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Where in Torino?

jan

100+ Posts
We are planning 5 nights in Torino next May, in an apartment. There are some near the train station that seem nice and within budget. Is any particular neighborhood better?

We have only been to Torino once before on a day trip that was SO hot we could barely walk around town. Hoping for a much better expeience this time.

Apartment must haves: separate bedroom, AC, kitchen. View would be a big plus but...
If anyone knows of a place feel free to post the link.

Thanks!
 
Hi Jan
We've stayed in a few, from very good to pretty awful. The last two apartments we've stayed in have been very good, albeit quite different. Neither have views, though the relatively high rise nature of Torino does make this more of a rarity (we have seen some advertised though). Both are on upper floors, and both had a lift.

Casa Diaz on the eastern end of Via Maria Vittoria (a stone's throw from the River Po) is a private apartment, where the owner used to live before moving in with their partner. Cosy, and has a nice lived in feel. Kitchen and bathroom perhaps a little dated, but clean, functional and everything works (including the washing machine). Bedroom is very nice. Generally quiet from being in the usual internal courtyard, though of a weekend there is a little noise from a local bar, but it's not raucous. A short walk to Piazza vittorio veneto, and via Po, but not far to any of the centre, plus close enough to the Po to encourage a trip over to the Gran Madre church (Italian job wedding scene) and other chilled places over the river. Overall a great place if you want to feel you are living like a local. Not sure if there was AC, but it was certainly comfortable when we were there and the internal courtyard with patio windows would allow for very quick cooling outside of peak summer - definitely fine for May

Loger Confort (yes that's the spelling) is more of a aparthotel / Residence, with a bright and classy apartment, fitted well for such places. Staff on site on a lower floor to help, advise, chat to, though as it was ~ our 10th visit to Torino, my questions were limited to where was good for aperitivo at the time! They were friendly though. Location is very good indeed, on the southern end of via XX Settembre, 5 mins walk from Stazione Porta Nuova and very handy for trams/buses going north and not inconvenient for those going south (they stop a block to the west), east or west (both on via Vittorio Emanuele II. Also handy for the Metro line which we used more than we have in the past (I happen to like the trams!). I think there was aircon, but as is often in Italy, I'm not sure it was on in March.

In the past we've also enjoyed Residence du Parc (via Madama Cristina?), but we've found their prices too high in recent years. Worth a look, though it is a fair walk to the centre, but on the flip side very convenient for Parco Valentino. The apartments are very spacious, albeit remarkably spartan. Like Loger Confort there is daily cleaning if wanted, but I find such things unnecessary for a week's stay and we'll always make sure it's clean/tidy when we leave anyway.

May is often a lovely time to go, but we did hit a heatwave then one year with temperatures above 30C. I really enjoy the fruit available then, especially Nespole and the tiny alpine strawberries (Fragoline). Top discovery from our last trip was a greengrocers who seemed to have sought out the best examples going. I've never tasted Kiwi fruit anything like the ones they had - truly zingy, but everything impressed. I can throw plenty of other suggestions in depending on what you're looking to buy to eat at the apartment. Torino is a fantastic grazing city, on a par with Bologna IMO. going https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...x2bb991259f938245!8m2!3d45.068076!4d7.6675592

Hope this helps
Ian
 
In terms of location, being handy for either Stazione Porta Susa or Porta Nuova makes for easy arrival departure, with the blue airport bus (SITA) stopping there. Also very good for the transport links (see GTT site for the routes, and ask at a tabaccheria if they have the fold out maps you see at most bus/tram stops - so handy to have your own).
Ideal to be 3-4 minutes walk away though, as too close can be noisy

Plenty to see across the city, so no one area has it all. Certainly via Roma, via Po, via Pietro Micca, Via Garibaldi, Piazza San Carlo, Piazza Castello are key landmarks you'll find yourselves regularly using as thoroughfares and reassuring places to get your bearings. The old town up around via dei Mercanti / North of via Garibaldi up to the main market at Piazza della Repubblica is well worth a visit/stroll, but can feel a little dark compared to the rest of the city (if staying there). In truth the grid system is easy to get used to and the centre is between Stazione Porta Susa to the west, Stazione Porta Nuova to the South, Corso Regina Margherita / Piazza della Repubblica to the north and the River Po to the east. The closer the the centre is generally the better / easier, though the only part I'd be wary about is going too far north, which certainly gets a bit rough/run down as you go north of Corso Regina Margherita. Even the area around Piazza Porta Nuova seems to have lifted itself recently.
 
I too have stayed at Loger Comfort and wouldn't hesitate to stay there again. The city is easy to navigate once you get your bearings.
 
I have not been to Torino yet but we have booked for a week in June. We booked on airbnb, there are some beautiful places on there.
 
With all these trips being planned to Torino, I really should open up the google maps 'food explorer' I put together from the cribsheet I use. When using it I found the layers didn't work as well as hoped, and I'd resolved to recut them from types of food shop, to the classical districts of Torino - Cittadella, Crocetta, etc. such that it would be a printable size, but also a little easier on the eye on phone or tablet.

