Diary of a traveling frog, or a week in northern Italy. Turin - the most unusual city in Italy

My trip to Italy with a stop in the city of Turin for 1 day. Main sights and interesting places. How to get to the city and where to find accommodation.

I'll start right away with general impression- this is big industrial city with a fully automatic subway, it is easy for a tourist to get lost here. A little lower I’ll tell you what we managed to see, where we couldn’t get in this huge city, but for now, a little technical information.

How to get to Turin

The most popular transfer destinations in the city of Turin are the airport and Milan, so they will be discussed below. Both directions are checked personally.

1. : Sadem bus for 6.5€ every 30 minutes and 45 minutes on the way. GTT train for 2.7€ if you buy at the box office at the Dora GTT station, the train journey takes only 19 minutes. costs 40-50€.
2. : Trains run the fastest and most often, tickets cost from 9 € when purchased 1-2 months in advance. All train tickets can be bought in Russian without extra charges. An alternative to trains will be for 5-10 € which travel up to 15 times a day.

Where to stay in Turin

1. Hotels: if you do not want to overpay, then use the search engine, which will find the best offer, and do not forget about which will reduce the price by another 10-20%.
2. Apartments: my choice on this trip was apartments on, which can be combined with. For greater savings, the site allows you to rent not only an apartment, but also a room, which I used. Unfortunately, this apartment is no longer rented and I can’t provide links to it, but it cost 2 people 34€.

Sights of Turin

I have already told you how to get there and where to find cheaper housing, and now I’m preparing for the trip. Links to tickets and tourist maps which will help to save money by visiting the sights of Turin, as well as excursions in Russian for those who are ready to spend money and learn in detail the history of the city and its interesting places.

1. sightseeing — 12€
2. for art lovers – 25€
3. for 48 hours (travel + entrance to the castles of Piedmont) - 34 €
4. for 48 hours (museums and castles of Piedmont) – 35€
5. — 160€

What to see in Turin in 1 day

Arriving in Turin, we first of all went to (+) rented through AirBnB, in order to get rid of backpacks and walk around the city lightly, because. knew that we were going to climb up the mountain in the heat. The room was booked not in the center, but closer to the Dora GTT railway station, so that it would be easier and cheaper to get to the airport.

The first thing that surprised me in Turin while driving to the apartment was a fully automated subway without drivers. If in Paris this is a whole attraction for tourists, then here it’s just commonplace. Everything looks quite technologically advanced - there is no access to the rails, everything is closed, the doors open themselves as soon as the train car stops in front of them. It is almost impossible to slip into the metro as a hare, the turnstiles at the entrance are massive doors that open only after you feed them a ticket for travel.

Medieval Castle - Medieval Castle

Returning from the apartment began to explore Turin with Medieval village and fortress. It's at the very bottom of our map. walking route around town.

Villa della Regina

This is Villa della Regina itself. The villa was a little disappointing, because. it is in disrepair, and especially the fountain. To see it, I had to go uphill and spend more than an hour on the way there and back. It is better to go here by public transport and not repeat my feat.

But the reason why it was worth going to this villa is the view of the city of Turin. The spire that is visible in the photo is Mole Antonelliana Tower.

Historic center of Turin

Going down the mountain is quite easy. Only 10-15 minutes and we are already crossing another bridge and find ourselves in the historical part of the city.

In the historical part, it is worth walking from square to square. There are a lot of them here, and the main attractions of Turin are concentrated on the squares. For example, in one square and even in one photo, 3 sights at once

The squares are interconnected by such large streets that are very reminiscent of.

On the square San Carlo there are two very similar cathedrals Church of St. Charles And Church of Saint Christina which are opposite each other.

Cathedral of Turin

But the main historical value of the city is the Cathedral of Turin, where the shroud of Jesus is kept. This most likely attracts the main tourists to the city, but I only learned about the shroud after I bought tickets to this city. The cathedral was unfortunately closed, possibly due to restoration.

A few shopping galleries in Turin, very beautiful.

We move towards the railway station and inspect last places in Turin.

Sweet life

Italian Turin is an off-season city. After all, this the best place to taste dolce vita!

In one of the most beautiful squares of Turin, San Carlo, at the end of autumn (this time from November 20 to 29) there will be a revival. No wonder, because the main events of the annual CioccolaTo chocolate festival unfold here. The program includes: a wide fair, tastings, culinary master classes and even a “sweet” quest, as well as wholesale jersey dresses.

Candy Paradise

Turin can be considered the historical homeland of sweets and chocolates. It was here that they first learned how to get solid chocolate from liquid chocolate. Now the city produces more sweet products than anywhere else in Italy. The names of local delicacies simply caress the ear. Just listen: tartufi, alpini, cremini, kri-kri. And how to leave without trying Bicherin? A sort of king of local drinks consists of coffee, hot chocolate and cream. He was adored by the author of The Three Musketeers. Alexandr Duma. The secret of the original Bicerin is closely guarded at the historic Al Bicerin Café. In general, chocolate is taken very seriously in Turin and they still believe that instead of a thousand words, it is better to give a box of chocolates. Well, or ... a car.

Like in the movies

Cars are another passion and pride of the people of Turin. The local favorite is, of course, Fiat. The first car of this brand, made at the factory in Turin already in 1899, proudly flaunts in the National Automobile Museum (museoauto.it). Perhaps not everyone is interested in cars, but everyone loves cinema. That is why there are such queues in front of the entrance to the Museum of Cinema, where various cinematic artifacts are collected: from posters to costumes. The scenery is also present, and visitors can even become part of it. When else will you have a chance to sit in an alien spaceship or end up in a giant refrigerator? By the way, the museum is located in the Mole Antonelliana tower. And after viewing the exposition, you can take the elevator to the top of the tower and survey the surroundings up to the Alps.

The magic of the city

Turin is a city of secrets and legends, and mystics believe that it is here that two triangles converge - black and white magic. Someone comes here in search of the Holy Grail, others - to see the legendary Shroud of Turin. There are those who dream of visiting the Egyptian Museum, which has the second largest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts in the world (only the Cairo Museum has more). So deviate from the beaten tourist paths and head for the north of Italy!

How much is this pleasure?

Flight

An air ticket on the route Moscow - Turin - Moscow costs from 15,500 rubles. Taxi from / to the airport - approx. 20/25 EUR.

Accommodation

A night in a 3 * hotel will cost about 65/80 EUR for two.

Museums

Entrance to the National Automobile Museum - 12 EUR, to the Egyptian Museum - 13 EUR. A single ticket to the Museum of Cinema and climbing the Mole Antonelliana tower - 14 EUR.

Traditional Turin snack - crispy grissini bread sticks.
Trams run through the streets of the city. Don't want to ride?
An important ingredient in local sweets and chocolates are Piedmontese hazelnuts.
The Shroud of Turin is kept in the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist. True, it is rarely exhibited. The next time it will happen is in 2025.
In the Museum of Cinema you can meet aliens. But do not be afraid, they arrived with good intentions.
The Mole Antonelliana tower is the symbol of the city. It can be seen from anywhere in Turin.

Friends! Welcome to the new section of my magazine "Club of my travels". This is the third release. Where I wandered around Turin and its environs. And most importantly, as always, an unusual continuation awaits you at the end of the page.

The weather was very pleasing gentle sun made the city friendly and familiar. Agree, it's hard not to recognize the sun :)

How few cars I was surprised, looking at the original cafe to the right of the course. Everything is neat somehow, here there is a construction or repair. And it looks like it was.

The number of cars was deceiving. And the problem of parking was shot before our eyes. How did they get there (see left)
And I already perceived the paintings on the walls as part of Italian culture :)

No, I didn't get the wrong picture. This is not Moscow and not Kyiv and not Tver. This is Turin! From the thought that we live on the same Earth, it became even warmer :)

Unexpectedly, having left almost beyond the borders of Turin, I was amazed at the view that opened up! This is the Italy that has always been. Old house, lanterns and traffic lights of our time. Yes, and the word "old" for Italy is more of a recognition and a simonym for the word "eternal"

The thought of a small number of cars melted completely! The houses divided the streets and they became narrow, but cozy. And the inscription "park" confused me and I started looking for a park with trees and benches :)

It would be nice to put a table on that balcony. Open a laptop, look through LiveJournal, drink tea. Look around, beauty. And such arches in Turin are exits to another space!

Here in this! What a contrast of narrow streets. Wide areas and horizons. I think I began to understand the Italian temperament! (And by the way, pay attention to the tram rails)

And in such a nice and almost "chamber" courtyard, I just wanted to stay. So you imagine how you go down the stairs and exit the entrance on the right. You look into the familiar eyes of the monument, then at the sun and think, why not take a walk today...

And at this crossroads, I felt so keenly how the present time lives through epochs and history. The atmosphere is very close to me :) And the lanterns are clearly from the 30s of the last century ... They just complement the space with retro colors!

In Turin, as in all of Italy, fashion brands live an active life. Displayed in windows. And attract the attention of every first passerby :)

The inscription is not obscene, it's something about three meters and lanterns :) A bench under the trees, houses in the distance, a pleasant deja vu!

Here he is handsome, here he is! Live Tram! Probably in the city center all tram routes were closed due to the large flow of cars (well, I didn’t meet a single one). But on the outskirts you can ride on this :)

On the outskirts of Turin we were pleased with the mountains in the distance. And the cannon on the monument on the right was terrifying - it suddenly shoots :) I wanted to see the water again, and the water was hiding just 30 meters straight :)

Artistry in the air! Where are my watercolors? I forgot at home again :)

And you can continue the walk yourself! In Turin it's on the right
Use the navigation arrows on the top right and in the picture to move around. Press twice where a white circle appears (to move to the desired point) or a square (to zoom in / rotate). And if you press and hold the left mouse button, you can look around and up / down. If you are lost, press the minus on the right, the scale will increase and you will find

Turin is the fourth largest city in Italy, and, compared to the first three, is not yet overrun by tourists. It is within easy reach of the Alps, not far from Milan and the borders with France and Switzerland. It was he who was once chosen by the Italian kings for their main residences, and the density of palaces per square kilometer is off scale here. People like to live beautifully in Turin, so it was there that Nutella, Lavazza, Martini and Fiat were invented, which, by the way, stands for “Turin Automobile Factory”. For 400 years, the shroud has been kept in the city, which is called the Shroud of Turin. And for 120 years he has been playing at local Juventus stadiums. In Turin, you can endlessly walk along the covered galleries and go out to one or the other piazza. There are so many must-see attractions and must-do activities that it's easy to get lost. But that’s what our guides were created for: we will guide you where to go and what to see, and you will enjoy a real Italian city with a luxurious history and a colorful present.

