It's generally warm enough to dine and drink al fresco in Turin from May to October. saiko3p/Shutterstock
With regal baroque palaces, world-class museums, a thriving cafe culture and a full festival calendar, Turin is a wonderful year-round destination.
Like many of Italy's cities, it's at its most alluring in spring and autumn – the skies are blue, it's warm and full of seasonal color, and the festival season is in full swing. On the flip side, these are the busiest periods of the year, and you'll have to contend with crowds, high season prices and the distinct possibility of spring rain. Summer sees temperatures soar as locals head outdoors for evening aperitifs and park-side concerts, while winter brings shorter days and rigid temperatures, offset by low season rates and quiet sights.
To help you decide when's the best time for you, here's the lowdown on Turin's seasonal offerings.
April and May are the best months for exploring neighborhoods and catching a cultural event
Spring is a glorious time to be in Turin. It's pleasantly warm – though rain showers are still likely – and the city is looking good with blooming flowers, birdsong in the parks and markets brimming with seasonal produce. Daytime temperatures, which average around 20°C (68°F), are ideal for sightseeing and exploring the city's various neighborhoods. These range from from the historic center with its aristocratic piazzas and baroque architecture to the bar-heavy Quadrilatero district and boho San Salvario. To the north of the center, the Aurora neighborhood is home to Porta Palazzo, one of Europe's largest open-air markets, and the Saturday Balôn flea market, which balloons into the larger Gran Balôn every second Sunday of the month.
Spring is also a busy time on the cultural front. Easter heralds an outbreak of religious celebrations and church concerts while April sees the 11-day Torino Jazz Festival swing into town. There's theater action at the Torino Fringe Festival and avant-garde dance at the Interplay Contemporary Dance Festival. The undisputed headline act is the Salone Internazionale del Libro, Italy's premier book fair. This massive event draws armies of publishers, writers, readers and bibliophiles to the city, leading to fierce demand for accommodation and sky-high rates.
Enjoy riverside aperitifs and outdoor gigs from June to August
June sees the arrival of summer and with it the hot weather and Italy's long school holidays. High levels of humidity and temperatures of around 30°C (86°F) can make sightseeing a tough physical endeavor. Fortunately, the city's 18km (11 mi) of porticoes offer shade, and the occasional late afternoon or evening thunderstorm helps cool things down.
To deal with the heat, take your cue from the locals and head to the Parco Valentino for a late afternoon stroll or to the Po riverside for an al fresco aperitif. Turin is the birthplace of the aperitivo (aperitif), and an evening spent sipping a vermouth-based cocktail while digging into a bountiful food spread is a signature city experience.
Adding to the party vibe are a number of popular summer events. Kicking things off, on June 23, Turin celebrates its patron saint, San Giovanni, with fireworks and a giant bonfire in Piazza Castello. Later, in July, the Kappa FuturFestival fills Parco Dora with electronic music, and the Sonic Park Stupinigi stages an eclectic program of concerts at the Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi.
The volume comes down in August when locals leave the city for their summer holidays and many businesses shut down, typically around mid-August. To take advantage of this, look for accommodation deals as hoteliers try to lure visitors to the city.
September to November is the best time for food, wine and classical music
Autumn is a golden time to be in Turin. As the edge comes off the summer heat, the city's foliage breaks out into fiery hues of reds, coppers and golds. This dramatic display provides the backdrop for culinary magic as prized autumnal specialties make their way onto city menus. Chief among these are earthy porcini mushrooms and flavor-packing truffles (tartufi), particularly the revered and eye-wateringly expensive white truffles (tartufi bianchi). In the nearby Langhe hills, the annual grape harvest (vendemmia) is in full swing, making this a great time to visit big-name wine villages such as Barolo and Barbaresco. To celebrate all things foodie, every even-numbered year, Turin hosts the international food festival, Terra Madre – Salone del Gusto.
Food apart, autumn sees a number of major events. In September, classical music concerts are staged at Lingotto and venues across town as part of MITO Settembre Musica, while November sees movie screenings and themed events during the Torino Film Festival. Art lovers will also find plenty to enthuse them in November, a month dedicated to contemporary art.
With so much going on, early autumn – September through to mid-October – is considered high season. But by November, prices have dropped and the weather has turned cold, wet and gray.
December to March is ideal for museum-hopping without the crowds
Turin puts on a good show at Christmas as seasonal cheer cuts through the frigid winter temperatures – lavish light displays brighten dark streets, concerts ring out from churches and festive markets pop up across town. But once Natale and the New Year celebrations have faded, the city quietens considerably. This is the time to head indoors and discover the city's excellent museums and palaces.
There's a long list to choose from. Among the best are Palazzo Reale, the former palace of the royal House of Savoy, and the Museo Egizio, home to the world's second largest collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities. Another city classic is the Museo Nazionale del Cinema, dramatically housed in Turin's trademark building – the dome-capped Mole Antonelliana.
To warm you on your wanderings, take time to sample a traditional Turin hot chocolate, known as a bicerin. For the real McCoy, head to Caffè al Bicerin where the drink was supposedly invented in the early 18th century.
But while all is quiet in town, the nearby Alps are a hive of activity. The ski season is well underway, and mountain resorts are heaving with winter sports fans.
Plan with a local
