73. TORINO – Parks

Torino has some wonderful parks, usually “royal” parks fom its past. Besides the greenery along the river Dora, if one crosses the river at Corso Regio Parco and Corso Regina Margherita, one enters the Royal Garden with its Summer residence. If my orientation is correct one is walking south-west. Keep walking [if you can] and you enter the city centre. I used to walk on Via Rossini with the park to my right.

Via Rossini eventually intersects with Via Po and if you turn left [south] you eventually arrive at the river Po. Further west is the Parco Valentino. I don’t recommend walking. Public transport will take you to the park. This is a big park in which you will find the burgo medievale – an 18^th century creation of a medieval village – something in the manner of the Cloisters in New York city in that both are ersatz. It’s worth a visit, but a warning, the signs to it are really poor. If Torino wants to become a tourist city it will have to do a better job with its signs.

Save yourself a day to visit the royal park at Veneria just outside the city limits. Rent a car and go. You will spend the whole day there. It’s what you would expect from a royal Italian garden. There is also the palace with beautiful objects of historical interest. In the village you can find little restaurants to fuel you for the rest of your walk-about. Just don’t miss Veneria!