Parco del Valentino

This city park is a lush sweep of greenery along the Po south of Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, provides a wonderful retreat from Turin's well-mannered streets and piazzas.

It is open daily 8am to 8pm. Aside from riverfront promenades and extensive lawns and gardens, inside the park, there's a collection of enchanting buildings.

The Borgo Medioevale, built for Turin's 1884 world exposition, is a faithful reconstruction of a medieval village based on those in rural Piedmont and the Val d'Aosta, with shops, taverns, houses, churches, and even a castle—but since Italy is home to literally thousands of bona-fide medieval villages, it's hard to imagine a good reason to pony up admission for a look. (Free guided tours are offered Sundays between 11am and 4pm.) In winter, it's open daily from 9am to 7pm. It's open until 8pm in summer. The nearby

Castello del Valentino is the real thing—a royal residence, begun in the 16th century but completed in the 17th century for Turin's beloved Marie Christine ("Madama Reale," wife of Savoy king Vittorio Amedeo) as a summer residence. It's a sign of Madama's Francophile leanings that, with its sloping roofs and forecourt, the castle resembles a French château. Since used as a school of veterinary medicine and a military barracks and currently as a university facility, the castello is continually undergoing renovations and much of it, including many frescoed salons, is open to the public only on special occasions.

Tips & links

Share this page

Search ReidsItaly.com