Give me a mo'
 
OK - here we go
https://drive.google.com/open?id=16vEDEEfgTKAfe9hb-3kwL3DWDBA&usp=sharing

If you want to be able to edit it, then just ping me your email address via a 'conversation' and I'll add you in with editing rights. We've not been to all of these (even my legendary appetite for food shopping isn't enough), but we've covered a good few and I've tried to describe places we've been to

Regards
Ian
 
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No problem at all Jan, I hope it's useful. feel free to ping other questions, including about mundane logistics if needed. We've used the public transport quite a bit, including heading out to far south-west and north of the city
 
Awesome Ian! We travel for food...so that is an invaluable resource! I am so looking forward to Turin, there and Venice are the places I am most excited about.
 
Hi MTB
Via Po a great location, with good transport flexibility with the various trams and buses that head down there. Hopefully good insulation from the rattle of the trams, but if fairly well soundproofed it's easy to get used to (and rather enjoy) a faint rattle. I've always liked the feel of via Po, with some prestigious shops rubbing shoulders with interesting 2nd hand bookshops and at the Piazza Castello end, just a subtle bit of touristic. Just a really interesting cross-section. Heading down the hill on Via Po towards the river opens up the wonderful Piazza Vittorio Veneto and many of these bars/cafes are trendy hangouts / aperitivo spots. Some good restuarants to the north as well, that peoplefurther south in the city might ignore.

Finally, Via Po and via Pietro Micca make brilliant streets to stay until you've got to know the city. Everywhere else is pretty much grid system, but these pair of roads either side of Piazza Castello stand out for being diagonal, so have a certain uniqueness / special place in the cityscape.

Regards
Ian
 
Hi Jan
Looking at the angles, that looks like the apartment is on via Pietro Micca mentioned above - just as useful for tram links, albeit a busier and more consistently upmarket street. A great location (we stayed on this street on my first visit in mid 1990s).
One minor downside is both this and Via Po are a decent ~15-20 minute walk from either of the train stations. If you have heavy bags a taxi might appeal - we always take the bus / tram or walk, but then I like using the tram system or being out in the open air after a flight. There are trams that run from Porta Susa station to via Pietro Micca (I caught one on that route last visit - though I caught the bus at the collection of bus stops outside the old station, maybe 100m from the new station exit).

I rather like the idea of a terrace, though I suspect you'll enjoy it as much for the sounds of the bustle below as the views. I suspect only across in La Collina do you get any really great views, though this one is pretty good.

I can't see anything that jumps out as a problem. The kitchen area is a little small but looks fine. Seems to be representative of Torinese apartments, with a bit more class than many.

Regards
Ian

p.s. Via Garibaldi is a very short walk away, and it's a vibrant pedestrianised shopping street that's a nice place for an evening stroll, with 2-3 gelaterie and lots to browse.
 
Thanks Ian, good to know we have chosen well. x

That terrace jan!!!! Gorgeous! Does it have AC? We were told that it can be warm in June so made sure our choice had AC and also to block the noise out for sleep if needed...
 
MTB (hope you are OK with the acronym), It says it has AC but one can never be certain. I'm thinking in early May it should not be as much of a deal breaker as in June.
When I book places for summer I generally ask specifically about the AC--Is it in all the rooms or just some? Portable or central. I loved the places you posted but they are bigger than we need and a bit over our budget.

Thanks again and again, Ian.
 
[EDIT - Don't panic Mr Manwairing!!!!] (sorry for the obscure TV reference). Ignore the confusion below and head straight to the bold bit.

I'm confused by that address. I know via Cesare Battisti, which is a block south of Piazza Castello, so sort of fits with the view shown. The building style seems to fit as well based on streetview.

Google maps has the closest name to Giovanni Battista though as being via Giovanni Battista Feroggio, which is a street that's effectively an out of town business park, which doesn't appear to have any residential properties. It can't be this - much too modern / industrial.

However the small cathedral with the shroud, just round the corner from Piazza Castello, is called Giovanni Battista and the Piazza it sits in is Pizza San Giovanni (presumably shortened from the full name for John the Baptist). Perhaps it's here?

I've checked the larger scale street map I have and that draws a blank as well (barring the above). Definitely worth checking where exactly it is to avoid confusion on arrival (and a taxi tour of the old Docks area!)

Aha - found it! There is a via Giovanni Battista Viotti, which runs south of via Pietro Micca, which definitely puts it where the picture suggests! Very good location.

The Torinese have this habit of shortening / colloquialising road names and it caught me out here. e.g. IIRC they refer to a 'Piazza Carlina' as a historical swipe at the alleged sexual orientation of an old royal called Carlo Emanuele II.
 
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MTB (hope you are OK with the acronym), It says it has AC but one can never be certain. I'm thinking in early May it should not be as much of a deal breaker as in June.
When I book places for summer I generally ask specifically about the AC--Is it in all the rooms or just some? Portable or central. I loved the places you posted but they are bigger than we need and a bit over our budget.

Thanks again and again, Ian.

Yes, I was apartment shopping for 4pax, the apartment you have chosen looks great! I love the planning stage...
 
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