Looking for the best things to do in Turin? Turin is one of those Italian cities that I think is easy to underestimate. It doesn’t have the same instant fame as Rome, Florence or Milan, but once you start walking around, there’s actually a lot to see.
The city centre is packed with historic palaces, beautiful covered galleries, Roman remains, museums, cafés and little streets that are just fun to wander through. Turin is also incredibly walkable, so you can see quite a lot without constantly jumping on public transport.
I spent time exploring Turin and these are 10 things I’d recommend adding to your Turin itinerary, from the famous historic sights to a few smaller stops I particularly liked.
10 Best Things to Do in Turin
| # | What to do | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palazzo Reale | History & architecture |
| 2 | Duomo di Torino | History & religion |
| 3 | Galleria Subalpina & Galleria San Federico | Architecture & cafés |
| 4 | Museo Nazionale del Risorgimento | History |
| 5 | Palazzo Carignano | Architecture & history |
| 6 | Palazzo Madama | Art & architecture |
| 7 | Porta Palatina | Ancient history |
| 8 | Porta Palazzo Market | Local atmosphere & food |
| 9 | Waves of Wanting | Something different |
| 10 | Via Porta Palatina & Via IV Marzo | Restaurants, bars & aperitivo |
1. Visit Palazzo Reale
If you only have time for a few historic sights in Turin, Palazzo Reale should definitely be on your list.
Located right in the centre at Piazza Castello, this former royal residence was home to the Savoy family and is part of Turin’s impressive collection of royal residences.
You can visit the historic rooms and interiors, and there are also the Royal Gardens if you want to escape the busy streets for a little while.
What I liked about Turin is that you don’t have to go looking for its history. You can basically just walk through the centre and suddenly find yourself standing in front of another ridiculously beautiful historic building.
Palazzo Reale is one of the best examples of that.
Tip: combine Palazzo Reale with Palazzo Madama and the Duomo, as they’re all within the historic centre. The official Turin tourism route also groups these sights together around Piazza Castello.
2. See the Duomo di Torino
The Duomo di Torino, officially the Cathedral of San Giovanni Battista, is Turin’s main cathedral.
The cathedral is particularly famous for the Shroud of Turin, which is kept in the cathedral complex, although the actual Shroud is not normally on public display.
Even if you’re not particularly interested in religious history, I think it’s worth walking inside. The interior is much more understated than some of Italy’s enormous and extremely decorated churches, which I actually liked.
The cathedral is also right next to Palazzo Reale and Porta Palatina, so it’s an easy stop to add to a walking route through the centre.
3. Walk Through Galleria Subalpina & Galleria San Federico
If you like pretty architecture, don’t skip Turin’s historic covered galleries.
Two of the most beautiful ones in the centre are Galleria Subalpina and Galleria San Federico.
Galleria Subalpina connects Piazza Castello with Piazza Carlo Alberto and has that classic elegant European gallery feeling, with cafés, shops and beautiful architectural details.
Galleria San Federico is another gorgeous covered passage between Piazza San Carlo and Via Roma. It is a little smaller, but still very photogenic.
Honestly, these aren’t places where you need to spend hours. They’re perfect little stops while walking around Turin.
And if it starts raining? Even better. You can keep exploring without getting completely soaked.
Turin’s tourism board specifically highlights these historic galleries as part of a city-centre walking route.
4. Visit the Museo Nazionale del Risorgimento
If you’re interested in Italian history or politics, put the Museo Nazionale del Risorgimento Italiano on your Turin itinerary.
The museum focuses on the Risorgimento, the period during which Italy became a unified country.
It’s located inside Palazzo Carignano, which makes this particularly convenient because you can combine two of the things on this list in one visit.
I found this one especially interesting because it gives you more context about the history of Italy rather than just showing you another beautiful building.
If you’re the kind of person who actually wants to understand why a place looks the way it does, rather than only taking pretty pictures, I’d consider adding it.