Low-cost airlines have not yet chosen Turin, so flying for € 20 is unlikely to succeed. At Ryanair and there are no direct flights from Lithuania and Poland at all, and Wizz Air flies from, but very rarely and not so budget. But there is still no reason to be sad, because 150 km from Turin you will find a much more extensive transport hub -. Both of the above-mentioned low-cost airlines regularly depart to Milan-Bergamo airport: you can fly from Warsaw for € 25-30. Will deliver to Milan and Belavia directly from Minsk (round-trip from € 234).

From Milan-Bergamo airport you can get to Turin either by bus flix bus, or from Bergamo itself by train Trenitalia, tickets from € 15 (buy in advance).

Do not rule out the most comfortable flight option from Minsk to Turin immediately, albeit with a transfer. Prices are high in summer, but out of season you can find tickets from € 250, so just in case, take a look at search engines, for example, on Skyscanner. (do not forget about our instructions for).

If you arrive at Milan Malpensa airport, then the easiest way to get to Turin is by bus Sadem.From the Turin Caselle airport, the easiest way to go to the city is by train for € 3 or by the same buses Sadem .

Attic Hostel (Piazza Pietro Paleocapa 2) . A loft hostel located under the roof of a building directly opposite Porta Nuovo Station. Ideal if you don't want to wander around the city: close to the train station, the center and the area for evening gatherings of San Salvario. And the most pleasant bonus is an unusual interior with maps and old bicycles. Place in a shared room - € 27.

Bamboo eco hostel (Corso Palermo 90D)- for lovers of everything. Breakfast is included in the price - of course, from organic products. The disadvantage of the hostel is 1.5 km from the center and an unremarkable area, except that you can see where and how the locals live. The cost of a bed in a 4-bed room is from € 26.

Tomato Backpackers Hotel (Via Pellico 11)- a very bright and cozy hostel in the San Salvario area, also close to the Porta Nuovo station. Bed from € 23, and a separate Double Room- € 61. Rooms are sorted out months in advance, so check your dates first.

7 Room Turin (Via Vanchiglia 10)- a good option if you do not want to live in a hostel, but prefer to stay in a separate room at a low price. The price for a double room starts from € 40. Rather simple rooms, but from the window you can see the Mole tower and the two most popular piazzas of the city at hand.

Don't forget about Airbnb where you can find a private room for €25 or an apartment for €40. interesting options both in the center and away from it.

If you have a tent with you and you travel around Italy by car, the ideal and most a budget option- It's camping. A little away from Turin you will find Camping Bella Torino (Via Grange, 71). If there are two of you, everything will cost about € 15, shower and WI-FI included.

A google search for Turin sights brings up so many palaces, squares, and museums that it's hard to know where to go first, especially if you don't have much time. You can start from Piazza Castello, the Shroud of Turin, the Mole Antonelliana tower and Piazza Vittorio - this is the minimum for Turin, after which you are not ashamed to buy a magnet. And then be guided by time and desires.

Traditionally, walks around Turin start with its central square- Piazza Castello, which is located 10 minutes walk from railway station Porta Nuova (Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 58) . Look around: in Piazza Castello everything deserves attention, and here is the time to remember history. From 1861 until the end of World War II, the Kingdom of Italy was ruled by the Savoy dynasty, and Turin was the capital of the possessions of this kind. That's why the city is called royal, that's why it has so many palaces, architectural monuments and parks, so Turin was the first capital of the united Italy in 1861.

On Piazza Castello, this is worth remembering, looking at Royal Palace(Palazzo Reale, Piazzetta Reale 1) , one of the most important residences of the House of Savoy in Piedmont. Today, in a strict and restrained-looking castle, you can see the chicly furnished halls, the royal library and a huge kitchen. The palace also houses an art gallery. Sabauda gallery, and in the neighboring building is Royal Armory (Armeria Reale, Piazzetta Reale, 1) with the largest collection of weapons in Europe. All these exhibitions are valid for a single ticket for € 12, but if you want to see everything, give yourself at least half a day.

Another palace-museum in Piazza Castello - Palace Madama (Palazzo Madama, Piazza Castello) . From the front, the building looks like a residence to match the Savoy kings, and from the back - like a medieval fortress, which is what the building originally was. For some time, kings also lived in it, but then there was not enough money in the treasury, and only the facade was restored under the palace. Now the Museum of Ancient Art operates in Palazzo Madama with 70,000 paintings, sculptures and other works of art.

Piazza Castello is always full of tourists and performances. In winter there is a fair, in summer there are magicians, musicians and performances. When the square has been studied up and down, go into the arch to the left of Royal Palace, because in the neighboring church you will find a world-famous relic - Shroud of Turin. This is a linen cloth, in which, according to legend, the body of Christ was wrapped after his death. The marks on the fabric are considered to be the imprints of the face and body of Christ. The Catholic Church does not recognize the authenticity of the shroud, scientists have been arguing for many years about the age of the canvas, however, hundreds of people regularly come to look at a copy of the relic. For more than 400 years, the real shroud has been kept in the Turin Cathedral of John the Baptist (Piazza San Giovanni), but it can be seen about once every 25 years (scheduled for 2025). And in the cathedral there is a replica of the canvas, which you can look at at any time.

50 meters from the cathedral is another interesting temple, Church of San Lorenzo (Via Palazzo di Città, 4) . It is known for the fact that from the outside it does not resemble a shrine in any way, but inside it impresses with interiors.

On the other side of the cathedral you will see a centuries-old building resembling a wall very ancient castle. This Palatine Gate (Piazza Cesare Augusto 15) , and they have been standing here since the 1st century BC. - this ancient Roman building was used both as a gate and as a fortress at the entrance to the settlement, which existed even before the advent of Turin.

Through the ancient gates, you can temporarily escape from the central sights of Turin to see the real city in its markets. Literally 400 meters from the cathedral with the shroud is a noisy and crowded market Porta Palazzo (Piazza della Repubblica) loved by all Turinians. Outside, you can buy all kinds of fruits and vegetables, seasonal ones cost pennies, or rather cents. Inside are Italian prosciutto, fresh breads and cheeses, homemade pasta and ravioli, and some stalls sell pizza slices and other Italian goodies for a bite to eat. The market is open until 14.00 on weekdays, until 18.00 on Saturday, and is closed on Sunday.

And a little further behind Porta Palazzo - another symbol of the city, a huge Balon flea market, which operates every Saturday, and on the second Sunday of the month turns into a giant Gran Balon. There, on numerous streets, they sell antiques and a variety of old gizmos. The symbol of the market is a white balloon in a retro style, in fact, a balon, which every day raises tourists above the city. To find the market, follow the ball, which looks like it was inspired by a Jules Verne story, or head to Borgo Dora Street.

And now it's time to return to Piazza Castello. After all, three of the most tourist streets Cities: Via Garibaldi, Via Roma and Via Po. Let's go through each of them in turn.

Via Garibaldi- a long pedestrian street with boutiques, shops, restaurants and places to eat. On weekends in the evenings there are a lot of people and street musicians, during the day there are always a lot of tourists. By the way, at the very beginning of the street near Piazza Castello is information Center (Piazza Castello 161) where you can get a map of the city.

The length of the pedestrian street is about a kilometer, on the other hand it rests on another square, Piazza Statuto. It is less popular, but is notable for the monument above the fountain. It's all about mysticism. Rumor has it that two triangles converge in Turin: white and black magic, and good and evil have been fighting here for centuries. The top of the white triangle was the Castello square, already familiar to us.

And the black triangle, which includes and , crowns Statuto Square. After all, earlier it was here that city executions took place, and in the sculpture above the fountain, which was installed in honor of the new railway, fans of esotericism saw not a good angel, but Lucifer. "Magical" excursions are popular in the city, and they most often start from here. Narrow and atmospheric streets with restaurants and shops run parallel to Garibaldi Street, so it is best to return to the center along them.

On the other side of Piazza Castello goes Roma street (Via Roma), which will take you to the nearby Piazza San Carlo. There are buildings everywhere with covered galleries, or porticos, of which there are so many in Turin. And the piazza itself, in addition to the bronze statue of the Italian duke, is decorated with two almost identical churches - the basilicas of Santa Cristina and San Carlo standing next to each other.

Behind the spacious square you can already see the main city station - Porta Nova, and a little away from the piazza is the famous Egyptian Museum (Via Accademia delle Scienze 6) . In the XIX century, when Europe was carried away by Egyptomania, Italian kings bought up Egyptian antiquities. Today, the second largest Egyptian museum in the world operates in Turin. There are 30 thousand exhibits, among them even the decorations of Queen Nefertiti. This is one of the most visited museums in Turin, a ticket will cost € 15.

Next to the Egyptian Museum, another palace-residence awaits you - Palazzo Carignano (Palazzo Carignano, Via Accademia delle Scienze 5) , a large baroque building with a curved façade and the Museum of the Risorgimento (National Liberation Movement) in it.

And now we take a course from Piazza Castello along Via Po. Trams run endlessly along it, and both boutiques and PizzaKebab eateries nestled in the arches. A block east of Po Street is the symbol of Turin, the local Eiffel Tower - Mole Antonelliana (Mole Antonelliana, Via Montebello 20) , 167.5 meters high. The tower began to be built in 1863 as a synagogue and was not supposed to be something special. But the architect Antonelli wanted to excel, exceeded the budget and deadlines several times - and at that time the tallest building in Italy appeared. So observation deck you can enjoy the views of Turin, and since 2000 the tower itself has housed Cinema Museum,
one of the most popular objects in Turin (as evidenced by the constant queue at the entrance). It is loved for its interactivity and unusual exhibits: here you can watch a shadow theater, look through daguerreotypes, see the first film by the Lumiere brothers and study the camera obscura. The rest of the exposition is devoted to famous films and those who work on them: Monroe's shoes, Fellini's hat, a movie on the ceiling, in an aquarium and a safe, a lot of mini-decorations. Entrance to the museum costs €10.

Pau Street will take you to another Turin square, which is definitely worth a visit, to Piazza Vittorio(Piazza Vittorio). This piazza stands out for its size, it is considered one of the largest in Europe. Previously, parades were often held here, but now it is an indispensable place for the most massive events in Turin. Piazza Vittorio is known as a gathering place for young people in the evenings, in the summer on weekends it is almost completely packed with tables.

