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Best Tourist Places to Visit in Turin, Italy, Europe

Turin is the capital city both Turin province and Piedmont region in northern Italy geographically positioned at 45°04′ N 07°42′ E, about 145 km southwest of the Milan city and 695 km northwest of Rome, the capital of Italy.

Turin is a commercial as well as cultural centre of northern Italy with dozens of reputed restaurants, art galleries, libraries and churches. Turin is also renowned for top educational institutions such as the Turin Polytechnic and the University of Turin.

 

Geography of Turin:

Situated on the left bank of the River Po at an altitude of 239 meters, Turin sprawls over an area of 130.17 sq. km.

 

History of Turin:

Turin has a strong historical background as it was the first capital of Italy in the year 1861 and before this, Turin served as the capital of the Duchy of Savoy and the Kingdom of Sardinia. Turin also witnessed the rule of the Roman Empire in the past.

 

How to reach Turin?

Turin is served by an international airport with scheduled flights to Madrid, Frankfurt, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Istanbul, Barcelona and seasonal flights to London, Moscow, Heraklion and Dublin and the airport is located 15 km away from the city centre.

There are regular buses plying between the airport and Turin city centre.

Turin is connected to Milan, Venice, Aosta, Genoa, Bologna, Florence and Rome by train. Bus services are operated by GTT in Turin.

The major taxi companies in Turin include:

• Radio Taxi
• Europ Taxi
• Pronto Taxi

 

Culture, Food and Shopping in Turin:

Turin is a cultural centre of Northern Italy with plenty of museums, exhibition centers, cathedrals and libraries. Like other Italian cities, football is very popular sport in Turin.

Some major shopping streets in Turin include:

• Via Lagrange
• Via Garibaldi
• Via Roma
• Via Pietro Micca

Famous food corners in Turin are as follows:

• John Joy Restaurant
• Trattoria Decoratori & Imbianchini
• Ristorante Del Cambio
• Fratelli la Bufala

 

Places to see in Turin:

 

Mole Antonelliana:

Being an identity of Turin, the Mole Antonelliana is a synagogue built in the year 1888. It is now home to a cinema museum with wide range of collections.

 

Museo Egizio:

The Museo Egizio is concentrated on the Egyptian archaeology and anthropology, located on the Via Accademia delle Scienze in Turin. It is open for tourists on all the days of the week except Monday and the entrance fee is €7.50.

 

Palazzo Madama:

Located in Piazza Castello in Turin, the Palazzo Madama is a historical palace and was Italian Kingdom’s first Senate. It is now home to Museo Civico d’Arte Antica and the admission fee is €7.50.

 

List of other places of interest in Turin includes:

• The National Cinema Museum
• Museo dell’Automobile
• The Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist
• Palazzo Carignano
• Quadrilatero Romano
• Galleria Subalpina
• Cathedral of Superga
• Porta Palazzo Market
• Valentino Park
• Castello di Rivoli
• La Venaria Reale
• Armeria Reale
• River Po Park

 

Best time to visit Turin:

Probably the months of April and May are best to enjoy holidays in Turin.

 

Accommodation options in Turin:

Turin is renowned for historical sites, cultural centers as well as world class hotels with superior latest tourist favor facilities and services. Other than amenities, tourists can also enjoy authentic Italian dishes in such hotels. The reputed hotels in Turin include:

• Residence Sacchi
• Grand Hotel Sitea
• Hotel Principi di Piemonte
• NH Santo Stefano
• Town House 70 Suite Hotel
• AC Hotel Torino by Marriott
• Parco Sassi Hotel
• Hotel Residence Star Torino
• BEST WESTERN Hotel Genova
• BEST WESTERN PLUS Executive Hotel and Suites
• Hotel Dei Pittori
• Duparc Contemporary Suites
• Mercure Torino Crystal Palace
• Hotel Residence San Paolo
• Hotel Principe di Torino

 

Places to Visit in Taormina, Italy, Europe

Taormina is a town located on the island of Sicily in Italy, around 50 km southwest of the provincial capital, Messina and 260 km southeast of the regional capital, Palermo. Taormina is especially noted for beautiful beaches.

 

Geography of Taormina:

Taormina coordinates with 37°51′ N latitude and 15°18′ E longitude covering an area of 13 sq. km. It is located around 204 meters above sea level, about 540 kms from Naples and 750 km from the country capital, Rome.

 

History of Taormina:

Before the Greek settlements in 734 BC, Taormina was settled by the Sicels. During the beginning of the 20th century, many renowned writers and artists resided in the villas of Taormina including D. H. Lawrence.

 

Connectivity to Taormina:

Reggio Calabria Airport in Messina is the nearest domestic airport to Taormina, located about 80 km from the heart of Taormina with scheduled flights to Milan, Milan, Rome, Turin, Venice, and seasonal flights to Genoa.

Catania–Fontanarossa Airport in Catania is the closest international airport accessible to Taormina operating flights to Malta, Munich, Berlin, Lampedusa, Geneva, Amsterdam, Paris and many other important European cities.

Taormina receives frequent buses from Messina and Catania and also tourists can take taxi from the airport of Messina or Catania.

