Write & eat in Torino

Italy – May 2022

Torino only caught my attention as a travel destination after I watched some Netflix shows taking place in the capital of Piemont. The highly underrated city is overshadowed by Milano, the metropolis of northern Italy, and the Tuscan towns. On my past visits to Milano and its surroundings, I too was more interested in the region around Lake Como. But this spring, I decide to change things up. After catching up with friends in Milano, I take the 1h45 train from Milano Centrale to Torino. It’s a picturesque ride through the countryside and as far as I can tell, there are no other tourists on board. I arrive in the late afternoon hours and promptly make my way to a hostel I found online. Transportation within the city is readily available with street cars. However, the ticketing system – as always in Italy – is a bit confusing. I end up hopping on a train without paying. As it’s only 2 stops, I am confident in not getting caught. The few-minute ride still feels like an eternity, and I‘m happy when I can finally get off. A 100-meter walk later, I arrive at the hostel and check-in.

As it‘s already late afternoon now, I ask the receptionist for a restaurant recommendation and, after dropping my backpack in my dorm, head back out into the cool spring evening. I watch the sunset close by Porta Palatina. There are only a few local people there, drinking beers and walking their dogs. Just after the last sun rays disappear, light rain begins to fall. I‘m glad that Piola da Cianci – the restaurant which the receptionist recommended – is just around the corner. It‘s pretty full when I get there, but the waitress tells me that it will only be a few minutes till a table will be available for me. And see there, just moments later, I am sitting at my very own table, looking at the handwritten menu on a small chalkboard. I order the Gnocchi and an Aperol Spritz, already eyeing the desserts people on the other table are just being served. The food is cheap and insanely delicious – so I treat myself to a Tiramisu. By now the rain is calming down, and I make it back to my hostel almost dry.

My first full day in Torino is dedicated to some sightseeing and finding the best park to read. I walk along the Po river, all the way to Borgo Medievale. On the way, I pass many cyclists, students and people out for a bit of sunshine. There are rowers drifting downstream too. My personal highlight is the squirrels at Giardino Roccioso though. They seem to be looking for the nuts they hid in the park last winter and frantically run around between sunbathers and picnickers. On the way back towards the Royal Palace – which is the area where I‘m staying – I walk through the picturesque old town. Its huge gates and rounded arcades are perfect to protect people from summer heat and rain. Tired from walking, I decide to visit another restaurant which is not too far away for dinner. Poormanger specializes in jacket potatoes. I didn‘t expect much, but their extensive menu convinces me to stay. I go for the stuffed potato with burrata, lamb‘s lettuce, and dried tomatoes. More than satisfied, I return to my hostel and immediately fall asleep.

The next morning, I check Google Maps for a nice café to work at and am a little overwhelmed by the options. I decide to cross the bridge over Dora Riparia river and find the cute Torteria Berlicabaris just in time to hide from the morning showers. I write a bit, drink my caffe latte, and watch the resident Chow Chow dog blocking people‘s way into the café. From here, I walk back across the small river to catch a tram to the other side of the city. Still not quite familiar with the ticket system, I again don‘t pay for the ride – but no one asks me for a ticket. I get off at Re Umberto and explore the area west of the train station. It‘s a quiet neighbourhood dominated by apartment blocks and small shops. I finally find a restaurant that still serves lunch and even find my favorite risotto on the menu.

After finishing my meal, I walk back to the city center and stop at the popular Costadoro Coffee Lab Diamond. It‘s the local upscale version of Starbucks and is very popular with students. There are laptops all over the place and I struggle to find a spot for my own. When I finally find a small table, it only takes a moment until my iced latte is served. I write for an hour and a half, and shortly before their closing time return to my hostel. After a short break from walking around, I want to have a look at the Roman Quarter. Like almost every day, rain starts to pour down as soon as I leave the old fire station which my hostel has been built into. I return once again to my dorm and get my umbrella. Despite the gloomy weather, I enjoy the walk through the Quadrilatero neighborhood with its typical Roman architecture and several statues. Most of the shops and restaurants are closed, but I unexpectedly find Kokoroya, a tiny Japanese supermarket/restaurant, in one of the quiet streets. So obviously, I pop in for a bowl of delicious Ramen.

Having been writing a lot over the past few days, I treat myself to a day off. As the weather is good, I hop on the direct train to Asti. The 50-minute journey from Porta Nuova takes me through the Piemontese countryside, which is just as pretty as its way better-known Tuscan counterpart. But when I arrive in the small wine town, my first impression isn‘t great. The train station seems a little sketchy. However, once I make it across the big roundabout, my view changes. The square on the other side, which is usually a car park, has been taken over by merchants from all over the province, selling their goods at the weekly market. It‘s a big fair, and you can find anything from socks to regional cheese and of course, wine. Northern Italy’s most popular export product is wine, and Asti specializes in its sparkling variant. I‘ve looked up a few Enotecas for tastings before, but similar to many places, the lack of tourists due to Covid forced several of them to close. I stroll around the town, walk up to the Bosco Dei Partigiani, back down to the Cathedral, and finally arrive at Palazzo Castaldi.

In the Old Town part of the city, there are countless restaurants. However, a street food stall selling Pizza by the piece sparks my interest. I buy two pieces and sit down in a nearby park to read while eating. After I‘m done, I head down a small backstreet and end up at „3 Bicchieri“. The small bar is located on the corner of a lively square, filled with market stalls, and great for people-watching. I finally order the glass of Moscato d‘Asti which brought me here, and a small appetizer to go with it. Soaking up the warm spring sun, I pass two or three hours there reading and people-watching. When the weather looks like it‘s going to rain again, I check the train schedule and rush to the station to catch the next connection to Torino. When I arrive back in the city, it‘s already dinner time and I head back to Piola da Cianci. There were just too many dishes there I wanted to try. This time I go for the Ragú and order a chocolate mousse cake for dessert. For once, I don‘t wander the empty streets at night and am in bed early.

On my last day in Turin I write a bit from my hostel dorm. When I’m done, I head back to my favourite neighboor hood for an early lunch at BarTU. The hip bar/restaurant seems to be popular with students and local artsy people. From here I walk back across the small river to the film museum. This is one of the few tourist attractions I check out and it really doesn‘t disappoint. If you give it a try, you‘ll not only learn everything about the history of the cinema, but also about present-day film productions. Moreover, the museum is located in a beautiful historical building with an impressive tower which is called „Mole“. The Mole is accessible to visitors by a free-floating elevator. Once I’ve seen all of the exhibition, I go on a last stroll along the riverside. My goal is a viewpoint that is located on the other side of the Po. The neighborhood at the foot of the small hill on which the chapel Santa Maria del Monte dei Cappuccini sits, hosts many dreamy buildings in which I can totally see myself living one day. After the short walk up the steep street, I take a break at the top, admiring the view.

And then it’s time to head back down to the other side of the hill. The area around Chiesa della Gran Madre di Dio is home to several popular restaurants, but I have already set my mind on a dinner place across the river. So I walk over Ponte Vittorio Emmanuele I and down Piazza Vittorio Veneto until I reach the restaurant of choice. At the Raviolhouse Torino I treat myself to – you guessed it – a delicious plate of fresh Ravioli and a dessert of Tiramisu. On the way back to my hostel, I cross my favourite Piazza Carlo Emmanuelle II and the square in front of the Royal Palace one last time. After a bit of Netflix and a good night’s sleep, I get up early the following morning, to get ready for my next adventure. A Blabla car ride to Zurich. But I will tell you about this one another time.