The area is adjacent to Italy's largest river Po. And the bridge across the river leads straight to the church Gran Madre di Dio (Piazza Gran Madre di Dio, 4) , a majestic temple with columns, under which, according to legend, the Holy Grail is buried. This is another object of mystical Turin.

Not far from Piazza Vittorio is the main building of the University of Turin (Via G. Verdi 8), one of the largest universities in Italy, which was founded in 1404. Among its graduates are the writer Umberto Eco and other eminent Italians.

Along the Po River, head to the castle and the Valentino park, where, in addition, there is also the medieval village of Borgo Medievale. Let's figure out what is what. The ancient buildings of stone and brick that stand right by the river are Borgo Medievale(Viale Virgilio 107), a hamlet recreated in the 1880s. It was built to hold an exhibition, but the fortress and workshops turned out to be so believable that they still stand and delight the eyes of Turin residents. You can enter the territory of the village for free, but a ticket to the fortress itself will cost € 6.

Immediately after the village begins a large and beautiful park Valentino with flower alleys, rose gardens and alpine slides. A place to calmly walk and take a break from the city. If you climb a little higher, behind the park you will find yourself castle valentino (Viale Mattioli, 39), another residence of the House of Savoy. Now the building houses the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Turin. The walk from Piazza Vittorio to Valentino takes about 20 minutes.

From Piazza Vittorio to opposite side the river is visible Capuchin hill (Piazzal Monte dei Cappuccini 3) with a small monastery, a place with the best views to the city. All panoramic shots where the city, the tower and the Alps are visible are taken from there. The walk up the hill from the piazza is not easy, you still need to walk uphill, but it won't take long, about 25 minutes.

In addition to the popular Superga outside the city (read more), Turin has more car museum (Corso Unita d'Italia 40) with vintage cars and racing cars from Ferrari and Alfa Romeo. Ticket - € 12. About other museums (for example, puppets or criminal anthropology). On the side of Capuchin Hill you will also find Queen's Villa (Villa della Regina, Strada Santa Margherita 79) , palace and park ensemble with a large garden, entry - € 5.

Surroundings of Turin

If you are in Turin, then be sure to arrange an aperitif dinner for yourself, which is what all Turinians do when they get out to the city in the evening. To do this, look for the word apericena on restaurant signs. For an aperitif dinner in Turin, instead of one dish, they bring just a little bit. Aperitifs are different, in bars they are small, most often they are small sandwiches and canapes, but in restaurants an aperitif involves a full dinner. In some places you order apericena and they bring you a certain set of dishes, in some places you can choose them yourself on the buffet. IN Arancia di Mezzanotte (Piazza Emanuele Filiberto 11) they serve a lot of food (fish, meat, pasta, vegetables), but it will also cost a little more, about € 12. The buffet is offered in KM5 Torino (Via San Domenico 14). In general, the cost of such a dinner is € 8-12.

Many great places for an aperitif in the areas San Salvario(near Porta Nuovo, follow the street Via Baretti and area Saluzzo: as soon as you see a cluster of restaurants and people, you are there) or Quadrilatero Romano (much closer to the center: piazza Emanuele Filiberto, via Santa Chiara, via Bellezia, via Sant’Agostino) .

Do not forget that you need to have lunch before 14.30, because then all the restaurants close and open only at 19.00 for dinner. During this period, you can only eat fast food. So don't waste your time, because there are many great pizzerias in Turin. Prices are similar everywhere: pizzas - € 6-10, beer € 4-5, often add about € 2 for service. Here are some verified pizzerias. In the center, in the area of ​​the Garibaldi pedestrian street, there is a restaurant "Sicomoro" (Via degli Stampatori 6) And "Fratelli la bufala" (Via Medina 5). And not far from Piazza Statuto you can try a Neapolitan pizza in a pizzeria

June - July 2006

Day 1. Beginning

So, let's start, perhaps. In Italy, I had previously been on a week-long excursion with a group along the classic route: Venice, Rome, the Vatican, San Marino, Rimini, and, like many bipeds, I fell in love with this wonderful country and dreamed of returning there. And - oh joy! - I succeeded 5 years after the first trip.

The idea to visit Turin came to my mind largely thanks to one young man: after all, the capital of the last Olympics and all that ... Well, Milan somehow "attached" itself as the second point of the program. There was also the thought of Genoa, but ... I didn’t want to go with the company, and none of the companies I know are going in that direction, and after much thought, it was decided to go "on my own", i.e. plan your own trip.

It is from this moment that the most interesting begins, because. the aforementioned young man played the lights out 2 months before "Day X", at the stage of buying air tickets, and I had to do everything alone (which, by the way, I do not regret at all). What to do, I had to go alone - for the first time in my life in free swimming! Well, do not sit at home the whole vacation! So all the information provided below is first-hand, and if you have any questions, I will be happy to answer.

Route: Milan - Turin - Milan.
Duration: June 29 - July 7
Number of tourists: 1
Number of positive impressions: weight

This epic began with the purchase of air tickets. The plane was chosen as the most optimal mode of transport: it saves both time and money. I’ll make a reservation right away that I am a citizen of Latvia, and, accordingly, of the EU, so the issue of a visa, etc. was not relevant for me, but those who need a visa should, of course, take care of this. Flights were booked online, in advance (4 months in advance, I think), and at special prices. Thus, the Riga-Milan-Riga ticket cost me 145 euros (about $180). It's not for me to teach you that you can find out about special offers via the Internet, and, probably, each airline has its own "lure". Here in the Baltics, we mainly use the services of the local "Air Baltic", as well as "Ryanair" and "SAS". Planes, in principle, are more or less the same - Boeings, the service depends, as elsewhere, on the class. In general, the issue of transport to Italy has been resolved, we are moving on.

Question number 2: where to live? And then my friend, the Internet, helped me. I booked 3 hotels (on arrival in Milan - 2 nights, 4 nights in Turin, and on the way back the last night is also in Milan). When booking, I used the services of the site www.venere.com - quickly, conveniently, the hotels are sorted by districts, and by "stars", so everyone chooses for himself. Another huge plus is that on the site, a map is attached to the description of each hotel, which indicates the location of this very hotel, photos, a list of services provided, reviews of previous guests, etc. Comfortable! They say there is a similar site www.hrs.de, but I haven't used it, so I can't compare. I enjoyed "collaborating" with Venere.com. I chose hotels for myself, filled out the form, including the number credit card(But don't be afraid, no one will take money from you in advance, this is done "just in case a fireman"). The only "BUT" - when booking a hotel through the site, I was a little puzzled by the meager set bank cards, with which you can pay: Visa (only Classic, my Visa Electron did not pass), American Express, MasterCard and some other unknown Italian card. But otherwise, as I said, everything is simple and convenient. Looking ahead, I’ll say that out of 3 hotels I ordered, 2 turned out to be beyond praise, the last one was also nothing, I’m just a little picky, I guess. But first things first.

Thus, 2 main issues with the plane and the hotel were resolved. There were "local" questions, for example, how to get around Italy. As always, the Internet came to the rescue, as well as my Italian friends, with whom I keep up a correspondence. I must admit that all my fears and concerns about transport turned out to be in vain: there is transport in Italy, and it runs regularly (except when it doesn’t go, but more on that later). The only problem that a tourist can face in Italy is the weak knowledge of the great and mighty in English, which has the proud status of the language of international communication, although in fact, in France, in Spain, in Italy, they bulge their eyes in bewilderment and begin to convulsively mumble something obscure. It was the same this time, but it did not upset me very much: I studied Italian for a couple of months in courses, and although I never spoke it, my debut took place and was quite successful. I don’t urge everyone to rush to urgently learn Italian, but if you operate with at least a couple of phrases like “Grazie!”, “Prego!”, “Buon giorno!”, “Mi scusa!”, then even with such “baggage” the Italians will succeed secured. How touched they are by watching the unfortunate foreigner practice their language! The fact is that Italians do not like to strain (and who does, you ask), and therefore they treat foreign elements speaking other languages, although quite politely, but aloofly. But if this “element” babbles, albeit poorly, in Italian, it is already considered as more worthy of attention. Tested on myself! The Italians immediately relax and begin to chirp mentally, without thinking how much of this chirping you understood, as if you had known each other for a long time. As a philologist, I can develop this topic indefinitely, but I think it's better to go directly to the description of the journey and give examples on different topics along the way.

So my Boeing 737 landed at Milan airport“Malpensa” June 29, 2006 around 13.00 local time (minus 2 hours from Moscow and minus one hour from Riga). As in any airport, there are windows at the exit for EU citizens, and for "all passengers". The airport is huge, but it's pretty easy to understand what's what, especially since here people speak English without any problems. (By the way, this was practically my first flight: the last time I flew with my grandmother was when I was 10 years old). Several baggage reels spin in the arrivals hall. Baggage is issued quickly, you just need to look at the scoreboard (above each drum) where the luggage is issued from which flight. This is usually the drum opposite the gate you just left.

There are 2 airports in the vicinity of Milan: Linate (3 km from the city) and Malpensa (39 km). Far away, but transport links are established: you can get to the city by train (I don’t know, I haven’t tried it) and by bus. The ticket office is located between gates 5 and 6 in the Arrivals hall. A ticket for the Malpensa Shuttle costs 5 euros, for the Malpensa Express - 5.50. What is the difference, I do not understand. Buses stop right outside the terminal doors. Flight - every 20 minutes, or as the cabin fills up: got full - let's go. Kind uncles take away the suitcase and put it in the trunk (however, you have to take it out yourself). The ticket is either composted (from the driver) or simply comes off a corner (also from the driver). The bus is comfortable, it takes about an hour (45-50 minutes), the people are international, you can talk in Russian and English for the last time before plunging into the sweet world of the Italian language for a week ...

The bus in Milan stops near the central railway station (Milano Stazione Centrale). You walk along the wall of the station (the station is also huge!) and exit to Piazza Duca d’Aosta, from where the streets fan out. My first hotel was chosen so that it was not far from the railway station and, at the same time, from the city center. I must admit that the choice was made well - the Hotel Serena (2 stars) Via Ruggero Boscovich 59 met all these requirements. Room for 1 person - 45 euros with breakfast. The hotel is small, clean, cozy, with TV, bathroom is good and air conditioning is powerful. In the summer in the heat - and I got exactly this (30-34 degrees) - this is very important. Breakfast is standard: freshly baked buns, yogurt (for some reason, German, is it not your own?), 2 types of cheese, cookies, butter, jam, and some other jars. Self-service, i.e. you can eat until you burst and, as is customary among our tourists, “steal” something else, using the term V.V.P. From drinks they offer coffee and juices (juices are not very). You order coffee from the aunt at the counter, any, to your taste. Auntie was overjoyed when, after her question “Caffè americano?” asked in a doomed voice, I said: “Con latte, per favore”. Italians do not understand at all how foreigners can drink weak coffee in huge mugs ... By the way, I forgot to say that the distinguishing feature of this hotel is that breakfast is served on the top floor (and not downstairs, as in most hotels) in a pretty glazed dining-loggia with view of the rooftops of Milan. I like it.