123 Transfers is one of the major taxi operators in the region of Sicily.

 

Culture, Food and Shopping in Taormina:

Taormina is the site of many grand festivals including the Taormina Film Festival and the town also houses many standard shops all around.

Tourists can try typical local sweet lemon drink, called Limoncello. The famous restaurants in Taormina are listed below:

• Ristorante pizzeria Mirage
• Al Paladino
• Arancini in Corso
• La Tavernetta
• Mamma Rosa

 

Things to do in Taormina:

• Festival celebrations
• Bike riding
• Visiting historical sites

 

Places to see in Taormina:

 

Ancient theatre of Taormina:

Being one of the most famous ruins on Sicily, the Ancient theatre of Taormina is renowned for its historical importance and its striking scene. It can be reached by vehicle from the town centre.

 

Corvaja Palace:

Dates back to the 10th century, the Corvaja Palace or Palazzo Corvaja is a historical palace which was initially constructed by the Arabs. It is situated in Piazza Badia in Taormina, in the vicinity of Saint Catherine of Alexandria church.

 

Mount Etna:

The Mount Etna is the largest active volcano in Europe, located about a 45 minute drive away from Taormina. It measures an elevation of 3,350 meters.

 

List of other places of interest in Taormina includes:

• Parco Comunale di Taormina
• Isola Bella
• Corso Umberto
• Playa Sole Luna
• Villa Comunale
• Teatro Antico di Taormina
• Vigliaturo Glass Gallery
• Cattedrale di Taormina
• Italian Opera Taormina
• Lido Copacabana
• Lido Mazzaro
• Spiaggia di Mazzeo
• Duomo Santa Catarina
• Chiesa di Santa Caterina
• Chiesa di San Giuseppe

 

Best time to visit Taormina:

The months of the summer season are best to travel Taormina to explore beautiful beaches.

 

Accommodation options in Taormina:

Other than luxury hotels and resorts, Taormina houses many budget options like hostels and guest houses with all the basic facilities and services. Tourists can also enjoy mouthwatering Italian dishes in the hotels of Taormina along with upgraded amenities. The major hotels in Taormina include:

• Grand Hotel Timeo by Orient-Express
• Hotel Villa Carlotta
• Hotel Villa Ducale
• Hotel Villa Schuler
• Hotel el Jebel
• Hotel Villa Angela
• Hotel Taodomus
• Villa Sant’Andrea by Orient-Express
• La Pensione Svizzera
• The Ashbee Hotel
• Victoria Hotel
• Hotel Villa Sirina
• San Domenico Palace Hotel
• Hotel Villa Taormina
• Villa Chiarenza Maison d’Hotes

Stresa Tourist Places to Visit in Stresa, Italy, Europe

Stresa is a picturesque town located on the shores of the Lake Maggiore in the Piedmont region in Italy at an elevation of 200 meters. It belongs to the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, is situated about 90 km northwest of the Milan city and 670 km northeast of Rome, the capital of Italy. The Grand Hotel is the most important landmark in Stresa.

 

Geography of Stresa:

Lying between 45°53′ N latitude and 8°31′ E longitude, Stresa covers an area of 33 sq. km.

 

History of Stresa:

During the 15th century, Stresa was a small fishing community and it geared up towards development with the upgradation of natural tourist sites in the later years. Stresa hosted the 10th International Hemingway Conference in 2002.

 

Connectivity to Stresa:

The Milano Malpensa Airport is the closest major airport to Stresa, situated around 70 km away from Stresa and handles flights to and from the major European cities such as Athens, Dublin, Moscow, Madrid, Rome, Vienna, Sofia, London and American cities like Toronto, New York, Miami and Asian cities such as Tokyo, Dubai, Beijing and Hong Kong.

Stresa is connected to Milan city by train, with journey time of about 1 hour.

Tourists can hire a bicycle or bike from the local travel agency to move all around the city.

 

Culture, Food and Shopping in Stresa:

Stresa hosts ‘Settimane Musicali’ which is one of the renowned classical music international festivals of Europe, organized in the summer months. Stresa is also home to many museums concentrating on local culture.

There are many branded products stores as well as traditional handicrafts shops in Stresa and the major food corners in Stresa are as follows:

• Pizzeria al Trancio Il Capriccio
• Pizzeria La Rondine
• Nonna Italia Ristorante Pizzeria
• Ristorante Pizzeria Mamma Mia
• Salumeria Musso di Bianchetti

 

Things to do in Stresa:

• Bike riding
• Boat riding
• Shopping
• Hiking

 

Places to see in Stresa:

 

Villa Ducale:

Constructed around 1770, the Villa Ducale is a historical villa and presently it is home to the International Centre for Rosminian Studies.

 

The church of S. Ambrogio:

The church of S. Ambrogio is a historical church in Stresa and was rebuilt in 1790 by Giuseppe Zanoia in the neoclassical architectural style.

 

Villa Pallavicino:

The Villa Pallavicino was built in the 1850s and now it serves as a zoological park.

