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Table of Contents:
How to get to Turin from Turin Airport
How to get to Turin from Milan
When to travel to Turin
Turin is a large city in Northern Italy, the fourth largest in the country. From a tourist point of view, the city is attractive for its unique architecture, historical monuments, numerous galleries, museums, palaces and park complexes. Turin has recently refreshed its popularity after the Winter Olympic Games held here. Turin is also a “gateway” to beautiful Aosta Valley with its picturesque natural landscapes, inspiring mountain routes in summer and well-known ski resorts in winter. Aosta Valley borders France and its greatly known Mont Blanc region. It is not surprising that many tourists prefer to combine visiting Turin with other popular tourist destinations.
I would like to recommend travellers booking almost everything for visiting Turin in advance! I mean plane tickets, hotels, transfer or car rental services, tickets for attractions, etc. This city gets packed with travellers. Some of them are staying in the city, some of them travelled around the region, but anyway the last thing you need is to waste time waiting in a queue for hours!
Turin can be visited all year round. Local winters can be a bit rainy and blustery, but it`s a good time to visit museums, art galleries and interiors of various palaces located in Turin. The other time of the year the local climate is quite mild and suits for long distance strolling around the city and going to surroundings. In winter Turin is also used as a starting point to ski resorts, which are situated in Aosta Valley, Monte Rosa plateau and Cervinia area. Regardless of the season, Turin is a good place for shopping and trying local gastronomy.
How to get to Turin
Where do you fly into to get to Turin? Turin is located in the northern Italian province of Piedmont and is its administrative center. The city has its own international airport called Caselle. There are direct flights from different cities around the world landed in Turin. You can check the current flight timetable to Turin via specialized online services such as Aviasales and other similar ones. I often use this service as it helps me to compare different flight options and to choose the optimal one. You can also get to Turin via Milan, where more flights from all over the world arrive.
How to get to Turin from Turin Airport
Based on my map research, the distance between the airport and Turin city center is just 18 km. You can get there by public transport or by taxi.
By bus: There is a bus station near the arrival terminal, from where you can get to the city center of Turin. Buses run 2-3 times an hour by a bunch of local carriers. You can use bus # 268 or Flibco bus by Flixbus carrier. The timetable for bus #268 can be checked at the bus stop; the timetable for Flibco bus can be checked in advance at the Flibco online service. The travel time by bus is about 30 minutes. Flibco is a part of Flixbus bus company. As I know Flixbus is a pretty popular bus service in Europe and designed for cheaper trips with affordable prices.
By taxi: Buses run on the route only during the day time. If you arrive at Turin airport at night, you will need to take a taxi to go to the city. A taxi car can be found right after arrival or can be booked in advance via various online services such as Kiwitaxi and others. A taxi car is also useful when you have a lot of luggage or travel with little kids, etc. The travel time by car is 30 minutes. I did some research and found out that Kiwitaxi has a lot of positive reviews so I can definitely recommend this transfer service.
How to get to Turin from Milan
According to my map research, the distance between Milan and Turin is 145 km. You can travel from one city to another by high-speed trains, by taxi or by car.
By bus: There are direct buses by Flibco which connect Malpensa Airport of Milan with Turin. The travel time is from 1,5 hours to 2 hours 15 minutes depending on traffic. The current timetable for Flibco buses can be checked in advance at the Flibco online service. Buses run along the route up to 10+ more times a day.
By train: If you arrive at Milan airport, firstly you will need to get from the airport to Central Railway Station of Milan. You can get from Milan Malpensa Airport by express trains, by shuttle buses or by taxi. Regional and high-speed trains run from Milan to Turin throughout the day. Train routes are direct; the travel time varies from 50 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes, depending on the type of train. The fastest trains are the ES type. Regional trains (RE) make more stops along the route, so the travel time will be longer. Trains run 2 times per hour during the day. You can check the current train timetable and purchase tickets in advance at the Raileurope booking service or at the ticket office of Milan Centrale Railway Station. Raileurope is one of my favourite online services which I use pretty much often when planning my own trips. It has a very convenient search and I can totally recommend it.
