Torino Day 2

Sunday 21st June 2026

After breakfast at our passicceria downstairs we set off to explore Torino attempting to stay as cool as possible, the temperature topped 35C again today. I hadn’t come to Torino prepared with a list of ideas of things to see and do, but as we closed out the day, we both agreed that we had been taken completely by surprise at what we discovered without the help of pre-arranged guided tours of the ‘must see’ attractions.

Strolling down via Garibaldi (the longest ‘pedestrian only’ street in Italy) we found ourselves in Piazza Castello. Once again a HUGE piazza. There are three sizes in the world; Big, Huge and Torino size. Everything is supersized AND symmetrical so there are two of them. We are talking cathedrals side by side, opposing boulevards of porticoes 7 stories high with matching windows, bohemian arcades of chocolate with a solo harp player, dreamingly leading you into decadence.

The Royal Palace looks out over the piazza as do the wide porticoed buildings. In the centre there are 4 sets of fountains set into the pavement making it a fun place for children and dogs to try and catch the water spouts and stay cool. Some of the dogs just lay down in the trickling water, enjoying the cool reprieve from the hot apartments they live in with their owners.

It was here we joined an open air, electric mini bus (imagine an oversized golf cart) and took a 1 hour, well narrated tour of the major sites of Torino. This vehicle had access to pedestrian areas so we could get up quite close to some places not normally seen by the big ‘hop-on hop-off buses’. This was a great way to get ourselves orientated and after a very late morning tea break we walked along the porticos to reach the Mole Antonelliana.

Imagine, if you will, the tallest building of its time hosting a multilevel display of one of the most dynamic, hated and creative entertainers of the 20th century.

Now let’s get complicated. The Mole was completed in 1889, it remains the tallest unreinforced brick/masonry building in the world at 167.5 meters (549.5 feet).

When you visit something like this it is sometimes a drama to use the elevators ….. so forget that.  You only want to get in at the bottom and out at the top. And the builders added that!!

The lifting ropes are hung from the centre of the dome and drop to the middle of the atrium floor.  There are no floors to impede the silent slide of a glass elevator to the heavens and descent of the counter weight.

It is a building of complicated birth and later life. Designed as a synagogue, the builder fell out with the client, but it was already too big to pull down and other civic leaders took over. A bit like the Australian Opera House but that is another story. Now the Mole houses a permanent museum of cinematography and in 2026; a major display on Orson Welles.

Not knowing what to really expect other than it housed a display of cinematographry and a special exhibition; this was one of those times when no planning turns out to be the best plan. We got lost in time completely and emerged 3 or 4 hours later having thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience.  See the separate post on Orson Wells.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now it was definitely time for a cooling shower and a siesta, even if it was 5pm.

We emerged a couple of hours later and it was still 30C and found our way to a great trattoria serving cuisine typical of the Piemonte region. For antipasti we enjoyed Vitello tonnato al punto rosa e frutti di cappero – translate to Veal with tuna sauce (like a pate) and caperberry.

For the mains Geoff can never resist a good pasta, Ravioli di brandacujun in salsa ai tre pomodori – translate to Ravioli filled with creamed cod and potatoes with three tomato sauces. As for me, Fagottino di faraona con salsa al marsala e taccole saltate in padella or Guinea fowl roll with Marsala sauce and sautéed snow peas. Needless to say it was all delicious, accompanied by a Piemonte Nebbiolo.

Time to dream.