5. See Palazzo Carignano
Palazzo Carignano is one of the most recognisable historic buildings in Turin, partly because of its unusual curved Baroque façade.
The building was designed by Guarino Guarini and later became an important place in the political history of Italy. It housed the Subalpine Parliament and later the first Italian Parliament.
Even if you don’t go inside, I think it’s worth stopping at Piazza Carignano to see the building from the outside.
This is also a really nice area to stop for a coffee or something to eat, so you can easily combine sightseeing with a little break.
My tip: don’t just walk past the building. Take a minute to look at the façade properly — the curved design makes it very different from many of the other palaces in Turin.
6. Explore Palazzo Madama
Right in the middle of Piazza Castello you’ll find Palazzo Madama, another one of Turin’s major historic buildings.
And this one is particularly interesting because it basically tells several different chapters of Turin’s history in one building.
Its origins go back to Roman foundations, while the building later developed through medieval and Baroque periods. Inside, you’ll find the Civic Museum of Ancient Art, while the famous Baroque staircase by Filippo Juvarra is one of the highlights.
Even if you don’t have time for the museum, the exterior and location make it worth seeing.
If you’re doing Palazzo Reale and the Duomo, you really can’t miss it either, it’s basically right there.
7. Walk Through Porta Palatina
One of my favourite quick historical stops in Turin is Porta Palatina.
This ancient Roman gate is one of the best-preserved Roman remains in the city and gives you a completely different glimpse into Turin’s past.
It’s also a good example of how Turin layers different periods of history on top of each other. You can spend your morning looking at Baroque palaces and then suddenly you’re standing next to a Roman city gate.
And the best part?
It’s free to see from the outside and doesn’t take long.
So even if you’re only in Turin for one or two days, I’d definitely add Porta Palatina to your walking route.
The official Turin tourism itinerary also places Porta Palatina naturally between the Duomo and the Porta Palazzo area.
8. Visit Porta Palazzo Market
If you want to experience a slightly different side of Turin, head to Porta Palazzo Market during the day.
It’s one of the city’s big markets and is a good place to walk around, look at the food stalls and get a feel for the more everyday side of Turin.
I wouldn’t necessarily make this a huge planned activity. I’d just combine it with Porta Palatina and the surrounding neighbourhood.
One thing I’d keep in mind: I personally preferred this area during the daytime. Later in the day, parts of the area can feel a little less comfortable to me, so I’d visit the market during the day and continue exploring from there.
Turin’s official tourism site also includes Porta Palazzo as one of the main stops on its two-day city itinerary.
9. Find Waves of Wanting
This is probably the most random recommendation on this list — but that’s exactly why I like it.
Waves of Wanting is a public art installation by American artist Nancy Dwyer in Piazzetta Viglongo.
The installation consists of large wavy aluminium structures attached to the side of a building. When the light hits them in the right way, shadows appear on the wall and reveal the word “più” in several languages.
The work dates from 2001 and is officially documented as a public art installation in Turin.
It’s not something I’d travel across Turin specifically to see, but if you’re already exploring the centre, it’s a fun little hidden stop.
And honestly, I always prefer adding a few of these random things to a city guide instead of giving you ten famous buildings you’ve already seen on Google.
10. Explore Via Porta Palatina & Via IV Marzo
Okay, technically this isn’t one specific attraction — but I really liked this part of Turin.
The area between Via Porta Palatina and Via IV Marzo has lots of little restaurants, bars and places where you can sit outside for a drink.
This is the kind of place where I wouldn’t make a strict plan.
Just walk around, find somewhere that looks nice and have an Aperol in the sun.
Turin is a city where I think this slower way of exploring works really well. The official tourism board also highlights the central streets and squares as places to enjoy cafés, historic architecture and everyday city life.
And if you’re wondering where to stay in Turin, this is actually one of the areas I’d recommend looking at. I wrote a full guide here:
Where to Stay in Turin: Best Areas + Hotels
How Many Days Do You Need in Turin?
I’d recommend 2–3 days in Turin for a first visit.
