more discerning fashion victim. L’Ambaradan (3 Via della Misericordia) is one of the city’s best antique and art shops, where you can enjoy a leisurely browse.

Compiled by Jack Barnes