After accommodation at the hotel, I still had half a day for a “capped” acquaintance with the city. First of all, you had to buy good card. The one that I found on the Internet is painfully miserable, and in the hotel, although it was promised, the cards “ran out” (oh, those Italians!). It seems to me that they were never born there ... Nevertheless, I went straight to the station and bought a wonderful large and detailed map for 5.50 with a book about Milan to boot. So… By the way, you can get a card for free at tourist information centers if you find one. There is one in the Milan railway station, but it is always crowded and something vague doubts torment me about whether it is realistic to get a city map there, most likely, they will also “run out” there, if you ask.

In the same place at the station I bought a ticket to Turin, immediately there and back (there is no difference in price, but it’s calmer). A ticket to Turin (Torino Porta Nuova) costs 7.90 one way, the price depends on the mileage and on the train class. Turin is 153 km away, about 2 hours drive. But I will talk about this in more detail later, when I take the train to Turin, but for now I am sitting in Piazza Duca d'Aosta and making a plan for a walk in Milan.

I must say right away that I didn’t manage to see EVERYTHING, and it’s unrealistic in 2 days, especially since I only moved on foot. From the station and the hotel to the center is not far by Milanese standards - only 30 minutes at a vigorous pace. By "centre" I mean, of course, Piazza Duomo, Teatro alla Scala and the shopping center Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, which are very compactly located close to each other. So, 2 large and fairly straight streets lead to La Scala Square (in Italy, in my opinion, there are no straight streets at all) - Corso Buenos Aires, turning into Corso Venezia, which rests on a very pretty Babil Square with a church and a fountain, from which Corso Vitt.Emanuele leaves to the right, i.е. the beginning of the shopping center, which will lead you to the Cathedral, more precisely to the back of it. There is another way (I chose it): right from the square in front of the station, Via Pisani starts, a wide avenue ending in Piazza della Reppublica. After it, it turns into Via Filippo Turati, then takes it to the left, and as soon as it passes under the arch of Porta Nuova (the remains of a medieval city wall of the 12th century), it is already called Via Manzuni, which will take you straight to La Scala Opera, and there through the square of the same name with a monument to the great Leonardo in the center - the gallery of Victor Emanuel and behind it the Dome Cathedral in all its glory. Just do not rush to rejoice: the entire facade is covered from prying eyes with plywood and scaffolding on the occasion of the restoration. How long it will last is hard to say. Fortunately, the Cathedral is no less beautiful from the “sides” and from the “back”, so there is something to photograph. And for those who are inconsolable, like me, because they did not see the facade, I recommend purchasing a postcard. I bought 2: the cathedral during the day and the cathedral at night. Beautiful! Postcards are available in different formats - from 10x15 to A3 sizes. Mine - 17X12 - cost 0.60 euros apiece.

Police are on duty at the entrance to the Cathedral, everyone is asked to open their bags and show the contents. I was also asked to open my purse with a camera (what if it's not a camera, but a hydrogen bomb?). Everything is done with a smile, so it does not bother. Inside the Cathedral, as usual, they are not allowed in short skirts, short shorts and bare shoulders (although you can see through). You are allowed to take pictures as much as you like. The cathedral is really amazing, then I came to see it again. I won't try to describe it - it's useless. As they say, it's better to see once ... I can only say that it is considered the 3rd largest in the world, after St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome and the Cathedral in Seville, Spain.

Several streets also diverge from Cathedral Square. You can go back to the Gallery and do some shopping, but we'll go the other way. I was interested in 2 other streets: Via Torino and Via Dante. Walking forward along the first one, you run into the Basilica di San Satiro of the 9th century, to which the great Bramante himself had a hand in his time. The basilica and the church of St. Mary adjoining it, however, are slightly squeezed among city houses (I got the impression that in Milan everything is "squeezed" and piled up in an incomprehensible order). Further, another church deserves attention, a stone's throw from San Satiro - S.Giorgio al Palazzo - 8th century, built on the site of an ancient Roman palace, from which 2 columns have been preserved. In general, for those who are attracted by church architecture, the center of Milan is an inexhaustible source, they would have the strength to wander through the labyrinths of streets, looking for the right basilica, which is usually skillfully hidden in some unthinkable nook and cranny. On my first day in Milan, after a “sleepless” night (I had to get up at 4 am) and flights, transfers, I had little strength, and not much time. So, a few more churches in that area remained "uncovered": Basilica di S.Ambrogio, S.Lorenzo Maggiore, S.Eustorgio ... yes, there are many.

It was evening time (something around 8), it's time to go home. Of course, if you look at it, the time is still childish, but not for a single tourist 26 years old is dangerous! Here, perhaps, the only minus of the absence of a satellite nearby. No, the Italians behave decently (of course, sometimes you hear offers addressed to you that are difficult to refuse, but this is done in a cheerful and non-aggressive manner). Who poses a real threat is the “Afro-Italians” (there are some!). These are attached seriously and tightly, so, dear young ladies, even if you are two, three, ten of you, this is unlikely to help - they are too stubborn! They offer some colored rope-bracelets on your hand - don’t take it, otherwise they won’t lag behind, they will mince after you and offer all the options (I hope you understand what I mean?). How to get rid? Or pretend to be deaf-blind and go where you went (effectively!), Or make round scary eyes like “Ruso tourist!” (it does not always work - they start offering the same thing in English). There is another option to send away in your native language, but this is already an extreme measure and it is better not to bring it to this: you will hear curses in the back for a long time to come!

So, the evening ceased to be languid ... And I also wanted to eat! True, I ran into McDonald's on the way for lack of time, but this, you know, is not food. At the reception at the hotel, I was advised a supermarket "here nearby." It turned out to be really close and the store turned out to be very personal. It is called Sma, it is written in such green letters, there is a whole network of them in Italy, mine was on Corso Buenos Aires 21, 5 minutes from the hotel. An ordinary market, only Italian, and the products there, respectively, are also Italian. As a gourmet with experience, I felt very comfortable. One of my biggest fears was that food in Italy was expensive and I would have to eat bagged soups and cheeseburgers for 1.50 euros. In fact, it turned out that "they" have almost the same prices as we have in Latvia, the products are of high quality, and the choice is quite large. It was the evening of the 29th, and the 30th was my 27th birthday, which I was going to spend usefully and in pleasant company (more on that later). I bought water in the market - by the way, I never went anywhere in Italy without water, 0.5 l is always with me! - for 0.13 cents one and a half liters, and the water is mineral, and not just drinking. I love these prices! For comparison, in a kiosk or a small shop, 0.5 liters costs 1 euro, 1.5 liters - respectively 2. I also bought Lambrusco Emilia Secco red sparkling wine - I highly recommend it for those who like dry wines - for a promotion for 1.64. In general, locally produced wines, in my opinion, are even obscenely cheap, although their quality is good: there is a special quality control system there, and you will never buy - even for little money - some kind of red burda called "dry grape wine" from which a fusel smell is heard from a kilometer away, and there is more sugar in this "dry" wine than in ice cream. Speaking of ice cream! It seems to me that it is not a secret for anyone that the best ice cream in the world is, of course, popsicle on a stick ... (joking) However, in Italy, many people also like ice cream. For the hot days that have fallen to my lot, this good exit out of position - and ate, and refreshed. As you know, there are countless varieties, all are delicious, only some are very sweet - lemon is just as sugary as strawberry! I am not a fan of sweets, but for those with a sweet tooth, this is, of course, heaven!

So passed my first day on the "new earth". I confess that at the first moment, finding myself in splendid isolation far away from home in a strange city, it was a little uncomfortable ... but not for long. So I can say to all those who are skeptical: traveling alone and on your own (without a company) is possible, and in many ways even necessary. I, at least, am going to plan all my further travels only in this way.

Day 2. Milan

I woke up on June 30th with the thought that today is my most unusual birthday - away from home, without parents, friends, a delicious table and a cake with candles! Even without congratulatory phone calls: I went to Italy with a new international number, which 4 people managed to recognize. Nevertheless, the day turned out to be very successful. The fact is that in Milan I agreed to meet with a friend via Internet correspondence, who lives an hour's drive from the city. Moreover, this friend was born on the same day and in the same year as me - it happens! - only she in the morning, and I - in the evening. So, my birthday really turned out to be unusual!

So, we met in the morning with a friend (she turned out to be a very nice girl!) And went to great walk in Milan, since the whole day was at our disposal. We went along Corso Buenos Aires, then decided to cut off and turned into the Giardini Pubblici park. There is a planetarium (it seems to work), a mini-zoo (passed by us, or rather, we passed by it) and a Museum natural history(Museo Civico di Storia Naturale) for those who are interested. The park, oddly enough, did not save us from the heat, the trees gave shade, but nothing more. The paths are strewn with gravel (the enemy of leather shoes!), Milanese, their children, grandchildren, dogs sit, lie, run, play, sunbathe on the lawns ... Many in bathing suits and swimming trunks lie on a specially brought bedding and take sunbaths. Beauty, especially considering the fact that in Latvia it is forbidden to walk on lawns and sit or lie on them by law. In general, I sometimes felt like an alien: I walked only along the paths, when everyone else boldly walked along the lawns, I crossed the road in places strictly defined for this and only on the green light, while my Italian friends twisted their fingers at their temples and said: " The pedestrian has an advantage!", that is, if I need to cross in the wrong (and the right too) place, the driver will definitely let me through. Oddly enough, it really is! It’s only here that you say goodbye to life, even crossing the road at the intersection under the greenest traffic light, because you don’t know which driver will want to drive over you at that moment ...

Nevertheless, after the duty route La Scala - Gallery - Duomo, we went along Via Dante to the Sforzesco Castle - another major attraction of Milan. Via Dante is a pedestrian street with many cafes and restaurants. In one of them - Cafè Martini (familiar name?) - we tasted ice cream and iced tea each. If it were not for the heat, we would sit outside under umbrellas overlooking the Cathedral. But there was air conditioning inside, and that solved everything. The interior is very cute, chandeliers and lamps shimmer with crystal light, pomaded waiters faithfully look into the eyes ...

