10 Things to Do Off the Beaten Track in Turin

The Balon flea market takes place in the area between Porta Palazzo and Borgo Dora – the site of a 19th-century rag market – every Saturday from morning until evening. About 300 exhibitors sell modern, vintage and antique items. Furniture, toys, clothing, accessories, records, books, other trinkets ... you'll find it all rummaging and perusing the stands lined up along Via Borgo Dora, Via Lanino, Via Mameli and Via Canale Molassi. Didn't find what you were looking for, or want to see more? The second Sunday of every month there's a larger, ‘special’ edition of Gran Balon, with more stalls.

The Cimitero Monumentale (Monumental Cemetery) features the grave of cabinetmaker Giuseppe Parvis, adorned with Ancient Egyptian pink granite dating back over 4,000 years. The cemetery in Turin houses other surprises, like Cavalier Giuseppe Pongilione's grave. Turin's inhabitants call it the dij rat (mouse) grave, due to the tiny mice among the numerous sculpted figures. If you're more interested in famous figures' tombs, heroes of the Risorgimento are also buried here. There's Silvio Pellico and Massimo d’Azeglio, writers like Primo Levi and Mario Soldato, and celebrities such as Fred Buscaglione and Erminio Macario. Almost all the deceased Grande Torino players are buried here, and there’s an impressive monument in their honour.

Turin is home to unusual and quirky homes notable for their architectural style and small details that make them unique. Walk down Via Palazzo di Città and you'll see an 18th-century building. It seems completely normal apart from the fourth floor, where there's a huge piercing! Not far away, in Via Alfieri, is Number 6. This 17th-century building has been renovated with a modern approach, and the baroque forms blend with contemporary details. It's considered a masterpiece of restoration. 

South of Valentino, on Via Chiabrera, is 25 Verde (Green), an apartment block that's so-called because its roof and terraces are covered in trees and shrubs. This design is both aesthetically pleasing and practical: The vegetation reduces particulates, creates a stable microclimate and reduces external noise.

A guided Mirafiori Dark Tour will deepen your knowledge of this district in Turin that's famous for its Fiat plant. To deepen your knowledge of the area’s lesser-known history, attend a guided ‘Mirafiori Dark Tour’. You’ll explore mysteries and atmospheric spots from Mirafiori’s past. There's the old cemetery, opened in 1876 and closed in 1972, and Parrocchia di San Barnaba (St Barnabas Church), where Victor Emmanuel II's second wife, Rosa Vercellana, is buried. It’s a 2.5-hour tour that can be combined with a visit to Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi (the hunting residence of Stupinigi).

A private tour of film sets in Turin will be interesting for cinema buffs. There’s Museo del Cinema (Cinema Museum), and a tour of city locations used as sets in famous flicks. The streets and squares of Piedmont's capital have inspired famous directors like Michelangelo Antonioni, Dario Argento, Gianni Amelio and Davide Ferrario. Did you know that the first colossus of Italian cinema was filmed at the foot of the Mole? Namely Cabiria, a 1914 silent film by Giovanni Pastrone. 

Gabriele D'Annunzio also assisted in the screenplay. For a guided tour through places of cinematic interest, head to Piazza Castello in front of the main entrance of Teatro Regio (the Royal Theatre). Tours depart from here every day at different times throughout the morning and afternoon.

Historic Turin trams from the early 20th century continue to run along the city's outer avenues and central streets, bringing these moving museums to life. The carriages have been restored and updated to meet modern road safety standards. To take this journey through the city's history, head to one of the Line 7 stops. The terminus is in Piazza Castello, in front of Teatro Regio (Royal Theatre). Through the windows you’ll spot buildings and landmarks on Via Po, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Via Cernaia and Piazza Statuto. They run on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays on a regular schedule from morning to evening. Purchase a ticket or use your city transport pass.

To experience the charming Liberty style of architecture, walk from Piazza Castello to Piazza Statuto, down Via Pietro Micca and Via Cernaia, and continue along Corso Francia to the Cit Turin district. At the start of the route are Palazzo Bellia and Casa Florio, some of the earliest urban experiments in this style. In Corso Francia you'll see later, more notable examples: Villino Raby blends French and Belgian styles, influencing Turin's Liberty style. 

Casa Fenoglio-Lafleur (Fenoglio-Lafleur House) is considered a Liberty masterpiece, with extraordinary windows, floral friezes and wrought-iron balconies. At the end of the route is Palazzo della Vittoria, aka Palazzo dei Draghi (Dragon Palace) owing to the 2 figures adorning the front door. This grandiose building's spread across 5 stories and blends art nouveau with neo-Gothic style.

Take the Torino Magica guided tour of the city through Turin’s mysterious landmarks and architecture. It starts from Piazza Statuto, which features the largest amount of arcane elements, including the 5-pointed star on Monumento ai Caduti del Frejus (War Memorial of Frejus), believed to symbolise the devil. It ends in Piazza Vittorio Veneto, where the statue of Victor Emmanuel I supposedly points to where the Holy Grail’s hidden. It runs Thursdays and Saturdays at 9 pm, when the evening reveals different lights and shades in the city. The tour lasts about 2 hours, and times vary by season.

A street art tour of Turin showcases its creativity, innovation and avant-garde style. The city’s ingenuity stems from a rich intellectual fervour, with art being an integral part of its vitality. It's no coincidence its streets are abloom with a contemporary avant-garde artistic movement: street art. Artwork of all sizes has begun to appear on the walls and facades of the buildings in San Salvario, a cultural melting pot and working-class neighbourhood. Many of them could be considered masterpieces. Several businesses related to urban art have appeared, like bookshops and design studios. To discover these emerging gems, wander the streets of San Salvario, between Porta Nuova station and Parco del Valentino (Valentino Park), or attend a guided tour. Visits are organised daily, starting in both the morning and afternoon.