By taxi: You can get to Turin from Milan airport by taxi or by transfer services. The travel time is about 1 hour 25 minutes. You can take a taxi at the airport upon arrival, or order it in advance via the international transfer services like Kiwitaxi, Intui.Travel and others. It is a convenient option to get to Turin when you arrive at night when public transport does not operate. It is also very useful when travelling with little kids or with a lot of baggage. Based on my research, these online services have a lot of positive reviews. For sure, there are a lot of other taxi services available at the airport.
By rented car: It is quite convenient to travel around Italy by car and you can rent a car in any major city, including Milan and its airport if needed. Car rental in Milan is a pretty popular option; there are rental points even at the airport. You can book a car in advance for the dates of your trip via various international online services such as Discover Cars, Economybookings and others. Milan and Turin are connected with #A4 motorway. The travel time from Malpensa airport is about 1 hour 40 minutes; the travel time from Milan is approximately 2 hours (see on the map). Based on my experience, both car rental services mentioned above have a very convenient search. I would recommend using them both to compare the results.
Where to stay in Turin
Turin has hotels of all-star categories, as well as non-star B&B`s and hostels. Some hotels offer their guests breakfast included in the price or free parking as an additional option. If you travel by car, then it makes sense to take care in advance about where to leave the car, since Turin has quite narrow streets and there are not many public parking areas here.
Best Western Plus Hotel Genova 4* is located in a historic building, very close to Turin Porta Nuova Railway Station. Guests can use a gym and Wi-Fi, which is available throughout the hotel. Private and public parking areas are available nearby and provided at an additional cost. Guests can stay in rooms of various categories. Breakfast can be included in the price or paid additionally. The rooms are equipped with air conditioning, a safe, a coffee pot or a kettle, TV, a hair dryer, etc. The front desk operates 24/7 and offers luggage storage services.
Hotel Urbani 3* is located close to the railway station and the bus which has a direct connection to Turin Airport. There is a bar at the hotel. There are also many cafes and restaurants nearby. Wi-Fi is available free of charge throughout the hotel. Paid private parking is provided nearby. Guests can stay in one, two and three-bed rooms. Breakfast can be included in the price or paid additionally. All rooms are equipped with air conditioning, a minibar, a safe, a hair dryer, TV, a coffee pot or a kettle, etc. The front desk operates 24/7 and offers luggage storage services.
Hotel Continental 3* is located in the business district of the city, within walking distance from the Exhibition Center. The hotel provides free Wi-Fi. The hotel has rooms of various categories. All rooms are equipped with air conditioning, a hairdryer, TV, a telephone and a minibar. Breakfast is included in the price. As online booking services provide tourists reviews, I figured out that there is a private parking lot next to the hotel.
Liberty Hotel 3* is located 1 km from the historical center. The hotel has a bar, a sauna and a hydromassage. Guests can stay in single, double, triple, quadruple or family rooms. Each room is equipped with a coffee pot or a kettle. Breakfasts are paid additionally. Wi-Fi is available throughout the entire hotel and is free of charge. Private parking is provided nearby upon reservation and at an additional cost. The front desk is open 24 hours a day and offers luggage storage services.
What to see in Turin
Turin has a great historical heritage, so the city can safely be considered as the cultural center of Northern Italy. Churches and cathedrals, gates and fortresses, palaces and gardens, as well as numerous museums make the city extremely attractive to tourists. Turin suits best for an excursion holiday, while for a beach holiday you can go to the nearest Lake Maggiore or to the shores of the Ligurian Sea located quite close to Turin.
The sights of Turin are mostly historical, while Turin is not a typical Gothic-styled city, but a more festive-looking one with baroque features. You can explore Turin in 1-2 days, however, to visit all the interesting museums, galleries and other places in the city, it will take much more time, but it is worth it. Most often, tourists come to the Piedmontese administrative center for a week, especially since several days can be spent in the surroundings of Turin, visiting, for example, Lake Maggiore, the Borromean Islands, Mount Mottarone, or going to the Ligurian shore.
The historical part of the city is full of attractions built in the 17th-19th centuries. The beauty of the city is determined with the features of Baroque, Rococo, Art Nouveau and Classic styles. It’s worth starting your touristic route from the Antonelliana Tower, because by climbing it you can see the city at a glance. The Antonelliana Tower is considered to be an unspoken symbol of the city; it is the one that can most often be seen on souvenirs brought from Turin. The total height of the building is 160 m. At an altitude of 88 meters there is an observation deck offering views of the old part of the city. You can get to the site using a panoramic elevator. Inside the tower there is a cinema museum with interesting exhibits about the history of Italian cinema. There is some useful information for visiting that I discovered:
- Museum and panoramic lift are open from 9 am until 7 pm daily, except Tuesdays. On Saturdays opening hours extend to 10 pm;
- The price is 15 euros for the museum entrance, 9 euros for the lift and 20 euros for combined ticket (museum + lift).