The Sforzesco Castle is impressive. There are several museums inside (for example, the Egyptian one) and the Pinakothek, but admission is free only after 14.00, and even then not in all. We didn’t wait and went for a walk in Sempione Park, buying an Italian flag along the way: that evening Italy played in the 1/1348 finals with Ukraine, and the police were on duty at Duomo Square at a screen specially set up on the occasion of the World Cup from 12.00. I liked the Sempione Park more than the "public gardens" - large, green, with ponds and an aquarium, which we visited (free entry, break from 13 to 14). Then we just sat under a tree in the park and talked "for life", and then a very instructive episode took place. We were approached by "some unknown aunt" to ask for money. It must be said that in Italy this happens all the time: their beggars do not humbly wait with outstretched hands until they are served, but actively "cut circles", rushing to everyone they meet and demanding "1 euro \ 13450 cents for lunch" (by the way, regardless of the time of day). My Italian friend wished the woman a "good day" (at least I want to believe it), after which the aunt proceeded to the next "victims": 2 young Italian women were sunbathing behind us at some distance. We didn’t even look in their direction, but we should, because 10 minutes later they both came up to us and asked if anyone approached them while they were sleeping (naive! Who sleeps in the parks?). As it turned out, one lost her mobile phone, the other somehow "reduced" the credit by 100 euros. I think the moral of this fable is clearer than clear ... Citizens, be vigilant!

The next point of our program was the famous church of Santa Maria della Grazie, to which, again, the same Bramante put his talented hand and where the fresco of Leonardo's "Last Supper" is kept in the refectory. You can see the fresco, you just need to "sign up" in advance. We have limited ourselves to the church. As it should be according to the law of meanness (I will have more than one reason to be convinced of the immutability of this law), the facade of the church was draped, because. (what a coincidence!) it was also restored. Fortunately, this did not prevent us from entering and admiring the interior ... It is also very beautiful. I have seen a lot of churches and cathedrals in my "tourist" century, but the Duomo and Maria della Grazie are some of the most beautiful I have ever seen!

The time was 6-7 o'clock, but my friend was waiting for her wonderful Italian husband, who specially came to Milan to take her home and celebrate her birthday. I had to get up early the next morning and, no matter how much I wanted to take a longer walk, I had to turn the shafts in the direction of "home". "Home" I went all along the same Corso Venezia, smoothly flowing into Corso Buenos Aires. Again passed through Babil Square. It is considered one of the most exquisite and popular squares in Italy. On the one hand, the most luxurious shops in Milan are concentrated here (after all, the "shopping zone" starts from here). On the other hand, there are plenty of expensive and not so expensive restaurants where you can spend time and money enjoying the view of the square with a fountain in the center and a church in the back. In my opinion, this is one of the coziest places in a rather hectic and uncomfortable Milan ... Nevertheless, my path lay past all this luxury - into the wilderness, to the hotel. By the way, a couple of blocks from the square, on the left side of Venice Avenue, there is a very good cafe-shop, where there is a good choice cheeses, wines, meats and sausages, as well as ready-to-go dishes such as risotto and pasta. Highly recommend!

Thus ended my second day in Milan. I didn’t hold my legs, but a chilled bottle of Lambrusco, prosciutto from my favorite Sma (costs from 2 to 3 euros, vacuum packed 80 grams) and the Italy-Ukraine match were waiting for me in the room on TV. By the way, while I was in Italy, the Italians played and won 2 matches (we joked that I brought them good luck)!! Zealous Italian fans do not have a soul in their team, a "tricolor" hangs in every window, many also walk the streets in "symbols": in T-shirts, with flags and huge flags. After the next victory of the Azzurra Squadra, the Italians have fun for a long time, the cars honk without ceasing, everyone who is capable plays music on drums, pipes, etc. Funny!

The next morning, I got up at 7 am and traveled by train from Lombardy to Piedmont.

Day 3. Turin, Piedmont

On the morning of July 1, I got up early, had breakfast in a wonderful dining-loggia, said goodbye to my uncle at the reception (I paid the bill the day before, I recommend it to everyone, because if you postpone it to the last moment, it may turn out that there is no one to pay, the administrator has "gone" and, accordingly, it is not known when he will return, and, as a result, you are late for the train, bus, plane, etc., etc.).

Trains to Turin run quite often, about once every hour and a half, and usually on schedule. But do not forget that we are in Italy, where no one is in a hurry and all sorts of schedules exist only to create the illusion of order (Italians are generally great illusionists and poseurs). When I arrived at the station, after checking the timetable, I noted with regret that the train to Turin had left 2 minutes ago, and the next one would be only an hour later. But imagine my surprise when, having risen to the platform, I find there a “departed” train, and the departure time is cheerfully lit on the scoreboard - 8.29 (instead of 8.14 according to the schedule)! No, I definitely like this approach! Well, it’s a sin to refuse such a gift: food! Only, dear citizens, passengers, before you board the train, do not forget to validate your ticket. To do this, orange boxes are installed at each entrance to the platform: you put the clean edge of the ticket into the slot, and the date, time and name of the station appear on it. Now the ticket is valid, you can go. In general, the ticketing system here is quite interesting: the ticket is valid for a month from the date of purchase, and within 6 hours after the composter - convenient! Of course, the system is designed exclusively for honest people (probably that’s why we don’t introduce it here ...), otherwise - just think! - You could ride the train for a whole month on one ticket! But there is a fly in the ointment in this barrel of honey - controllers. That's for whom it is still worth validating a ticket, otherwise meeting with them will cost you dearly - the fines in Italy are very impressive, even for less serious offenses. There are controllers on every train, but tickets are not always checked. On what it depends, I did not understand. Maybe from the mood? On the way to Turin, the controller sat all the time in the vestibule, but on the way back he decided to check the passengers' tickets. Somewhere in the middle of the car, his cell phone rang... Uncle-controller, not at all embarrassed, stopped checking tickets, took out a phone from his pocket and calmly began to talk on it. From what I heard, it wasn't a business call at all. After discussing everything important, the signor, as if nothing had happened, continued to check the tickets.

You know, I have to tell you that Cell phones for Italians, it is a passion, almost as fiery as football, and maybe even stronger. At the first moment, I was amazed how often and how long Italians chat on the phone! More than once the thought occurred to me - maybe they have a free mobile connection ?? How else to explain the fact that they talk always, everywhere and about everything? Here's a good example for you. On the train, across the aisle from me, sat a lady of about 45 years old, and for two hours that the train is coming from Milan to Turin, she never let go of her phone. When I entered the car, she was already discussing something extremely important. The conversation ended after 10-15 minutes. Signora was not taken aback and dialed the next number. Having told the subscriber at the other end of their entire previous conversation, they switched to something else ... In those rare moments when the signora was not talking on the phone, her face literally acquired a lost expression - what to do? - but the phone rang again, and the signora set to work with redoubled energy.

By the way! I seem to have been so carried away by the story of the mores of the Italians that I forgot about one more important detail, or rather two. First, the carriages on Italian trains are divided into first and second classes; the class number is written on the wagon itself. At the box office, if you have not expressed any special wishes, they give you a ticket to the second class. I didn’t notice any special difference between the classes (except for the price), but still you shouldn’t get into the wrong car - you will be fined. Secondly, the trains themselves are also divided into categories. The well-known EuroStar is the most expensive, and it does not run as often as regular trains. Ordinary ones are TrenItalia, they also come in at least two types: express and Ordinario (this is our case). I liked the train - the seats are comfortable, it rides gently (I recall with horror the electric trains of the Riga Carriage Works), there is a toilet, it stops only 5-6 times in 2 hours of travel. Beauty! Stops are announced in advance when the train is just approaching the station, not when the doors are already closing.

So, after a couple of hours of an enjoyable trip in all respects, I arrive in Turin, Torino Porta Nuova train station. By the way, in Turin there is another station, Torino Porta Susa, also in the center. Both are very well located, but my choice was due to the fact that my hotel was 5 minutes from Porta Nuova. Moreover, the station has one of the tourist information centers, which was vital for me. Now I will explain why. The fact is that I was going to spend 4 days in Turin, and my The cultural program meant visiting museums, galleries, pinakotheks, palaces, etc. and so on. Looking ahead, I’ll say that there is a lot of this “good” in Turin, there is something to admire. Shortly before the trip, I found information on the Internet about the so-called. Torino Card - a special card for tourists, which allows you to use free of charge public transport, visit museums, and also provides discounts on many entertainment events - excursions, theater, etc. A useful thing for such a curious being like me! (Information about the Torino Card can be found on the Internet. If anyone is interested in more details, please contact - I have a pdf file with detailed information, and complete list places where the card gives free access). There are different cards - for 48 and 72 hours and for 5 days. The card is valid for 1 adult and 1 child up to 12 years old. It costs from 16 (48 hours) to 32 (5 days) euros, and saves just a LOT of money, because. museum tickets cost from 3 to 8 euros per nose. (According to my conservative estimates, I have saved over 60% of museum expenses.) Personalized card: you write your name, the time and date you started using the card, and sign it. Everything you can use! A nice girl in the information center (who speaks English, by the way) will explain in detail how the card works and provide you with a book of useful content about the sights of the city and the schedule of museums. The right thing, I'll tell you! From it, I learned that some museums are closed for restoration (restoration again!), And almost all the others are closed on Mondays (keep in mind when planning your cultural enlightenment program). Thus, the Palazzo Madama and the museum of ancient art located in it are closed until better times (opens on October 15, 2006), the Museum of Artillery, Museo Nazionale del Risorgimento Italiano (when they open is unknown). Popular museums such as the Radio and TV Museum and the Puppet Museum are by appointment only. But do not despair - in Turin, even without them, there are places to go and things to see. But first - to the hotel!

Hotel Urbani (3 stars) is located on a quiet and cozy Via Saluzzo, a block from the station. The hotel did not disappoint, quite the contrary - I even included it in the list of my favorites (until that time the list consisted of only one hotel - I said that I was a little picky!). I’m afraid to repeat myself, but I’ll say that I was lucky with hotels: first, a 2-star hotel in Milan, which was worth 3, and now a 3-star hotel in Turin, worthy of 4 (I was more and more convinced of this every day). Room - all the same 45 euros with breakfast. The room is spacious, with 2 beds, a balcony, a large TV, a refrigerator (aka mini-bar). In the bathroom, in addition to the standard set of "souvenirs" (shampoo, soap, cap), were offered: a nail file, napkins, cotton swabs and a mini-sponge for cleaning shoes. The staff is courtesy itself: they almost kiss hands! Breakfast - as in the previous hotel, plus all sorts of "things", such as prosciutto, buns with raisins, prunes and God knows what else, curds, pates and similar "excesses". I must admit, apart from a bun with butter and a piece of ham, yogurt and coffee, I could not eat anything else in the morning, which dispelled the myth of "gluttonous post-Soviet tourists" to smithereens.

