City Layout

Fimiliarizing yourself with the city of Torino, Italy

You will get a sense of Turin's refined air as soon as you step off the train into the mannerly 19th-century Stazione Porta Nuova. The stately arcaded Via Roma, lined with shops and cafes, proceeds from the front of the station through a series of piazzas toward the Piazza Castello and the center of the city, about a 15-minute walk. Directly in front of the station, the circular Piazza Carlo Felice is built around a garden surrounded by outdoor cafes that invite even business-minded Torinese to linger. A few steps farther along the street will lead you into the Piazza San Carlo, which is flanked by the twin churches of San Carlo and Santa Christina. At the end of Via Roma, the Piazza Castello is dominated by the Palazzo Madama, so named for its 17th-century inhabitant Marie-Christine. Just off the piazza is the Palazzo Reale, residence of the Savoys from 1646 to 1865, whose gardens now provide a pleasant respite from traffic and paving stones. From here, a walk east toward the river along Via Po takes you through Turin's university district to one of Italy's largest squares, the much-elongated Piazza Vittorio Veneto and, at the end of this elegant expanse, the Po River.

 

Quick facts to help you around Turin

Bookstores

Libreria Internazionale Luxemburg, Via C. Battisti 7 (tel. +39-011-561-3896), has a large selection of British books and a helpful English-speaking staff; it is open Monday through Saturday from 8am to 7:30pm and Sunday from 10am to 1pm then opens again after lunch at 3 until 7:30pm. Another good bet for books in English is the chain Libreria Feltrinelli, Piazza Castello 19 (tel. +39-011-541-627; www.lafeltrinelli.it). Turin has many stores specializing in rare books and old prints, and many of these shops sell their wares from the secondhand bookstalls along the Via Po, which runs between Piazza Castello and the river.

Consulates

The British consulate in Turin has unfortunaley closed. For all enquires, contact the office loaced in Milan (Via S. Paolo 7
;(0039) 02 723001 ). Americans will find their nearest consulate also in Milan at Via Principe Amadeo 2/10 (tel. 02-290-351); it is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 11am and 2 to 4pm.

Crime

Turin is a relatively safe city, but use the same precautions you would exercise in any large city. Specifically, avoid the riverside streets along the Po at night, when they tend to be deserted. In an emergency call tel. 113. The central police station is near Stazione di Porta Susa at Corso Vinzaglio, 10 (tel. +39-011-558-81-112).

Drugstores

A convenient late-night pharmacy is Farmacia Boniscontro, Corso Vittorio Emanuele 66 (tel. +39-011-541-271); it is open most of the day and night, closing only between 12:30 and 3pm.

Emergencies

The general emergency number is tel. 113; for an ambulance dial tel. 118. Laundry[en]Speedy Wash, east of the station at Via Principe Tommaso 12 (tel. 0338-589-8990), charges 8€ ($9) for a wash-and-dry (soap included) of a small load, and though it's technically do-it-yourself, the staff is always around to throw it into the dryer for you, provided you pick up your things by the end of the day. It's open daily from 9am to 8:30pm, and offers do-it-yourself dry cleaning as well.

Lost Property

To report lost property, contact the Ufficio Oggetti Smarriti, tel. 011-665-3315.

Luggage Storage

Luggage storage is available at Porta Nuova train station; 2.50€ ($2.90) per bag for each 12-hour period; the office is open daily from 4:30am to 2:30am. Newspapers[en]Your best bet for English-language newspapers is at the newsstands in Porta Nuova station.

Post Office

Turinís main post office is just west of Piazza San Carlo at Via Alfieri 10 (tel. 011-546-800); it is open Monday through Friday from 8:15am to 5:30pm and Saturday from 8:15am to 1pm. The postal code for Turin is 10100.

Taxis

You can find taxis at cab stands; especially convenient in the central city are the stands in front of the train stations, around Piazza San Carlo and Piazza Castello. Dial tel. 011-5737, 011-5730, or 011-3399 for a radio taxi.

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