Palazzo Reale © David Salamanca/Unsplash
I had been meaning to take the high speed train between Paris and Torino from the moment Trenitalia and SNCF announced they were opening this route. Day dreaming while your train crosses the French countryside all the way to Lyon and then begins its ascent towards the Western Alps, between peaks and forests, castles and streams, felt like the perfect way to declutter my busy mind.
A taste of joie de vivre in the most French of Italian cities.
Two cities with a deep connection
Torino and Paris have so much in common. Torino used to be the capital of Savoy, an alpine region turned kingdom and whose borders shifted quite significantly. The connection between the Savoy dynasty and the French crown was frequently cemented by marriages.
Both cities boast a distinctive architectural elegance, are museum lovers paradises, and display an almost obsessive devotion to good food and good wine.
On a more practical note, as there is such a vast choice of indoor attractions, both can be enjoyed in all seasons, a statement I have tested to its limits as it snowed on the second day of our stay in Torino.
Getting to Torino by train for the weekend: the practicalities
My Torino trip itinerary works very well as a long weekend from London or BENELUX, with a change of train and station in Paris (From Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon). Stopping in Paris for half a day allows you to appreciate what the two cities have in common.
Of course, if you are coming from other directions, your route will not go through Paris.
You can easily organise a long weekend in Torino from Austria and southern Germany. From Vienna or Munich, you can catch the Nightjet train to Milano and change for the fast train to Torino in the morning.
Coming from London, I had to decide what to do about the change of station. The change is very feasible but as I have always had a soft spot for Paris, I try and maximise the change of station for a quick taste of Parisian joie de vivre. So, although I had the option of catching the early morning train from Gare de Lyon, I opted for a more leisurely 9.30. That gave me the time to enjoy my evening in Paris - a dinner and walk in the 'City of Light' is always worth it!
I still got to Torino at 13.30 on the Saturday, after a lovely lunch on the train while I watched Europe go by before my eyes. Frecciarossa offers a service where you can order food to be delivered at your seat at a specific time, and that is exactly what I did, so I did not need to leave my viewing spot. And sipping an aperol with a view of the Alps was a great way to get into native mode before stepping off my train in Torino!
Day 1 - Out and about in Augusta Taurinorum
Torino is the kind of gem the Italians keep to themselves - or share with the French. Most tourists are from these two countries, and are after an experience of culture, food, and outdoors.
Other than Lyon, off the top if my mind Torino is the only city with two rivers running through its centre, the Po, and the Dora Riparia. Despite their proximity they are so different, in the colour of their water, and the way they cut through the city. The green Po flows mightily, crisscrossed by rowers, and elegant bridges, separating the city centre from the elegant hillside area, where the well-to-do Torinesi live. The Dora's waters are blue and have a crispy alpine vibe - or perhaps that is how they feel if you visit in winter.
Roman Gate and road © Alps2Coast
As snow was forecasted for the Sunday, we planned to make the most of the sunny afternoon and explore the city on foot, walking from our hotel (in the city centre) to the elegant Piazza Castello, through Via Po, and then along the river. Torino's Roman origin means the centre is a compact grid and easy to explore even without google maps.
With everything walking distance, we still had the time to make our way to the Roman ruins and the Cathedral, where the Holy Shroud is guarded, and then to the incredible Baroque Church of the Consolata, with its early medieval belltower.
Across the road from the Consolata church is Caffe' Al Bicerin - a torinese institution, famous as the birthplace of the bicerin, the drink synonym with the city of Torino: three neat layers of coffee, hot chocolate, and cream, that you should enjoy without mixing the flavours. It was warm by February standards so we sat outside, admiring the view of the elegant square.
Every time I am in Torino I get the impression that the whole city is out. The torinesi have a reputation for being reserved and unfussed, but they certainly seem to know the meaning of joie de vivre.
Torino by night © Flavio Pi/Unsplash
We strolled through the centre, also known as the 'Quadrilatero,' a reference to its Roman grid shape, looking for a place that grabbed our attention for an aperitive diner. We settled on IngressoMinuto, because it seemed to have a number of appealing vegetarian options. Their savoury 'cappuccino' of red lentil soup with ricotta froth was so nice we re-ordered it! We also tried vermut, a fortitied wine, which is another local speciality.
Day 2 - Torino's great indoors
The Mole from the Roman tower of Palazzo Madama © Alps2Coast
Palazzo Madama is one of the masterpieces of the Italian baroque, but built over the ruins of a medieval palace built in turns over the Roman walls and city gate.
The view in the picture to the right is taken from the top of one of the Palazzo's towers, which is actually Roman! I don't think I had ever been on a lift in an ancient Roman tower before!
The Palazzo rooms, lavishly decorated in baroque fashion, are a sight to behold.
As for the art collection, it is incredible. Like the V&A in London, it focuses on design and craftmanship rather than
exclusively on painting and sculpture, and it is an enlightening journey through some of the best furnishings and ceramics I have ever seen.
It takes a few hours to enjoy the Palazzo, but we did manage to make a detour to Via Po, for a lunch of bagna cauda (a garlic, oil and anchovies sauce in which you can dip peppers, Jerusalem artichokes and other vegetables, followed by cheese agnolotti, washed down with a stunning glass of Nebbiolo, at Bistrot Turin.
Warmed up by the delicious food, we headed off to the Museo Egizio (Egyptian Museum). Started by the omnipresent Savoy family, it boasts the largest ancient Egyptian collection outside Cairo. The engaging display of the collections is extremely interesting and if, like me, you did not have much exposure to Egyptian history and culture, it is highly educational.
We finished just as the sun was setting, just in time for another bicerin, perfectly suited to a cold snowy day. Quite a few restaurants were closed, so we quickly had to find a place to eat because the others were getting very busy. Our final dinner of risotto al castelmagno, washed down by more Nebbiolo, was a great way to seal a wonderful weekend.
Art deco cinema sign © Alps2Coast
Day 3 - From Torino to Paris by train
We caught the first train back to Paris (7.11am) the next morning, because I had to catch a connection to London, but if your final destination is Paris or if you have no interest in spending additional time in the French capital you can easily leave later and have a lovely stroll through Torino, either retracing your steps in the centre and enjoy the scaenographic Piazza San Carlo, with its two twin churches, or walk along the Po Dora Riparia until its confluence with the Po, and stroll through the Valentino Park.
Torino is also one of the capitals of Italian cinema, and there is an interesting Museo del Cinema inside the Mole Antonelliana, which for a few years in the nineteenth-century held the record of tallest building in Europe.
In my three hours of free time in Paris, I had a quick lunch in La Bastille and then wandered around the Marais before walking to to Gare du Nord (it only takes one hour!) for my last train home.
If a walk through the Marais is not your top of your list of Parisian highlights, have written a post specifically on how to maximise the journey from Gare de Lyon to Gare du Nord and turn into a delightful mini-stopover. You can access it here.
A city for all seasons
This was my third time in Torino, and the second in winter. It is such an intriguing city, with so many indoor and outdoor sights, that the season does not matter. Or it does, in a positive way, in the sense that it inspires you to visit different sights or try different foods. If you are looking for a destination that is not overflowing with tourists - Museo Egizio apart - and that offers surprises and rewards you with a sense of discovery, Torino is an ideal city break.
Coming by train added to the sense of adventure and made me enjoy it even more.
For more European travel inspiration, check out the rest of my blog.
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