So, I settled into my "star" room, took a shower and waited for the appearance of my second Italian friend, with whom we had an appointment. (Yeah, and you probably seriously believed me that I agreed to spend the week "alone, all alone"!) The young man (originally from Genoa, never been to Turin before) turned out to be, again, a very pleasant person hold on!), but, as it turned out, with very poor knowledge of English, so those 3 days that we spent together, I had to communicate exclusively in Italian ... It was quite difficult, but, I must admit, for these 3 days I learned Italian a thousand times better than in 4 months on the courses! Life, as they say, made ...

We decided to start our first sightseeing day with a climb to Mole Antonelliana, one of the symbols of Turin, a tower that offers a truly fabulous 360 panorama of the entire city. The beauty is extraordinary: red tiled roofs, in some places the spiers of churches, and on the horizon - dark green mountain peaks. Recently located in the same building open museum cinematography (Museo Nazionale del Cinema) is a very original and curious place, its originality is somewhat reminiscent of the Dali Museum in Figueres. At the beginning of the exposition, each room is stylized as a certain film genre: in the "western room" - a bar, in the "love story" room - a huge red velvet sofa and a screen in the ceiling - and invites you to lie down and look at the kisses of Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. Among the exhibits are Federico Fellini's scarf and hat, genius Chaplin's bowler hat, Marilyn Monroe's dress, Omar Sharif's costume from Lawrence of Arabia. In one of the corridors, following the "arrow", you find yourself at a dead end, but, raising your head, you see a screen with a scene from The Matrix in front of you - Neo and you are in the frame! The feeling is funny... The museum has a cinema bar (you won't regret it) and a shop where you can buy books, souvenirs, and most importantly - films (the choice is huge!) on DVD and VHS.

After visiting the truly impressive Museum of Cinema, we "dashed" through the city center, I was once again convinced that the law of meanness always works flawlessly - one of the main squares (Piazza Vittorio Veneto) and the twin churches of San Carlo e Santa Cristina were, as usual , in the process of restoration... Well, we decided to take a boat ride on the Po River (a boat for Torino Card holders is also free) and went down to the embankment. Approaching the pier, we found out that the boat closest in time carries only groups (members of the group were already looming nearby), and the next one will be in two hours ... In general, as in the film of the same name - "come tomorrow." Okay, we sat on a bench in the park, talked (loudly, given my Italian!) and went to ourselves, in the burning sun, to our hotel. An hour and a half later, refreshed by a shower (do not think bad - each in his own room!) and the news on TV, we crawled out to refresh ourselves with something for the coming dream. That evening, we didn’t move further than the pizzeria around the corner, largely thanks to me, or rather my freshly grated corn ... (Citizens, take comfortable shoes on a trip!) The pizzeria was so-so, halfway through, although I come to the conclusion that in Italy even in the most simple eatery you are unlikely to be poisoned, not like ours ... They have 2 types of pizza: a classic round one on a very rakat dough, and a rectangular one on a thicker dough (I tried this in Venice and I she likes more). It costs from 1 to 2.5 euros (to take away). In our case, the pizza cost 5 euros (1\1344 round "Margherita"), and, to be honest, it did not really inspire ... So, citizens, avoid dubious pizzerias that run Turks of different nationalities! By the way, 2 days later, on the way to the hotel, I bought a slice of a rectangular pizza in a "diner" nearby (behind the counter - an elderly friendly Italian) for 1 euro: the pizza turned out to be - you will lick your fingers!

My first day in Turin was coming to an end… Impressions? Turin seemed to me cozy, green, calm city. There is no such fuss and general tension as in the same Milan, but there are mountains! For those who are going to Turin, I advise you to definitely find a day and go to the mountains - to Pinerolo, for example. There are many squares and parks in Turin, very different and very pretty. On one of the squares - Piazza Carlo Felice, directly opposite the station - in the center of the park there is an emblem of the Winter Olympics that recently took place in this city. It still reminds of itself: the Olympic venues are included in the tour routes, the Olympic symbols flaunt on all the souvenirs, and on the Solferino Square in the center of Turin, the figures of Snowball and Icicle stand hand in hand (this is approximately how their names can be translated from Italian). Yes, dear city ... and tomorrow I will gladly get to know him better.

Day 4. Museum

I woke up early - at seven o'clock - thanks to the neighbor behind the wall: not only did I check into the room at one in the morning, I also snored under my ear until the morning. Here, perhaps, the only weak point of this hotel is poor soundproofing ... Although, on all other days and nights, I practically did not hear a sound, and already, as a sinful deed, I decided that my wonderful neighbor had moved out. However, woken up so early and in such an unromantic way, I took a shower and, after watching the morning TV channel, began to gather for breakfast. I must say, Italian news is slightly different from what we are used to. As a rule, everything starts and ends with football: first they will tell you how the national team is doing (flash interviews with all its members are attached), then with a tear in their voice they will remind you how Italy won against Ukraine 3 days ago, everyone will repeat best moments of this historic match, then they will ask an invited specialist to comment on what he saw, finally, the presenter himself will give an assessment of the expert’s opinion and, in conclusion, they will tell you about some curious incident from the life of the players or their fans. In addition to football, Italians are also interested in local news, for example, how a 5-year-old girl fell from the balcony of the 6th floor or how a stray denture was found on the beach in Rimini. Such events are discussed for a long time and with pleasure by the local media (the news about the girl, for example, was discussed on all channels for three days). Among other news, you are casually mentioned that "everything is bad" in the Middle East, and somewhere a plane crashed - exactly 16 seconds for each piece of news.

So, after a delicious breakfast, my friend and I set off to "discover Turin". We saw a lot that day, I will try to tell you about the most interesting. The day was going to be hot, but I must say that you don’t feel the heat in the streets of Turin. Firstly, it blows with a slight coolness from the river, and secondly, all the central streets are galleries that save from the scorching rays of the sun and in which pleasant drafts walk.

We started our "cult trip" from the Egyptian Museum, which I had heard about even before the trip. This museum is considered the second largest (after Cairo, of course) museum in the world dedicated to Egypt. I have never been a fan of Egypt, but I really liked the museum. The exposition is impressive and is located on several levels in chronological order. Here you have sarcophagi with and without mummies, and papyri, and jewelry and household items, and many, many different other exhibits. My friend was imbued with feelings for mummies: he photographed every dead person in this museum, he didn’t deprive a single one of his attention! I somehow prefer living ones, but it's still interesting to see. In one of the halls, among the objects found by scientists in one of the pyramids, I noticed several large pieces of either clay or earth, with straws sticking out of it ... I read the sign: it turned out to be bread! But most of all I remember the superbly preserved and insanely beautiful necklace - dear women, for this it is worth tolerating the presence of mummies!

In the same building (the former Jesuit school), but in a different wing, is the Sabauda Gallery - a rather large collection of creations by Italian, Flemish and Dutch masters. Special attention given to representatives of the Piedmontese school of painting. I liked it very much! By the way, if you buy a ticket to both the Egyptian Museum and the Gallery at the same time, it will be a little cheaper: 8 euros (separate tickets cost 6.50 and 4 euros, respectively). For me, as you remember, with my Torino Card the entrance was free. So, on all my entrance tickets in the column "price" was: 0.00 Euro. Funny!

A stone's throw from the museums is very beautiful church San Filippo Neri. In addition to the beauty of the interior, this church is notable for the fact that the famous Guarino Guarini began to build it, and he abandoned it at an early stage. But it's okay - there were kind people, completed the construction. True, when the work was almost completed, the dome collapsed, destroying part of the walls, and the construction had to be started almost anew ...

Moving forward, we came to the main square of Turin - Piazza Castello (Castle Square). Right on the course, Palazzo Reale proudly spreads out (no, this is not a "real palace", but a royal one), on the right rises the Museum of Ancient Art and Palazzo Madama clinging to it behind. As I already mentioned, the museum is closed for restoration for an indefinite period. It's a pity! As I learned from the guidebook, the museum has a rich collection illustrating the development of arts and crafts in the city and the region from the time of the Byzantine Empire to the present day. One can only guess what pleasure we have lost ... But, as they say, our proud "Varangian" does not surrender to the enemy, and we, sighing, went to look at the "royal chambers".

In fact, the Royal Palace occupies only part of the building. In the right wing is the former royal, and now just the church of San Lorenzo - rather small, but very richly decorated from the inside (of course, you say, it was built for royal people). Entering inside, you find yourself in a small room, where along one of the walls on special stands the history of the church is presented, and in the depths there is extraordinary beauty"Pieta" - a statue of the Virgin Mary, mourning Christ. Very beautiful, I looked at her for 10 minutes and could not tear myself away.

In the left wing of the palace there is the Museum of Weapons, the Royal Library (entrance is free) and the National Archives (curious people are not allowed - a policeman is on duty at the entrance). When buying tickets to the Palace and the Museum of Weapons, there is again a discount. It should be noted that almost all museums allow people under 18 and over 65 years of age free of charge, and students under 25 years of age (with a student card) at a reduced price. Behind the palace is a large and green Royal Park (I think the entrance is free). You can wander around the palace on your own or with a group led by a guide. There is a special schedule for such excursions, there are only 3 of them a day for half an hour, and we just got on one. To my friend's indescribable joy, the guide uncle spoke Italian. Despite my modest knowledge of this language, I understood almost everything - the guide spoke clearly, in a well-placed voice, clearly pronouncing the words (probably for people like me). They also have an English-speaking guide, but when I accidentally heard her speak, I was only glad that I didn’t get to her - it was extremely difficult to understand what and in what language she was muttering (this could be read on the faces of American tourists, to to whom she was assigned). The unfortunate Americans strained with all their might to catch at least a few familiar words in this stream of "English speech". Perhaps they succeeded, but, nevertheless, the mask of "polite bewilderment" did not disappear from their faces. Some members of their group gave up on this hopeless case and turned their heads with might and main, looking at the furnishings and decoration of the rooms.

