Nitto ATP Finals Turin

Of all the major Italian cities, perhaps the most underrated one is Turin (or Torino in Italian). While most have probably heard of its eponymous shroud, many people may not know much else about it.

Did you know Turin was the first capital of unified Italy, the epicenter of Italian cinema, the birthplace of Nutella, home of Fiat, and the main city in the region where wines such a Barolo originate?

This city is an amazing place of history and beauty, nestled against the Po river and sitting at the foot of the Alps. read on to find out about Torino and why you should visit Turin.

A BRIEF REASON WHY TO VISIT TURIN

Much like the other large northern Italian city, Milan, Torino is an industrial city. Home of various successful industries, including Fiat, Torino is a prosperous city with large boulevards and grand buildings. This stands in contrast to most Italian cities which are dense and sometimes chaotic, with

Torino is a city laid out with a plan. Furthermore, services in the city run well and don’t suffer the infamous inefficiencies of other Italian cities. Unlike Milan, however, it does not have obvious signs of industrial decay and is stunningly beautiful, being mostly without the impact of large factories and industrial pollution.

Don’t be fooled by Torino’s looks and the quality of its infrastructure and public services, it still has the beating heart of Italian culture. Food and wine abound, with ample nightlife and public art, music, and festivals aplenty.

If you are seeking a true Italian experience, without the chaos and crowds, in a city resplendent in the grand European boulevards and architecture you would expect of somewhere like France, Torino is one of the few places to find it.

REASONS TO VISIT TURIN (TORINO)

1. History/Architecture
2. Chocolate
3. Wine
4. Food / Aperitivo
5. NITTO ATP Finals

HISTORICAL TURIN

If you are interested in European history, Torino has plenty.  It was originally in an area controlled by Celtic peoples known as the Taurini, from which the name Torino is derived.   It represented the border between the Gaulish and Roman empires and still has the Roman fortifications to prove it. Hannibal passed through with his army of elephants. It was among Napoleon’s first conquests in Italy, but now the city owns the all of the artifacts Napoleon plundered from Egypt, on display in their Egyptian Museum.

Torino was also the first capital of reunified Italy under the rule of the House of Savoy. The city is full of palaces and opulent structures to visit from this time period. It is also home to one of the most precious artifacts in Christianity: The famous Shroud of Turin. It is purportedly a burial shroud of Jesus, with an imprint of his image left permanently in the cloth.

The shroud has proven frustrating to scientists, although it is still widely believed to be a forgery.  It is unclear when it first appeared, but it certainly existed by the end of the 14th century. It is now kept in the Duomo in Turin.

However, it is typically kept in a box which may not be seen into. It is unveiled every few years and is sometimes removed to travel to other places in the world.