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Salling humongous local cheese
the symbol of Torino
the gift shop
Gianduja liqueur for salePiazza Castello - Castle Square
Although not the geometrically precise center of Torino, Piazza Castello is the center of gravity for downtown strolls and people watching. Four major straight streets departing from it are the most trodden in town and the best concentration of stores, cafes, ice cream parlors and more. Three of these four streets have porticoes to keep you dry in wet days and all of these lead to a square.
Directions from Piazza Castello are:
- North-West: Via Garibaldi, out of the four, is the only street without porticoes and banned to motor vehicles. Its length of over one Km (.65 mi) is paved with stone slabs all the way to Piazza Statuto and shopping here is an affordable practice.
- West: Via Pietro Micca is the link with Piazza Solferino and home to several beautiful buildings and artful portico ceilings. The cobblestone area comprised between its eastern half and Via Garibaldi is mostly pedestrian and hosts various crafts and arts stores.
- South-West: Via Roma is probably the most elegant shopping street in town - along with adjacent backstreets - and marble columns support its porticoes. Its middle section features the splendid Piazza San Carlo and Piazza CLN before opening onto Piazza Carlo Felice and Porta Nuova main train station.
- South-East: Via Po has some of the oldest stores in town. Historical cafes provide a unique ambience for an afternoon hot chocolate or delicious ice cream. The corner with Via Montebello gives a superb sight of the Mole Antonelliana. The opening on Piazza Vittorio Veneto, the largest in Europe, has a spectacular view over the city hill which lies beyond the Po river. Here, the "Murazzi" area awakens at dusk with lively nightlife. A few steps away from Piazza Castello, down Via Accademia Albertina to the south, lies Piazza Carignano with the magnificent brick building that hosted the first Italian Parliament. Considering it's only a 2-minute walk from Palazzo Madama - the western baroque facade of the Castle, former seat of the first Italian Senate, one can really think of being in the very heart of Italy at the time of its birth.
No matter if I walked or cycled here hundreds, perhaps thousands of times. I grew up with it and it's my special place on Earth.
