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  • Five free things to do in Turin

Five free things to do in Turin

If you ask me, Turin is one of the most underrated cities in Italy. Rich, refined, charming with a few subversive elements. Here’s my list of five free things to do in Turin.


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Just back from a wonderful stay in the capital of Piedmont, I’m fascinated by Turin’s wealth of attractions. And even though it is a very refined and affluent city, I have managed to accumulate a long list of free things to do in Turin. Something to do, when you are not sampling cafes, visiting museums, attending cooking classes dedicated to the art of chocolate making, taking guided walks, studying the mysterious Shroud or visiting Unesco World Heritage sites in the area.

Photo of one of the piazze in Turin

Photo of the river - One of the five free things to do in Turin

Enjoy the park life

Turin is one of the greenest cities of Italy in terms of gardens, parks and tree-lined avenues. It also holds the record in children’s playgrounds with a total of 240 playgrounds spread across the city. My favourite park for laid back relaxation and people watching is the Parco del Valentino with its phony Medieval castle, classic concrete fountain, packs of families and students under shady trees and a view of the Po where rowers in slim racing boats keep fit.

Photo of Porta Palazzo food market is one of the five free things to do in Turin

Market pleasures

Turin’s Porta Palazzo market is considered one of the largest in Europe with more than a thousand mobile stalls spread out over an area of 50 000 m2. Here you can find every kind of food and vegetables from pigs feet to acacia flowers, and get lost in clothes, household appliances and a friendly multi-ethnic atmosphere. The market is open all days except Sundays.

Photo of bull fountain - One of the five free things to do in Turin

Watch out for the bulls

In Italian Torino means little bull, and therefore the bull has become the emblem of the city. As such it can be found everywhere – in sculptures, walkways and roof supporting friezes. Look for the bull’s head fountains if you are thirsty and would like a free drink of water, or grind the bull’s private parts with your right heel for luck when you see it in the pavement.

Photo of shopping arcades - One of the five free things to do in Turin

Shopping in the rain

Turin has 18 km of arcades many of which are interconnected so you can walk around window shopping without being bothered by rain, sun or motorized traffic. The arcades vary a great deal in design and the first of them were built from the royal palace to Piazza Vittorio Veneto so that King Vittorio Emanuele I and his court and courtiers could promenade to the Po without being subject to the capriciousness of the weather.

Photo of historic buildings - One of the five free things to do in Turin

Public living rooms

All around Turin there’s a series of stunningly beautiful piazzas where you can sit down on a bench and breathe the atmosphere. Take a walk from Piazza Castello to Piazza Vittorio Veneto, Piazza Carlo Alberto and Piazza San Carlo with suitable breaks along the way. Or seek out the historic galleries in case of rain. Galleria Subalpina houses one of Turin’s oldest and best known cafés under a magnificent cast iron and glass roof. Galleria San Federico is reminiscent of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan and home to some expensive brands and stores. And Galleria Umberto I in Porta Palazzo serves as the inner city’s largest “shopping mall”

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15 replies
  1. Turkey's For Life
    Turkey's For Life says:
    May 13, 2012 at 7:20 am

    Always on the lookout for freebies. :) We managed to make our stay in Rome surprisingly cheap. Loved Italy and would love to return again to see more.
    Julia

    Reply
  2. Cathy Sweeney
    Cathy Sweeney says:
    May 14, 2012 at 12:46 am

    Now I’m daydreaming about enjoying an afternoon in a piazza and then searching out those bulls. Great tips for what must be a lovely city.

    Reply
  3. admin
    admin says:
    May 14, 2012 at 12:29 pm

    Glad to hear you liked Italy, Julia. And that I’ve got Cathy dreaming about a new trip to Europe:)

    Reply
  4. Raymond @ Man On The Lam
    Raymond @ Man On The Lam says:
    May 15, 2012 at 7:00 pm

    I’ve been to Italy twice and would love to go back. Never made it to Turin though…so maybe now I have an excuse… :)

    Reply
  5. Sophie
    Sophie says:
    May 16, 2012 at 9:11 am

    Can’t stop thinking about grinding the bull’s private parts with my right heel…

    Reply
  6. admin
    admin says:
    May 16, 2012 at 2:26 pm

    The bull habit does create some rather vivid imagery… And a really good excuse for going to Turin in pursuit of luck and fortune:)

    Reply
  7. Laurel
    Laurel says:
    May 23, 2012 at 6:22 pm

    Looking for the bulls everywhere sounds entertaining. I love finding free things to do in unexpected places.

    Reply
  8. admin
    admin says:
    May 24, 2012 at 8:40 am

    I like that too. And it’s a great trick to keep kids walking for hours in foreign cities:)

    Reply
  9. Arianna
    Arianna says:
    June 6, 2012 at 8:32 pm

    This is a very nice article and knowing what is free is always the best to know! Grazie

    Reply
  10. Spencer
    Spencer says:
    June 7, 2012 at 4:26 am

    I loved Turin when I went there! It is such an awesome place with great food and pretty friendly people too.

    Reply
  11. Mary @ Green Global Travel
    Mary @ Green Global Travel says:
    July 6, 2012 at 4:01 am

    I love the idea of taking advantage of Italy’s greenest cities by going to see several of the free parks and gardens. Wish you had more photos of them.

    Reply
  12. Wine Pass
    Wine Pass says:
    August 27, 2014 at 3:14 pm

    Another tip for free things to do in Turin: on the first Sunday of the month, several museums are free, including the Palazzo Reale, Royal Armory, and some archaeological museums.

    Reply
    • admin
      admin says:
      August 31, 2014 at 3:58 pm

      Thank you for pointing that out. It’s a great opportunity for actually visiting these museums.

      Reply
    • Sydney
      Sydney says:
      July 29, 2017 at 12:23 pm

      Ah too bad I’ll be in Turin on the last Sunday of the month

      Reply
      • Mette
        Mette says:
        August 6, 2017 at 1:06 pm

        It’s always a treat to visit Turin. Regardless of the time of day, week, month or year:)

        Reply

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