Piedmont Journey: Spotlight on Turin
We recently visited the Piedmont region in northwest Italy. It was an idyllic six day sojourn. The bullet train from Rome to Turin was a comfortable four hour scenic journey. We recommend a business or first class seat. There are short transit stops in Bologna and Milan. We arrived in Turin’s classic old world train station- a splendid architectural marvel. We spent two days in Turin engaged in intense sightseeing and followed up with four days of world class wine touring of Piedmont with our Vines Global group of wine lovers. We visited four wineries, had special lunches and dinners with two other renowned and passionate winemakers and consumed a host of Barolos, Barbarescos, Nebbolios and Barberas. It was a stimulating exercise, perhaps overstimulating! Overall, an enrichment experience that justifies full court press treatment by Montaigne and Me. We will begin today by focusing on Turin (Torino for you purist Italy afficiandos.) Future postings will address the rich and creamy world of Piemonte cuisine and the elegant and bold universe of Piemonte wines. Cutting to the chase- we recommend a visit. The settings and scenery are spectacular and it is an often overlooked region that deserves your attention. Just lovely!
Turin is a fascinating city that has played a critical role in Italian history. It is often overshadowed in the popular imagination by Rome, Florence, Milan, Venice and Naples. I am a student of history and am actually embarrassed that I deferred visiting Turin until my seventh decade. The visit was brief, but I came away with a firm impression of the city’s rhythm. It has a regal and formal bearing with striking Baroque architecture. The historic centre is populated by grand palaces, enormous piazzas, magnificent libraries, statuesque churches and eye-catching ballrooms and soothing gardens. It is the greenest city in Italy with gorgeous parklands, manicured landscaping, breathtaking fountains and an abundance of statutes honouring historic personas. It is a planned city with a coherent grid and predictable traffic patterns. It is clean and has an efficient transportation system, including cool tram transit cars. Turin is sui generis- not overwhelmed tourists as in Rome, Florence or Venice; There is Naples chaos and none of the snobbery of Milan. The population is reserved, restrained and measured- no shouting or singing from the street side balconies. There is a comfortable vibe and you feel safe and secure. There is an aura of old world affluence. We stayed at the Hotel Grand Sitea, a top of the line luxury property with a superb location and energetic cocktail bar.
Turin’s historical importance stems from its role as the cradle of Italian unification. It was the capital of the House of Savoy, the royal dynasty that led the forces supporting Risorgimento in the mid 19th century. Think King Victor Emmanuel, the first king of a unified Italy. His primary palace and family residence was at Palazzo Reale in Turin. The city was Italy’s first capital from 1861-1865. The Count of Cavour was Italy’s first Prime Minister, a brilliant fellow and capable diplomat and yes- a Turin citizen. There is a Piazza Cavour in every municipality in Italy. Turin was ground zero for nationalist and liberal thinkers at the time of unification. The Pope had a habit of excommunicating Turin revolutionaries promoting unification- understandably because it led to the elimination of the Papal States and isolated the Papacy to the four corners of Vatican City.
Turin also has religious significance- a key stop for Catholic pilgrims visiting Europe. It is the home of the Shroud of Turin, believed by many Catholics to be the burial cloth of Jesus. The Shroud is housed in the Cathedral of John the Baptist, a striking Duomo adjacent to the Royal Palace. The city has deep connections to many major Catholic orders, including the Benedictines. Additionally, the Baroque style is in full form. The Savoy’s residence, the Palazzo Reale is a UNESCO world heritage site. We recommend you retain a certified guide - every room in the palace is a mini history lesson. The Mole Antonellian is the world’s tallest unreinforced brick building and is a sight to see. It was originally designed as a mosque and is now the National Cinema Museum. We visited- it is outstanding and recommend ordering a ticket online that includes a ride on the panoramic lift to the roof. The Piazza San Carlos is an elegant square framed by two striking churches. The city’’s orderly and well designed grid layout is marvel of urban planning - completely different than every other Italian city we have visited over the years. It is almost impossible to get lost. There are porticoed covered streets with lend a quiet dignity to the urban environment. You should not miss the Egyptian Museum, which for some unknown reason has the second largest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts in the world, surpassed only by Cairo. Mummies will dominate your dreams for months after a museum visit.
The culture and art scene also has a strong identity. The Castello di Rivoli Museum of Contemporary Art has a great view and a deep inventory of 20th Century Italian artists. The royal Library contains a self portrait of Leonardo Da Vinci and the GAM Museum has a diverse and somewhat idiosyncratic inventory of works by Italian masters. Turin’s appeal goes beyond its museums and palaces. It is dynamic and has been Italy’s industrial capital. It is the home of Fiat and Turin was known as “the Detroit of Italy.” Industrialisation made Turin the home base of an activist union labor movement and socialists and lefties of all types felt at home here. Turin became a stronghold for the Italian Communist Party after WWII. The founder of the Communist Party and an internationally famous Marxist thinker was Antonio Gramsci- born in Sardinia but spent most of his life in Turin. He was the most outspoken opponent of Mussolini in Fascist Italy and was imprisoned. It must be something in the air but Turin has a colourful political history.
The leading personas from Turin are deserving of a comment here. Primo Levi is a Jewish chemist, writer and Auschwitz survivor who produced the award winning Holocaust memoir If This Is A Man. Gianni Agnelli was the stylish womanising playboy who controlled the Fiat empire and was a global bon vivant. A fun fact is JFK purportedly had a torrid short term affair with his wife- such is the life of the Rich and Famous. Adrian Olivetti created the famous typewriter company and was a renowned community activist- promoting worker councils and villages. Amazingly, one the founders sons was on our tour of the Royal Palace. A fine fellow who currently runs the American operation and lives in Connecticut. He was visiting his brother in Turin. The notorious Red Brigade revolutionary and terrorist group active in the 70’s and 80’s was notorious in Turin and was responsible for a wave of kidnappings and assassinations. My final Turin centric shout out is to Natalia Ginzburg, my second favourite Italian writer, surpassed only by Elena Ferrante. I recommend Family Lexicon, All Our Yesterdays and The Little Virtue. She wrote with clarity and simplicity, but was brilliant in shining a light on family life, domestic relationships, the impact of Fascism and the challenges of being a woman, a mother and a Jewish intellectual in Italy. Beautiful writer and a proud daughter of Turin.
A concluding tip of the cap to Turin cuisine. Our visit was short and I have only one recommendation based on personal experience. La Piola Sabauda was wonderful. We will drill down on Piedmontese cuisine in our next posting, but all should know that Turin is the “Chocolate Capital” of Europe. Famous chocolate companies include Caffarel, Peyrano, Gobina and Domori. Turin invented Gianduiotto, Gianduja, Cremini, Tartufi and Boeri product lines. Turin has a mature chocolate based culture with cool cafes in the city centre. We visited Caffe Bicerin. The city’s annual Chocolate Festival is in November and it is pilgrimage for serious chocolatiers with tastings, demonstrations and exhibits. We may add to our calendar since it coincides with the ATP Masters Men’s Tennis Championship- also held in Turin. Visualize a risotto, a Barolo vino- a spicy chocolate dessert- all while enjoying a titanic match between Alcaraz and Sinner. Sports is big here. Turin hosted the 2006 Winter Olympics and has two Series A soccer teams- global powerhouse Juventus and local favourite Torino.
Turin is sophisticated and cosmopolitan. It is historically important and remains a dynamic and thriving city today. Embrace its vitality and bring your walking shoes.
