Golden Day Fifty-Nine: Torino with Charming Chelsea Christensen

I was absolutely charmed when I discovered Chelsea Christensen’s blog, All Roads Lead to Pecetto. Chelsea is an American who moved to Italy for love, and she writes about her life in Torino with passion, humor, and gorgeous photos. She also has a online vintage clothing and decor shop on Etsy, Italian Postcards, where you can find such treasures as these beautiful Italian shoes for very reasonable prices!

I’m so grateful Chelsea has joined in to share a Golden Day in her beloved city of Torino. Here goes:

I love living in Torino. I often find myself walking around the city and wondering, why don’t more Americans know about this place? Here are a few of my favorite Torino secrets: Torino has the second largest Egyptian Museum in the world. There are more master chocolatiers working here than in France and Belgium combined. Plus this city was not only the home to the kings and queens of Italy but also the first capital city. You can see that a Golden Day in Torino is easy to be had…

Wake up and have a cappuccino breakfast in the hotel NH Santo Stefano (Via Porta Palatina, 19). This modern hotel is so perfectly located it’s ridiculous. Just out the front door and to the left are the remains of the Roman Gate to the city, straight ahead is the Royal Palace and the church that houses the Shroud of Turin, and to the right is the oldest and most picturesque neighborhood, the Roman Quarter. Any way you walk, you win.

Full of caffeine and a nice breakfast, I’m off to the vintage flea market at Porta Palazzo (Piazza della Repubblica and Via Borga Dora). Porto Palazzo is the largest outdoor market in Europe. It’s held every day accept Sundays. On Saturdays it gets even bigger spilling into the Borgo Dora neighborhood holding a vintage and antique flea bazaar–more info: www.balon.it. Not only do I hunt for new pieces to add to my online shop but this is also a perfect place to find unique items for my home. I recommend stopping by this market if you would like to bring home a real one of a kind Italian souvenir from your trip. Remember when shopping that all prices are negotiable.

Starving after all that shopping, I head to Obikà for lunch, also affectionately known as The Mozzarella Bar (Via Corte d’Appello 2, Open noon-3pm, 7pm-11pm, closed Monday evenings). The concept is brilliant. Everything is served buffet style. Take a tray and pick and choose your favorite delicacies from a beautiful array of salads, meats, breads, pastas, and of course many different kinds of mozzarella from different regions of Italy. It’s fresh, casual, and delicious.

My next stop is the Sassi Tram Station (Piazzale Modena 6, Corso Casale), because I’m headed up the mountain to the Basilica di Superga. Getting to Surperga is really half the fun! Original 1934 train cars take you on rickety tracks up the 3,100 metres to the top. You can hike, but really the train is the fun and more unconventional way to get there. The ride is a bit like going back in time and can be bumpy and noisy but it’s totally worth it. It’s also a cheap ride costing only 4 euros for a round trip.

Superga is appropriately named because it has the word super in it, it’s cheesy but true. Torino’s most famous architect, Filippo Juvarra, built this enormous baroque cathedral on the request of King Vittorio Amedeo II who vowed to build a church here when Torino was liberated from the French in 1706. Its ornate facade, luminous dome, and inside opulence make you whisper upon entering. I love viewing the Savoy tombs in the crypt where 58 kings and queens and their various family members obviously tried to out-do each other in gaudiness even after death. From Superga you catch the most spectacular views of the city and even beyond to the Alps. I might even stay to watch the sunset to take some romantic pictures. Check out the Basilica website for hours and ticket info.

For dinner I head to Spaccanapoli Pizzeria (Via Giuseppe Mazzini, 19). For this dining experience it’s better to bring friends because here you order pizza by the meter. One meter of pizza is equivalent to 4 individual pizzas. They have a variety of toppings but if you ask me, keep it simple for the best Italian pizza. The Margherita is traditional and consists of tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil. To drink I’ll always take a red wine with pizza, Dolcetto is the local wine I love.
I’ll finish off this golden day with gelato from Vanilla (Via Palazzo di Citta 7/B, open 12:30-11:30 pm, closed Mon in winter). This artisan gelateria has the most unique flavors in the city. Flavors like red wine and cinnamon pear or my favorite sweet ricotta and caramelized figs. Buono!