 

Lake Maggiore:

Lake Maggiore is a spectacular lake measuring a maximum length of 66 km and width of 10 km. It is located in the vicinity of the Stresa town centre.

 

List of other places of interest in Stresa includes:

• Villa Dell’Orto
• Isola Bella
• Villa Taranto Gardens
• Isola Madre
• Isola Pescatori
• The Umbrella Museum
• Stresa – Mottarone Cable Car
• Orta Sacro Monte
• Alpyland
• The Transport Museum
• The Rocca Borromeo
• The Laveno Bucket Lift
• Santa Caterina del Sasso
• The Rocca Borromeo

 

Best time to visit Stresa:

Stresa can be visited throughout the year, especially the summer months are ideal for outdoor activities.

 

Accommodation options in Stresa:

Stresa is a colorful town housing around 100 standard accommodation centers categorized as hotels, holiday rentals, BB and inns of which most of the hotels offer advance booking facility through online. The prominent hotels in Stresa are as follows:

• La Palma Hotel
• Hotel Residence La Luna Nel Porto
• Grand Hotel Des Iles Borromees
• Hotel Villa e Palazzo Aminta
• Hotel du Parc
• Hotel Fontana
• Hotel La Locanda
• Hotel Saini Meuble
• Albergo Ristorante Verbano
• Hotel Moderno
• Hotel Royal
• Grand Hotel Bristol
• Hotel Della Torre
• Hotel Lido La Perla Nera
• Milan Speranza Au Lac

Beautiful Tourist Places to Visit in Siena, Italy, Europe

Siena is the capital city of the province of Siena in the Tuscany region of Italy geographically positioned between 43°19′07″ N latitude and 11°19′50″ E longitude. Siena is widely renowned for its historic centre which was declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Siena is also known for typical cuisine, museums and a horse race, called the Palio.

 

Geography of Siena:

At an altitude of 322 meters, Siena is spread over an area of 118 sq. km, situated around 85 km south of Florence (regional capital) and 235 km north-northwest of Rome, the capital of Italy. Siena features a humid subtropical climate.

 

History of Siena:

According to the archeological findings, Sine was initially inhabited by the Saina tribe during the Etruscan civilization. Later it was occupied by the Roman Empire, founded as a town under the name Saena Julia. A splendid Siena Cathedral dates back to the 12th century.

 

How to reach Siena?

Siena is served by an airport with few scheduled flights, so it is advised for international tourists to reach Florence Airport or Pisa Airport first and then take taxi or bus from there to the Siena city.

The Florence International Airport is located around 85 km from Siena and Pisa International Airport is situated about 150 km from Siena with scheduled flights from and to major European cities including London.

There are regular buses plying between Siena and Florence, taking around an hour and 30 minutes and costs €7.10. Siena is also connected by bus to Pisa and Rome.

 

Culture, Food and Shopping in Siena:

The Palio Horse Race is held twice a year and the Siena Jazz Festival is celebrated during the summer.

Shops are abundant along with traditional markets and the best food corners in Siena include:

• La Torre
• Osteria Nonna Gina
• Osteria Sotto le Fonti
• Osteria del Gatto

 

What to do in Siena?

• Festival celebrations
• Day tours
• Shopping

 

Tourist attractions in Siena:

Siena Cathedral:

The Siena Cathedral is a must visit site in Siena, located in Piazza del Duomo. This superb medieval church is devoted to Santa Maria Assunta and was constructed between 1215 and 1263.

 

Piccolomini Palace

Located in Piazza del Campo in Siena, the Piccolomini Palace houses some important official records of Siena and was constructed in the year 1459 and designed by the famous architect Bernardo Rossellino.

 

Palazzo Pubblico:

The Palazzo Pubblico is a city hall of Siena, dates back to around 800 years. It is very well known for its renowned frescos including the Simone Martini and Duccio’s frescos. It is in the Piazza del Campo of Siena.

 

Other tourist attractions in Siena include:

• Biblioteca Piccolomini
• Ecco La Cucina
• Abbazia di San Galgano
• Mangia Tower
• Museo dell’Opera Metropolitana
• Crypt of Siena Cathedral
• Complesso Museale Santa Maria della Scala
• La Foce
• Basilica di San Domenico
• Casa di Santa Caterina
• Piazza del Mercato
• Fortezza di Radicofani
• All’Orto de’ Pecci
• Santa Maria dei Servi
• Pinacoteca Nazionale

 

When to visit Siena?

From July to August and October to November is the best time to travel Siena while many grand festivals take place including the International Jazz Festival.

 

Where to stay in Siena?

Siena houses all sorts of accommodation centers ranging from camping options to star rated hotels with latest tourist favor facilities and services. Here listed are some fine hotels in Siena:

• Palazzo di Valli
• Aia Mattonata Relais
• Hotel Villa Elda
• Hotel Athena
• Hotel Santa Caterina
• Grand Hotel Continental Siena
• Hotel San Marco
• Villa Scacciapensieri
• Hotel Alma Domus
• Hotel Villa Liberty
• Hotel La Colonna
• Sangallo Park Hotel
• Piccolo Hotel Etruria
• MAX Hotel Executive
• Certosa di Maggiano