The palace is really pretty, although only a part of it is open to the public. It is strange, because the royal family does not live here, as in the palace in Madrid, where part of the premises is also closed to tourists ... By the way, those of you who have been to the throne room there will understand my disappointment when our guide, saying that "this is - The Throne Room", led us into a room 10x10 meters with a small red ottoman under a red canopy ... For those who did not understand, the red ottoman is the throne! I have almost the same at home. You just wonder how modestly the Italian monarchs lived ...

We also really liked the Royal Museum of Arms. A very good collection - here you have both cold, and firearms, and armor, and horses with riders in full dress. Horses are just as alive, only bald in those places where affectionate tourists reach out to stroke. In general, the museum is worthy, it's a pity there is no souvenir shop with it, otherwise I would not mind buying some kind of dagger "for home, for the family."

Time smoothly flowed into lunchtime, but we had another object a stone's throw from the palace - Cathedral Turin, named after John the Baptist (Duomo di San Giovanni Battista). The church is famous for the fact that the famous Shroud of Turin has been kept here since 1694. Of course, only a copy is on display in the church, but this does not bother the pilgrims who come to Turin to look at one of the Christian shrines. By the way, the city has a whole museum dedicated to the history of the shroud and related scientific research (Museo della Sindone).

Having enjoyed the spiritual food, we wandered off to look for something from the physical, because. stomach insistently demanded its own. After yesterday's pizza, I wanted something more "refined". The big plus was that I had a real Italian with me, who understands a lot about food (it seems that they have it at the genetic level), but we ourselves are not born with a bast! I am an experienced gourmet, but I didn’t eat so much (I don’t eat much at all), but I studied, so to speak, the theoretical base. It must be said that this kind of knowledge often helps not to be fooled when, for example, in a cafe they offer you “penne in tomato sauce with basil”, and overcooked “horns”, generously poured over with “kebab” ketchup, forlornly huddle on a plate. But this is all poetry ... In fact, for those who are interested, I can advise the wonderful book "Cuisine of Italy. A Culinary Guide" (authors S. Sinelnikov, T. Solomonik and I. Lazerson), which describes very interestingly culinary traditions all 20 Italian provinces, plus recipes for the most typical dishes. (By the way, there is a similar book for Spain). So mysterious names I strongly associated Italian dishes with certain products, and there were no ambiguous situations.

Cafes and restaurants in Turin are a dime a dozen, as, indeed, everywhere in Italy. All of them - from expensive to "budget" - offer not only edible, but also delicious food. The only problem is choosing where to eat. Oranges helped us in this, more precisely "oranges" (arancini) - a dish that I had heard a lot about and which I was eager to try. "Oranges" is a round rice patty the size of an orange, stuffed, breaded in cheese and breadcrumbs. When fried, the cutlet turns orange (hence the name). The filling is different: meat, cheese, spinach. I chose the "orange" with mozzarella and prosciutto. Tasty! This is not a hamburger for you ... Why did I remember about it? It's just that while we sat down at the table and began to quietly eat our arancini, most other people simply took their takeaway order in a bag and ate on the go, as we used to do with food from McDonald's . Here it is, it turns out, fast food in Italian!

Refreshed, we continued our route. The program included another museum - Pinacoteca Albertina - and a "swim" on a boat, which we did not succeed yesterday. At the entrance to the Pinakothek, a foreigner with furious eyes caught us and asked if we spoke English. As it turned out, he had been looking for Piazza Castello for quite a long time, but did not find it, since the kindest and always ready to help people from Turin explained to him where to go, but, of course, in their native language, which the poor fellow did not understand. Therefore, the man rushed from passerby to passerby until he found us and we eased his torment. Having sent the young man to where he needed, we went to the last museum for today. The door turned out to be locked, you have to press a special button, and when the question "What do you want?" is heard from this "intercom", say that you have come to see the paintings. We did so, after which the door opened and we slipped inside. The Pinacoteca is small in size, but it houses more than 3,000 paintings and sculptures, mostly by Italian authors, including drawings by the famous Italian Gaudenzio Ferrari, as well as Alessandro Antonelli, the author of the Mole in Turin. One of the most interesting paintings is a portrait of a young man in "Adam's costume". To be honest, I was startled! This is not a "pissing boy" for you, everything is serious here, not for the faint of heart ... In general, a good museum.

Leaving the Pinakothek, we directed our steps to the embankment, where a cruise along the Po River awaited us. Guess, dear friends, what we saw when we arrived at the pier ... I think it's not difficult to guess. At the checkout, a piece of paper was virginally white, on which it was written by hand: "The flight at 17.45 will not take place due to technical reasons." No, I definitely love Italy and their transportation system! Either the trains are delayed, or the taxi drivers are on strike, or the boats do not sail ... And most importantly, no one tenses up, does not run around and does not swear. My friend just smiled and shrugged. I had already learned something from the Italians, so I also smiled (big, full mouth, because it was very offensive!) And shrugged. It didn’t get any easier… Well, there’s nothing to do, we went to the hotel, put ourselves in order and went to dinner in the evening. The day as a whole was a success, we managed to see a lot, got a lot of pleasant impressions. Perhaps someone will think that 5 museums in one day is too much. I don't know, I'm not tired at all. Firstly, the museums in Turin are small. Secondly, if time is not limited and you can walk slowly, this greatly facilitates perception. Thirdly, I'm not such a terrible specialist to stand for hours at the picture, peering into every brush stroke ... So I can safely say that the day passed "at a high ideological and artistic level." There are two more ahead.

Day 5. Turin museum and gastronomy

It was the last day that I had to spend in the company of my Italian friend (sad!), besides Monday: almost all museums are closed (doubly sad!). Nevertheless, the program turned out to be quite intense - the legs buzzing from fatigue in the evening will not let you lie!

The first object to visit - the Museum of Natural Sciences (Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturale), or simply the Museum of Nature - was chosen largely due to its wonderful property to work on Mondays. The museum seemed to me so-so. Firstly, we have a pretty good Museum of Nature in Riga, so it was not easy to surprise me. And secondly, I do not like these stuffed ferrets, cormorants and capybaras! As with mummies, I prefer live animals. My friend, however, with his penchant for "inanimate nature", clearly learned a lot of interesting things in this repository of "soft toys". Although, I will not hide, the elk, the wolf and the tiger were very personal, fluffy (probably they had recently brought us up). Be that as it may, I liked the collection of minerals more (temporary exhibition) - like any female person, my eyes widened merrily at the sight of "a girl's best friends" - diamonds, gold and other gems. Another exhibit also sunk into the soul: a mechanical model of a sundew plant in the floor of a human growth, demonstrating the habits of this "green predator". With us, one Italian grandfather happily thrust a sundew into the “mouth” of a folded newspaper until the mechanism worked and the monster began to “clench its jaws”. The delight of the Italian grandson knew no bounds!

Further in the program we had Valentino Park and 2 castles located in it, a medieval fortress and a botanical garden. The park itself is very cozy, the people of Turin appreciate it and relax in it with their whole families. Like the Milanese, they sit on the lawns on rugs, read, sunbathe, communicate with each other. Children and dogs play nearby - grace! But we stomp past all this idyll deep into the park. The large and beautiful Valentino Palace (now the building houses a university), which gave the name to the park, is covered with scaffolding - repairs! It's a pity to the horror - recently in one magazine I saw pictures: extraordinary beauty! We managed to see something through the forests, but it's not that ... So, dear tourists, if you find yourself in Turin, go take a look at Castello Valentino, it's worth it.

After passing the palace, we went further along the path along the river Po. It must be admitted that rarely where you will find parks so well adapted for recreation. In Valentino Park, in addition to lawns and benches, there are a couple of shady corners for pensioners or couples in love who, for various reasons, are forced to hide from sunlight. There are many cafes, several playgrounds, a boat station where you can rent a boat, fountains and a wonderful Botanical Garden. The entrance, as far as I know, is paid. We didn’t go inside, but through the fence we admired all the plant beauty - just amazing, especially considering that only local trees and flowers grow in the garden - nothing exotic. Exotics are presented in the Orangery and in the "museum-herbarium" (museo-erbario). Near the entrance to the Garden there is a very interesting fountain called "12 months". A greenish-colored waterfall plunges into a small pond, around which there are 12 marble statues, each of which personifies one of the months of the year. For those who are not able to comprehend the essence of the allegory, under each sculpture there is a signature: January, February, etc. What a beautiful ensemble!

After passing the boat station, we went to the "medieval" fortress (Rocca Medioevale). I am writing in quotation marks, because both the fortress and the castle (Borgo Medioevale) were not built in the Middle Ages, but in 1884 on the occasion world exhibition held in Turin. The whole complex is a semblance of buildings typical of the Piedmont of the 15th century. The fortress is very nice, only on Mondays it is closed. The castle is just like in a fairy tale! You really feel like medieval city, there is even a drawbridge! Impressed by what we saw, we left a note in a special book (I wrote in Russian, my Italian friend didn’t understand a word, but he signed - naive!) There is a very good souvenir shop on the territory of the castle, besides, this is one of the few places where you can buy an album about Turin (with this in the city, unfortunately, a bit tight). In general, the complex is very entertaining; If I had more time, I'd be happy to hang around there. But time was inexorably moving towards dinner, an unearthly longing appeared in the eyes of my friend, which means we urgently need to refresh ourselves!

This time we settled down for lunch on one of the central streets, Via Po, in a very pleasant cafe. Among the other good things about this place is how they approach the dining challenge. Instead of a standard-packed "business lunch" or something like that, they offer the client to be the "blacksmith of his own happiness", i.e. you make your own meal. It looks like this: a nimble waitress ran up to us and offered a choice of "single dish" or "complex lunch". Well, we were not born yesterday, so we chose the second one. "Complex lunch" consists of 3 courses, all of them are served on one plate, divided into 3 parts. Appetizer, first and second, you can also choose according to your taste from at least two options. So, for example, for the first we were offered risotto or pasta. Do not be surprised - in Italy, the above dishes are eaten first! And don't be fooled - Italians cook rice and pasta "al dente", i.e. slightly undercooked, so it's not for everybody. It does not creak on the teeth, but out of habit it may not be pleasant. For the second, there are 3 more options - grilled vegetables, frittata (omelet with filling in our opinion) and something else. An appetizer is also in about 3 options, mainly in the form of salads. Of course, I couldn't resist prosciutto with melon (well, I love dried ham, I can't help myself!), and my friend ordered a Caprese salad. By the way, dear fellow tourists, do not rush to buy into beautiful names(everything sounds beautiful in Italian!), it’s better to ask what they offer you. For example, under the loud name "caprese" there are only slices of tomato and mozzarella, sprinkled with oregano on top. Delicious, but some may be disappointed... Coffee after the meal (a real hearty espresso!) is included in the price (about 7 euros). In general, a decent dinner: I wasted over it for half an hour, but I could not eat even half ... so it is designed for a voracious woman or a man of average gluttony.

