Torino for the day? Too easy.

Last week my friend Janka invited me to visit Torino (Turin) for the day.  Less than 2 hours by regional train, Torino is an easy day trip from Milan.  While it is a very Italian city - in fact it was the first capital of a United Italy in 1861 - the city actually appears more French than Italian, due to its long history as the capital of the Savoy kingdom when many of the magnificent piazzas and palazzos were built.

The heart of the city is the Piazza Castello.  We made our way there from the station and by mid-morning were seated in the very grand Caffe Barrati & Milano leisurely sipping glasses of bicerin, the deliciously strong mocha coffee for which the cafes of Torino are famous.  

After weeks of rain in Milan, we enjoyed the relief of crisp, sunny autumn air as we strolled along the wide streets and meandered through the beautiful piazzas and parks of this elegant city.

The spire of Torino's most famous building, the Mole Antonelliana, caught our eye and made us think that on such a sparklingly clear day, the views from the top would be spectacular.  And they were.

After enjoying the dazzling views of Torino from the top of the spire, we spent the rest of the day at the Mole as it also houses a small Eataly restaurant and the fascinating  National Museum of Cinema.

Time flew, so as we raced to catch the late afternoon train back to Milan, we both agreed that we will have to return to Torino as there is so much more to see and even more importantly, to taste. There was no time to visit the main Eataly store, where they make the best gelato in Italy!  

Grazie mille Janka per una buona giornata!

Alla prossima per ulteriori avventure autunnali.

Travel details

Regional trains to Torino Porto Nuova leave from Milano Centrale once an hour and cost approx 24.20 Euro return for travel the next day.  

Tickets to the Panoramic Lift and National Film Museum at the Mole Antonelliana cost 14 Euro.   

But wait there's more...
If you'd like to see a little more of this beautiful city, CLICK HERE for a post by my blogging friend Heather of Cafe' Carlson.  She loved Torino in autumn too.