The main ancient attraction of the city is the Palatine Gate. Their construction dates back to the 1st century BC. The gate is the entrance to the historical part of the city, where the main palace of the city is located. The palace is called Palazzo Reale di Torino or the Royal Palace. The Royal Palace in Turin is the former residence of the Savoy dynasty. The palace is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Now the palace is a part of the museum complex. I found out detailed information for visiting the palace:
- The palace is open from 9 am until 7 pm, except Mondays;
- The full price is 15 euros.
Adjacent to the palace is the Turin Cathedral, which houses many religious relics. The cathedral is of interest both for its external and internal decoration. In one of the wings of the Royal Cathedral there is also the Turin Picture Gallery, which displays works by Italian and Dutch artists. Overall, the palace, cathedral and gallery are the “pearls” of Turin historical heritage.
Other notable monuments of the city include the Valentino Castle, the Basilica of Superga, the Madama Palace, and the Church of San Lorenzo. Valentino Castle is located in the city center, surrounded with beautiful gardens and the river embankment nearby. The castle dates back to the 13th century; later it was rebuilt several times; its front façade displays the features of Italian Baroque. Valentino Castle can be visited only by pre-booked guided tours.
The Basilica of Superga is located on one of the Turin hills, where you can see the city from above. The construction of the basilica dates back to the 17th century, and its features are in late Baroque style. The Madama Palace has a museum of antiquity behind its walls, and externally combines Baroque and Gothic features. Its appearance is so unique and its historical value is so high that the site was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. I did some research to collect practical information for visiting and here it is:
- The Madama palace is open from 10 am to 6 pm, except Tuesdays;
- The entrance fee is 10 euros.
Museums of Turin
Turin is famous both for its great art galleries and modern thematic museums. The thematic museums, in particular, include the Cinema Museum mentioned above or, for example, the Martini Museum, where you can learn everything about the production and history and the creation of this popular alcoholic drink.
- The Martini Museum is open from 11 am to 7 pm, except Tuesdays and Wednesdays;
- Visiting is possible with a guided tour which is required to book online in advance via the official website.
The Automobile Museum is also interesting; the exhibition includes retro cars from the most famous European brands, including cars from France, Great Britain, Germany, Spain and, of course, Italy.
- The museum is open from 10 am to 7 pm, except Mondays;
- The ticket price is 15 euros.
Classic museums in Turin include the Egyptian Museum, the Museum of Antiquity, the Museum of Modern Art, the Pinacoteca Agnelli, the Royal Armory, the Sabauda Gallery of Savoy and others. You can visit museums using a special tourist card, the Torino Card, which allows you to save on the cost of entry to each individual museum. Torino cards can be purchased at the various online services such as Tiqets and other similar ones. After some research, I discovered the following practical information for visiting the museums:
- Egyptian Museum is open from 10 am until 6 pm daily (until 2 pm on Mondays);
- Museum of Antiquity is open from 9 am until 7 pm daily;
- Museum of Modern Art is open from 10 am to 6 pm, except Mondays;
- Pinacoteca Agnelli is open from 10 am to 7 pm, except Mondays;
- Royal Armory is open from 10 am to 7 pm, except Mondays;
- Sabauda Gallery of Savoy is open from 10 am to 7 pm, except Mondays.
As I see it, Turin is full of attractions, be it historical monuments, museums or other sights. The city is also a “gateway” to neighboring regions with its breathtaking natural landscapes. Travellers from all over the world visit Turin every year in order to enjoy the cultural heritage, beauty and power of the local countryside.
Take a note! When going on a trip to Italy, do not forget to take out travel insurance, which is useful for receiving a tourist visa and for solving emerging medical problems when travelling in another country. You can purchase insurance via online services, for example, via EKTA and others. You can choose from different modes, including quiet, active or extreme rest.
Photo above the article: Marit & Toomas Hinnosaar
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Julia is an experienced traveller, BA in International Relations and Languages and true lover of planning trips in advance. Learn more about the author…