Publisher's Synopsis
Turin, the regional capital of Piedmont, is reputed to be a magical city. And it can only be by magic that a city, considered to be the capital of Italian heavy industry (FIAT, one of the biggest automobile producers in the world, is based here), is also one of the main tourist attractions of Italy.Of course, there are good reasons for this. In the cathedral of Turin is kept the Holy Shroud, the ancient linen winding-sheet in which, according to the tradition, the body of Christ was wrapped after his crucifixion. At Turin there is also the Egyptian Museum, which contains an extraordinary collection of art from Ancient Egypt, and the Sabauda Gallery, full of masterpieces by great European artists.Finally, at Turin there are some great monumental testimonies to the important role played by Piedmont in modern Italian history, as the seat of the House of Savoy (the reigning dynasty of Italy until 1946) and the first capital of the Kingdom of Italy: the Royal Palace, Palazzo Madama, the Mole Antonelliana, and the Royal Villa at Stupinigi.The natural landscape is splendid and varied: mountains, valleys, hills (the Langhe are famous as the setting for many stories by Cesare Pavese and Beppe Fenoglio, famous writers from Piedmont), lakes (Maggiore, with Stresa, d'Orta, di Viverone), and the Valgrande National Park.This is a guide to Turin, for a visit lasting two, three or more days.There are extensive descriptions and photos of the attractions: museums, churches, nightlife and other attractions.It contains reviews of places where to eat.The guide is divided in sections covering single days or half days, so you can combine several sections depending on the length of your stay and your preference of what o see.
