Triple Play

Location: Torino, Italy

Introduction:

It’s been a dozen years since we first visited Torino. It left a lasting impression on us. What drew us back? Was it the Bicerin? Perhaps. Entering the height of tourist season in Italy, we wanted a taste of a large historic city while avoiding the crowds. Torino met our needs and then some. The city hosted the Winter Olympics back in 2006. Most of the events took place however in the distant mountains to the west. We explored a trio of outstanding museums contributing to another memorable visit.

Sights Visited:

The Royal Museums were magnificent. There are four museums: Royal Palace, Royal Armory, Royal Library and Chapel of the Holy Shroud. We skipped the library. While our six-year-old daughter’s interest waned, this one’s not to miss. It’s funny what grabs a child’s attention, she was fixated on a movie describing the fire and restoration of the Chapel and unimpressed by the chapel itself, which we found awe-inspiring. This is one museum where we could have spent more time.

The National Museum of Cinema was both fascinating and entertaining. Our daughter was really engaged here. We actually had to pull her away from a couple of exhibits that were inappropriate for children such as some horror movie clips. They even had an immersive VR exhibit. There’s also an elevator that takes you to the top of the building housing the museum named Mole Antonelliana for great views of the area. We skipped this as we had other plans for a panoramic view later in the day.

The Egyptian Museum was the first of its kind to open almost 200 years ago in 1824. Needless to say they have an impressive collection of artifacts. Adelaide has an interest in ancient Egyptian history and joined us willingly. Her favorite exhibits were a video presentation on the ethics of displaying human remains narrated in Italian and the animal mummies.

Play:

Playgrounds were scarce in the city center where we stayed. When we finally found a decent one near the palace, it was closed due to construction. Our host recommended another one in the area but it was rather small.

Accommodations:

We used Air b nb to book a three-night stay in a two-bedroom apartment in the city center. This is the hosts’ home and they offer it on Airbnb when they’re traveling. They have two young girls who share an adorable bedroom that made our daughter very happy. There were two full baths, two European A/C units, a washing machine and a drying rack. The WiFi was very good and the common areas were spacious. The kitchen was well equipped.

Food & Drink:

We stuck to Italian food and were rewarded for doing so. The challenge for us was that most restaurants didn’t open until 7:30 pm and that’s too late given when we like to get our daughter to bed. So, we ate out at lunch and took advantage of take-out delivery one evening. Morning coffee came in the way of a Lavazza espresso capsule machine similar to Nespresso but, of course, the pods are a different shape and size. While still drinkable, the tap water left an aftertaste so we returned to bottled water. Our hosts recommended that we make a reservation for drinks at Piano 35 Lounge offering panoramic views of the city. We’re glad we did. We also enjoyed Piedmontese wines such as Arneis, Dolcetto, Barbaresco & Barolo. The highlight for Rich, at least, was having an indulgent Bicerin at the café where they were introduced back in 1763: Caffe Al Bicerin.

Shout-Outs:

Before we left, we shopped at REI to pick up Kuhl hiking pants, Keen hiking sandals, a dry-fit shirt and a 22-liter day backpack. They have a great selection of travel-friendly clothing and accessories and we’ve been fans for a long time.