There are so many cities throughout Italy that aren't either included in tour itineraries or placed as a stay-over, and Turin falls in one of those unfortunate cases. So when I'm asked, "Is Turin worth Visiting"? I reply, "You'd be crazy not to consider Turin as one of your stay-overs when touring northern Italy!"

For those of you budding travelers who have yet to hear about this amazing city, allow me to properly introduce you... Turin is the capital of Piedmont and Piedmont is the second largest region of Italy, which lies at the foot of the Alps, Monviso and Monte Rosa, the three highest peaks and largest glaciers in Italy. Piedmont borders Switzerland, France and sweeps through breathtaking landscapes, cultural infused gastronomy, well-preserved ancient villas, and medieval castles with stories to tell.

Sprouting from the Austrian wars, Piedmont's transformation began in Turin known for its architectures from the renaissance, baroque, neo-classical and art nouveau eras. Travelers can visit religious sites of the Sacri Monti, take a boat ride on Lake Como, ski the slopes of Bardonecchia, hike the Cesana Forest or gawk at the intricate details of La Venaria Reale.

Pragelato is a commune located in the Province of Turin and Pragelato is visited for its own Alpine ski areas, which is linked to the Via Lattea ski area. Ski slopes for all levels, cross-country skiing and ski jumps are enjoyed in the winter, and golf and hiking are popular activities in the summer.

As it pertains to its economy, Turin comes comes in third to only Milan & Rome when it comes to strength. Turin is also home to the Turin Shroud or Shroud of Turin and was host to the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Turin Italy: Things To Do

If  you've never been to Turin but have experienced Paris and or Vienna, expect to see or feel a hint of both cities throughout your visit... In fact, if you're either a chocolate connoisseur or car aficionado, you'll be happy to know that hard chocolate and Fiat were both founded here! Italy (as you may or may not know) comes to life after-hours with clubs pumping high energy electronic music out of their speakers and if this is your scene, half of the country's electronic music is produced right here in Turin, and the dance music scene is intoxicating!

Some escorted Italy tours only include Turin as a passerby city and I find that to be a grave mistake, and I'll tell you why... Piedmont as a region is very conservative, but Turin pushes the envelope the other way, enabling its inhabitants and visitors to be progressively open, which I find refreshing. You can hear, see and taste this in their food, music and overall culture. If you're considering a tour of northern Italy, I recommend Turin as one of your stopovers. Cheers!