Thread by @PaliparanDotCom

Goodmorning from Turin! It will be two busy days ahead as this city is so full of top class sights and museums that it's hard to cram in everything.

First stop: Palazzo Madama, with some fine surroundings, art and all kinds of religious objects and porcelain. If you visit at least 3 museums it's well worth it to buy a two day Turin card for free entry. Green pass is necessary to visit indoor spaces & they're strict about it.

From the top floor there are decent views over central Turin.

Even more impressive is the old royal palace of the House of Savoy. Pictured: the Swiss Guard room (3) and throne room (4).

The highlight here is the stunning armoury..

The other palace rooms aren't too shabby either, with the ballroom design inspired on an ancient Greek temple.

From the palace gardens I make my way to the San Giovanni Battista (St John the Baptist) Cathedral. Home of the famous Turin Shroud with the image of Jesus.

Another must is a stop at the historic Caffè Fiorio for a coffee and something sweet. A place which the likes of Nietzsche and the Count of Cavour frequented in the past.

Via Po is one of the main city centre arteries and runs from the royal palaces down to the River Po. At the end of the steet you also find Piazza Vittorio Veneto, a beloved place for a drink at one of the many outdoor cafés.

Walking along the Po gives a bit of a River Tiber vibe like you are in Rome.. some nice streets here too full of lively bars and restaurants.

The Gran Madre de Dio Church from 1831 dominates the riverbank. It was built to celebrate King Emmanuel's return to the throne of Savoy after the defeat of Napoleon.

If you walk from here uphill to the Santa Maria del Monte dei Cappuccini Church you are treatwd with some nice views over the city.

Tasty lunch, and on to the pleasant Giardino Roccioso a few tram stops south of the city centre.

Nearby are a couple of cool sights, such as the museum of human anatomy, which looks old school but actually has lots of interesting information if you scan the QR codes at the exhibits.

The Borgo Medievale, a 19th Century reconstruction of a medieval castle and village, is worth a quick look as well.

Today is the Turin city derby with Torino (yay!) playing Juventus (booh!). And guess who managed to get a match ticket?! I so missed this pre-corona footy vibe, drinking beer with random people before the match (incl some guys coming all the way from Portsmouth!). Forza Granata!

Some pre-match vibes. Happy that I checked the Serie A fixtures in time and managed to buy a ticket three days before the match (possible online, but a bit complicated as officially you need a fidelity fan card for it).

Sadly, Italy still limits capacity at football stadiums due to corona. But the atmosphere is electric. This should still be a good one!

The match atmosphere was generally nice..

But unfortunately Toro ended up losing 0-1 thanks to a 86 minute Juve goal by Locatelli. Still, a fun experience! Now the long ride back by bus to my suburban hotel for some much-needed rest as tomorrow will be equally packed with sightseeing.

Turin day 2, with another ride on the driverless metro to the city centre and a typical Italian breakfast of caffè e cornetto - coffee and croissant. Of course enjoying it standing at the bar like most of the locals.

First stop: Turin's iconic tower, the Mole Antonelliana. Completed in 1889, it is 167.5 metres (550 ft) high. A lift takes you to the viewing platform. On a clear day you can easily see the Alps, but today is unfortunately not one of such days.

Inside the Mole Antonelliana you can also find a large cinema museum. Very cool and interactive, with lots about Italian and international cinema, as well as information about general movie productions and history.

The magnificent Palazzo Carignano is home to the Risorgimento Museum, telling the story of Italian unification. Interesting exhibits, starting with Napoleon until unification and putting it all in a wider European historic perspective.

On a cold day like this it's a good idea to warm up with a Bicerin, a traditional hot drink from Turin made of espresso, chocolate and milk.

Sometimes you hit some minor problems on q trip. The tram to the Superga rack railway station terminated halfway due to works so I had to walk the remainder (scenic along the river though). And all restaurants nearby are full for lunch, so a quick burger & beer at a kiosk it is.

Let's ride this cute tram up the hill to Superga!

Going slow but steady uphill..

Through the misty hills and forests of Turin..

Arriving at the uphill station of Superga..

Superga is the end of the line. From here it's a short walk through the forest to the Basilica of Superga.

The Basilica of Superga, said to be one of the great triumphs of the Italian baroque era. It was built after the Duke of Savoy prayed here at a countryside chapel whilst planning a counterattack against the French. As it was succesfull, he then built the basilica as tribute.

Members of the Royal House of Savoy are buried here in the crypts. You can only visit it on a guided tour (free with a Turin museum card).

The church itself is a baroque beauty.

Just like in Olomouc in the Czech Republic last week, I'm lucky to be treated to a little concert.

This basilica is also the location of the Superga Air Disaster in 1949, when almost the entire Torino football team ('Grande Torino' - 5 times champions of Italy) was killed when their plane flew against the retaining wall at the back of the church.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superga_a…

Back to the rack railway station for a quick coffee and the ride down..

This tram carriage has windows which can fully open. Double joy!

An enjoyable ride, only too bad the weather is not the best today and the views are not as good as they normally are.

To get the most out of my 2-day museum card, I also make a stop at the Italian national automobile museum. Only fitting to do so as Turin is of course the home of FIAT and Italian car making. Historic cars include the first FIAT models..

There are plenty of old gems, such as the Cord L29 (pic 1, popular with the American jetset in the early 30s), the original Alfa Giulietta (1954, pic 2) and the Jaguar E-type (1969, pic 3). I howver didn't know they already made an ugly Multipla in the 1950s! (Pic 4)

There really is lots of cool stuff around, old Lancia rally cars, Jacques Villeneuve F1 car, lots of old Alfa's, Ferrari's and Fiats, 1950s Mercedes silver arrows..

*Gilles Villeneuve that is above, not Jacques ofc. Funnily enough, the museum also included a car which I have owned for some years! And no, it's not the awesome GAZ-M20 Pobeda below (I wish!) but one of the other three.

After the museum visit it's back to the city centre for a tasty pasta and an excellent glass of red wine at the central market hall. A nice end to my time in Turin as tomorrow it's on to other Italian destinations..!