65. TORINO – Loft Regio Parco

I was very lucky in that my friend from Torino found lodgings for me three minutes from Tavola Doc, the cooking school I attended. I stayed at the LoftRegio Parco at 31 via Modena off Corso Regio Parco in the eastern part of the city known as Lunga Dora Firenze.

 

The proprietor of the Loft and his wife were most welcoming and helpful, and their daughter spoke perfect English, having studied abroad including high school in North Vancouver. So I spoke English to her [it’s hard not to as her English was so much better than my Italian] and Italian to the parents. The rates vary with the time of year, and I was lucky because in early May the tourist season had not started started. For a little extra I had the room cleaned. I highly recommend the Loft and the area.

Once considered a run-down area this part of Torino has taken new life with urban renewal. One is only 20 minutes walk from the Mole Antonelliana [or

Mole for short] and even less from the Royal Gardens and the Piazzadella Republica, which boasts the largest open-air market. Five minutes from the Loft is the Torre cafe, famous in the city not only for its coffee but also for its gelato. Every afternoon people line up for their gelato, and on Sundays, when the cafe is closed, the gelato section remains open, such is its popularity. And a few shops down is another cafe with wonderful cakes. Luckily I did a lot of walking!

There are several restaurants in the neighbourhood, and my favourite was the OsteriaPovr'Om, on 51 Via Modena. A gruff looking man welcomed you –if you were lucky it would be the wife—but he is pleasant despite first impressions. They served both fixed and à la carte lunches including mussles and clams. Needless to say I went back several times. A fixed lunch with wine inclusive was 10 euros. I started with that and then moved on to the à la carte for other lunches and dinners.