You can see quite a lot in two days because many of the main sights are concentrated around the historic centre. The city’s official tourism itinerary also has suggested routes for both one day and two to three days.
If you only have one day, I’d focus on:
Palazzo Reale → Duomo → Porta Palatina → Porta Palazzo → Palazzo Carignano → Galleria Subalpina → aperitivo around Via Porta Palatina & Via IV Marzo
With three days, you can slow down, visit some museums and spend more time enjoying Turin’s cafés, restaurants and streets.
Is Turin Walkable?
Yes, very much.
This is actually one of the reasons I enjoyed exploring Turin.
Many of the main sights are close together in the historic centre, and Turin’s long arcaded streets make walking around especially pleasant. The city’s tourism board describes the centre as an easy walking route connecting places such as Palazzo Reale, the Duomo, Porta Palatina and the historic galleries.
I wouldn’t rent a car just to visit Turin.
If anything, I’d stay central and explore the city on foot.
Where to Stay in Turin
If you’re looking for accommodation, my biggest tip is stay central.
I stayed at Combo Torino Hostel, which was actually a good hostel, but I found the surrounding area a little sketchy. If I went back, I’d choose somewhere closer to the historic centre.
I particularly liked the area between Via Porta Palatina and Via IV Marzo, where you’ll find plenty of restaurants and bars.
For a hotel, Hotel Indigo Turin is one of the options I’d look at if you want to stay right in the historic centre.
Read my full guide:
Where to Stay in Turin: Best Areas + Hotels
Final Thoughts: Is Turin Worth Visiting?
I think Turin is a really interesting city if you want something a little different from the classic Italian destinations.
It has beautiful architecture and plenty of history, but it doesn’t feel like you’re walking through one giant outdoor museum all day. You can see a Roman gate, walk through a Baroque palace, grab an espresso in a historic gallery and finish the day with an Aperol somewhere around Via IV Marzo.
And that’s probably what I liked most about it.
Don’t just tick off the sights. Leave some time to wander.
Turin is one of those cities where some of my favourite moments were simply walking around without really having anywhere specific to go.
Planning Your Trip to Italy?
Planning a trip to Italy can be surprisingly difficult, especially when you’re choosing between huge historic cities, beautiful coastlines, charming smaller towns, mountains, lakes and islands.
That’s why I’ve created my Italy Travel Guide, where I share destination guides, things to do, local tips and my personal experiences from travelling around Italy.
→ START HERE: Italy Travel Guides
FAQ: Things to Do in Turin
What are the best things to do in Turin?
Some of the best things to do in Turin include visiting Palazzo Reale, seeing the Duomo, exploring Palazzo Madama and Palazzo Carignano, walking through Porta Palatina, visiting Porta Palazzo Market and exploring the city’s historic galleries.
Is Turin worth visiting?
Yes. Turin combines historic architecture, Roman remains, museums, elegant covered galleries, cafés and a strong food and aperitivo culture. It is also very walkable, making it easy to explore the historic centre on foot.
How many days do you need in Turin?
I’d recommend 2–3 days in Turin for a first visit. You can see many of the main sights in two days, while three days gives you more time for museums, food and simply exploring the city.
What is Turin famous for?
Turin is known for its history as the first capital of unified Italy, the House of Savoy, its Baroque architecture, the Shroud of Turin, the Mole Antonelliana, museums and its historic cafés and food culture.
Can you explore Turin on foot?
Yes. Many of Turin’s main attractions are located around the historic centre and can easily be combined into a walking route.
What should you not miss in Turin?
If you have limited time, I’d prioritise Palazzo Reale, the Duomo, Porta Palatina, Palazzo Carignano, the historic galleries and an aperitivo around Via Porta Palatina and Via IV Marzo.
What can you do in Turin that is less touristy?
For something a little different, look for Waves of Wanting in Piazzetta Viglongo, explore the smaller streets around Via Porta Palatina and IV Marzo, or spend some time simply wandering through Turin’s historic galleries and cafés.
