Leisure in Turin
Piedmontese cuisine and a tradition of coffee and chocolate, aperitivo in the central squares and San Salvario, large parks along the Po and the Dora, mountains an hour away. Historic markets, two stadiums, many free things: the hill, the Murazzi, exhibitions at OGR.
Sections: Cuisine · Eating out · Sport · Nightlife · Free activities
Food and going out
Turin's cuisine is Piedmontese: agnolotti del plin, tajarin, vitello tonnato, bagna cauda in autumn, bollito misto, fritto misto, brasato al Barolo, cheeses from the valleys and wines from the Langhe and Monferrato. The city is the birthplace of vermouth, the gianduiotto and the bicerin (coffee, chocolate and cream), served in the historic cafés of Piazza della Consolata, Piazza San Carlo and Via Po. The evening aperitivo, with a buffet or small plates, is a rooted habit.
Evening areas: Piazza Vittorio Veneto and the Murazzi along the Po, the Quadrilatero Romano, San Salvario (the busiest with students), Vanchiglia, Borgo Dora around the Cortile del Maglio. Lingotto and OGR host concerts; the Pala Alpitour the big events.
- Markets: Porta Palazzo (Monday–Saturday, food and non-food), the Balon on Saturdays and the Gran Balon on the second Sunday of the month (antiques), neighbourhood markets in every district (Crocetta for clothing, Via Nizza, Corso Racconigi).
- Parks: Parco del Valentino on the Po, the Pellerina (the largest park in the city), Parco Dora (former industrial land), Colletta and Meisino parks, the hill trails up to Superga.
- Sport: Juventus at the Allianz Stadium (Continassa), Torino at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino (Santa Rita); municipal pools and facilities; downhill and cross-country skiing an hour away by car or train in the Susa and Chisone valleys.
- Free: the walk along the Murazzi and the riverside, Monte dei Cappuccini, the royal gardens, free exhibitions at OGR and Fondazione Merz on set days, state museums on the first Sunday of the month.
- Out of town: the Langhe and Roero, Sacra di San Michele, lakes Orta and Maggiore, Gran Paradiso and the Aosta Valley, the Po river park.
Culture all year
The Abbonamento Musei Piemonte Valle d'Aosta is the cheapest option for those who stay: a year of free entry to museums, royal residences and exhibitions. The Teatro Regio (opera), the Rai Auditorium and Lingotto (Rai Orchestra, Lingotto Musica), the Teatro Stabile and the Circolo dei Lettori offer dense seasons; the Cinema Museum runs the Cinema Massimo with original-language programmes.
Sources
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Reviewed: 10/22/2026 · by piero.avolio · rev. 1 · Period: → 2027-10-31
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