Turin
Historic Centre Of The First Capital Of Italy, Holding Part Of The UNESCO Residences Of The Royal House Of Savoy, Inscribed 1997 · Turin, Piedmont
Italy's first capital is the one its own tourists forget. Turin was the seat of the House of Savoy and it still looks like it: a Roman street grid filled in with baroque palaces, a royal complex inscribed by UNESCO in its own right, and kilometres of porticoed pavement laid so that a court could cross the city in the rain without getting wet. The landmark is the Mole Antonelliana, an improbably tall domed tower begun as a synagogue, never used as one, and now carrying the national cinema museum up its inside with a glass lift running through the middle of the shaft. The Egyptian Museum here is the oldest anywhere and second only to Cairo's for size. On top of all that, the city invented vermouth, solid chocolate in a wrapper, and the habit of serving a full buffet free with the evening drink. Turin is a working city rather than a film set, which is precisely why a hotel room here costs a fraction of what Florence asks for one.
Piazza Castello, Turin, Piedmont, 10122, Italy
ALL TIMES UNVERIFIED FOR THIS ROW. Broadly: the Mole Antonelliana lift and the National Cinema Museum open daily with one weekly closing day and a late evening; the Egyptian Museum opens daily with a short Monday; the Musei Reali royal complex closes on Mondays. The Basilica of Superga keeps shorter winter hours and the rack tramway up to it does not run every day. The porticoes, Piazza Castello and Piazza San Carlo are public streets and never close. Check every one of these on the official site before planning a day around it.