When we were already drinking coffee, the “chef” himself jumped up to our table - he noticed my almost untouched plate and came up to ask how the rice turned out today. (It must be said that this "tradition" is gradually taking root with us, but, unfortunately, so far only in expensive restaurants, where there is a "decent enough" audience.) I was trying to convince my friend that the rice was excellent, there was simply no way to eat it all . The cook almost believed me when my Italian friend sold me "for twenty rubles", saying that I was "from Latvia, where rice is digested", and I had to strain all my linguistic abilities to convey to the mind of the chef that, they say, “tutto bene”, everything is in order, the boy is joking… It seems to have worked out, but, nevertheless, I caught a couple of perplexed looks on myself. Oh, this intercultural communication is a complete headache!

After lunch, we wandered sadly towards the hotel ... It was sad, because my friend was leaving home in Genoa in a couple of hours, and I had one more evening and one day in Turin, which I already loved so much ... What should a lonely girl do in Italy in the evening? Of course, shopping! To be honest, when planning my trip, I did not think that I would buy something: it seemed that the prices were exorbitant, especially since discounts (presumably) were still far away. In fact, discounts in Milan and Turin began on the second day of my stay in Italy. Italians and Italian women darted through the streets, hung with packages with logos of well-known and not very firms - an epidemic of "shopaholism" is evident! I, a poor lonely tourist from a third world country, could not avoid it either… Saldi! Saldi! 30, 50, 70 percent - well, who can resist?! Moreover, shopping is the surest remedy for boredom (and I toiled with boredom, because I suddenly found myself alone, without company). Having wandered around the shops for my own pleasure and bought jeans and a couple of T-shirts, I rushed to the hotel to try it all on again properly. To my great joy, it turned out that the discounts in Italian stores are really tangible, not like we have in Latvia: they will hang themselves for 30%, they won’t throw it off for anything! And here, when you see 22.90 crossed out, and instead of them 9.90 - well, who can withstand this?! That evening I fell asleep with a blissful smile on my face, anticipating the envious glances of my compatriots when I put all this splendor on myself and defile through the streets hometown... You know, the female nature is incorrigible, do not blame me!

Day 6. Art Nouveau and squares

I woke up with an unpleasant feeling that here it is, my last day in Turin ... Most of it has already been examined, the entire city center has been walked up and down - we must finally take a look at something new. And what could be newer than contemporary art? So I headed straight to the GAM (Galleria d’Arte Moderna), which has a collection of paintings and sculptures from the 19th and 20th centuries, plus regular temporary exhibitions that offer you to get acquainted with the masterpieces of the newest time.

The road to the museum ran through streets where I had never been before, and this made me unspeakably happy. There were mostly residential buildings around, ordinary Turin residents hurried about their business, waited for a bus, walked their dogs - this is ordinary life, just look at it with one eye ...

Actually, GAM is much more than just art Gallery, this is a whole center dedicated to the popularization of contemporary art: there is a library, a video library, a methodological center, a conference room ... The center specializes in the art of the Piedmont province, so works by other authors are quite rare here.

As it turned out, the gallery is free to visit on Tuesdays (which was exactly Tuesday), so my famous museum card was unclaimed. I was offered to start my tour with a temporary exhibition of some contemporary artist (I don’t remember his last name), all of whose paintings depicted naked women, less often men, and very rarely anything from inanimate nature - I found one painting depicting a rose and another one representing some kind of "cosmic landscape". It's interesting, but, unfortunately, I have little understanding of such modern painting, so I could hardly appreciate the artist's intention. We rise to the second floor - here is the 20th century, on the third - the 19th. I must say right away that the 19th century collection is very, very good, especially the sculpture and cityscapes: Turin, Milan and Venice. The last century is also presented very convincingly, starting with more "traditional" and ending with frankly avant-garde works. Among the latter are paintings by Lucio Fontana, which evoke strong associations with Malevich and his immortal "squares". Judge for yourself: the square canvas is painted with red paint and cut with a knife in two places. Or: a canvas painted with black paint and inserted into a black frame ... This is not given to everyone to appreciate, so I slapped on. By the way, among the works of Italians, moreover, almost exclusively of Piedmontese, a painting by Andy Warhol somehow got in the way... Maybe he is also from Turin, but no one knows about it?

Refreshed by modern art, I decided that museums should be "tied up", besides, my card was expiring. Another rather curious museum remained unvisited - the Museum of the Mountains (Museo Nazionale della Montagna “Duca degli Abruzzi”) on the other side of the Po on the Capuchin Mountain (Monte dei Cappuccini), but I didn’t want to go that far, even for the promised panorama that opens from the top of the hill... Instead, I thought about it and decided to walk around those places in the center where I had not yet been. Therefore, leaving the gallery, I went straight along Galileo Ferraris Boulevard towards the center. Incidentally, the streets Italian cities mostly named after someone: a king, a minister, a politician, an artist… You won’t find First Parkovaya, Second Industrialnaya, Third Builders Street here… Although, it seems to me that the average Italian hardly knows what kind of people they are, in honor of which are called boulevards, squares, alleys ...

Before I had even gone two blocks, I came to the intersection of two large avenues with a small square in the center, where, from the top of a huge column, a statue of the great Emperor Victor Emanuel overlooks the surroundings. The monument is indeed very majestic and beautiful. Having photographed the emperor as a keepsake, I promised that I would come to visit him again.

Solferino Square, one of the Olympic venues, is actually more like a park: benches, fountains, trees. At the entrance, there are symbols of the past Olympics - Icicle and Snowball - which I have already mentioned, cardboard figures depicting Olympic sports are placed around the perimeter of the square. Here on the square there is an information center for tourists and from here a special tourist bus(free for Torino Card holders). The bus usually runs on weekends, but in July-August, as well as on Easter and Christmas weeks - daily.

Having walked along Solferino, I went to look for another square-park - Giardino La Marmora - a stone's throw from the first one. The park is very nice, green (there are no others in Turin, in my opinion), in the depths one can see some kind of grandiose building (probably government). In general, I decided to sit for 10 minutes on a bench, get some air and give my legs some rest ... It wasn’t there! Before I could sit down and take a couple of sips of mineral water, a man came up to me, quite plump, and began to ask for "50 cents for lunch." Old story! The man did not at all give the impression of a starving, wretched or unhappy, so I pretended to be a broom with a clear conscience - I don’t understand what you are saying there. The signor-beggar was a little upset, asked: "English?" I, properly entering the role, shook my head and - lo and behold! - the comrade, after thinking for another 15 seconds, lagged behind me and wandered off to seduce an elderly signora on another bench. So I think: such a developed European country, and young, strong and seemingly healthy men are begging ... something is not right here!

Sitting longer in the park in the company of a beggar signor did not smile at me, so I went further along the route - to Piazza Giardino Cittadella - and then turned back to visit the very heart of Turin once again: at the Royal Palace. Returning, I deliberately did not go along the beaten paths, but chose the small street Via Barbaroux - this, I can tell you, is real old Turin! The feeling is like being filmed in a movie of the 1950s: a narrow street, high baroque houses, balconies decorated with flowers, flags (not a modern "tricolor", but some kind of pennants with coats of arms and lions). There are no "enticements" for tourists here, and numerous shops - bakeries, confectioneries, groceries, flowers - look so authentic that even the heart begins to ache: after all, globalization has not yet reached here!

After wandering through already familiar and even favorite places in the center and going into a couple (dozens) of shops, tired but satisfied, I went home: I still had to pack my bags at the hotel, and for dessert it was planned to watch the semi-final match Italy - Germany. How it ended, many remember ... On our quiet Via Saluzzo, Italians distraught with joy and others like them (Turks, Pakistanis, Indians and other "new Italians" who are in Italy for permanent residence) blew pipes, banged drums, whistled, sang and danced . An improvised orchestra had gathered under my balcony, playing in a "but loud" style that vaguely resembled Latin American rhythms. People know how to be happy! I just want to add: without getting drunk ...

Last day. Farewell Milan

Oh, how I did not want to leave Turin and my already such a dear hotel! But I did not sob on the chest of the administrator and went to the station. The system is the same - the ticket is punched before the trip. Only unlike Milan, there are fewer composters at the Turin station (1 for 2-3 platforms), they are small and hang not at the entrance to the platform, but at the exits from the station. In any case, there is a TrenItalia information center at the station, where you can turn if something is not clear.

Upon arrival in Milan, a small surprise awaited me. Hotel Bolzano (3 stars) turned out to be the same "fly in the ointment". As I said, all my previous hotels were very good, which is probably why the last one was not very good - as they say, "it can't be too good". No, the hotel itself is not bad, but it is clearly not up to 3 stars. Judge for yourself: a room with furnishings from the early 70s (it was being renovated, apparently, at the same time), a fan flaps under the ceiling, in the bathroom there is a shower with a curtain instead of a normal cabin. The window overlooks a picturesque construction site... Although, not everything is so bad - the bed turned out to be new and comfortable, and this is the main thing, because I don’t live here, but spend the night like this ... In general, I decided not to swear, not to spoil my mood and not to "upset heart nerves", put things down and rushed off for a farewell walk around Milan, because there was little time left.

I will not describe my walk - I walked through the same places that were described in the first part. I bought a couple of souvenirs, went to several shops (Milan without shopping is like Chapaev without Petka). I came across the "Russian Store", had fun from the heart! Matryoshkas, handkerchiefs, samovars, in general, everything that Russian people cannot do without. In the food department, a more up-to-date assortment is pickled beets in jars, mustard, mushrooms, cucumbers. On one jar of pickles I read the name: Cucumbers "Lucky" ... Zadornov would have fun!

On this, dear friends, I hasten to take my leave - my journey is over, there is nothing more to talk about ... at least until the next time. And it will definitely be, and pretty soon! Finally, for those who are interested in the idea independent travel in Italy, here are some useful (hopefully) links.

www.booking.com www.venere.com www.hrs.de - websites where you can book a hotel
www.trenitalia.it - ​​train information
www.turismotorino.org - site of the tourist service of Turin
www.museitorino.it - ​​complete information about museums

Irina
28/07/2006 12:23

The opinion of tourists may not coincide with the opinion of the editors.

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