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Italy : Turin - November 2009

Country Code: Dial for Italy

Turin comes into its own in the colder months – after all, they offer the perfect excuse to sip another steaming cup of hot chocolate. There’s always plenty going on too, and this month sees the Turin Film Festival, with events across the city (torinofilmfest.org), the continuing Turin Dance Festival (torinodanza festival.it) and the turning on of the Christmas lights, which are actually art installations. Oscar Xavier tells us more

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).

QUADRILATERO ROMANO

Once a down-at-heel, post-industrial no-go area, this is now a rather chic quarter, complete with style bars and trendy eateries.

Must eat – Generally regarded as the trail-blazing venue that helped kick-start the area, Tre Galli (25 Via San Agostino) serves up hearty Piedmontese fare in traditional trattoria style, with the sformato (vegetable pie) a perennial favourite. Hidden away in a small courtyard, Trait d’Union (4 Via degli Stampatori) is equally impressive, with its lighter Med-influenced menu. Pick your way through the fish tasting menu, with the smoked tuna with oil and lemon a particular highlight.

Must drink – Start the evening with a cocktail at Cook & The City (3 Piazza Emanuele Filiberto), or head up to Société Lutèce (21 Corso Vittorio Emanuele II), a hip little number, with a long, well-stocked marble bar.

Shop til you drop – La Terra delle Donne (18 Via San Domenico) is a specialist vintage store, selling 50s handbags and 18th-century lace. Autopsie Vestimentaire (6b via Bonelli) is a bit more pricey. It’s home to the cutting-edge fashions of celebrated designer Alice Capelli.

VIA ROMA

One of the city’s main shopping streets, this is also the setting for many an early evening passeggiata and animated coffee break.

Sleep soundly – A decidedly chic but pleasingly comfortable bolt hole, the Victoria (4 Via Nino Costa, , hotelvictoria-torino.com, rooms from €100) is nicely located. The pick of the rooms are the swanky suites. The Principe di Piemonte (15 Via Gobetti, , atahotels.it, rooms from €200) is a swanky, businessminded hotel with sleek, spacious rooms, the best of which is the presidential suite (though it doesn’t come cheap).

Must drink – Take a breather from all that shopping with a pit stop at Casa del Barolo (7 Via Andrea Doria; closed Mondays), a popular wine bar with plenty to nibble on too. Or there’s Baratti & Milano (29 Piazza Castello), a classic Turin café that’s perfect for a coffee or cocktails.

Shop til you drop – You’ll find all the usual big-label suspects here, but for something different try Anna Caffè (19 Via Roma), a small boutique with a more discerning selection of designer names. For men, there’s Jack Emerson (1 Via Cesare Battisti), an elegant store for traditional gentlemen.

VIA MAGENTA

It’s worth making a leisurely detour down here if you’re heading for the contemporary art museum.

Culture vultures – The Galleria Civica d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea (31 Via Magenta; closed Mondays) is one of Italy’s great contemporary art museums, with a collection that stretches back to the mid-19th century and includes all the usual suspects, from Modigliani to Warhol.

Must eat – Gorge yourself on local pastry and sweet specialities at Gerla (88 Corso Vittorio Emanuele ll), including candied orange peels covered in dark chocolate. Or sit down at Platti (76 Corso Vittorio Emanuele II) for a tramezzino (crustless sandwich).

DOCKS DORA

Head out to this up and coming area to the north-west of the centro, where warehouses and disused railyards have been converted into artists’ studios and nightlcubs.

Dance the night away – The Docks Dora complex (68 Via Valprato) is home to three good clubs. There’s Docks 8 which is quite “full-on” and remains a big favourite with the more ravey elements of the city’s student population. Docks Home tends to be a bit more glossy-magazine trendy, with international DJ sets and a busy cocktail bar. Finally, there is Cafe Blue, which is a huge and very popular hangout.

Compiled by Oscar Xavier