Car & Van Hire - Turin

The capital of UNESCO site Piemonte, Turin (Torino), is a hub of activity. Close to the Alps, it’s the ‘base camp’ for Piemonte explorers and a starting point for skiers who flock to the city that once held the Winter Olympics. But it’s also an eclectic medley of tourist attractions. From the famous Turin Shroud to the Fiat headquarters and from the Juventus Stadium to the Chocolate Festival, there’s no shortage of things to see all year round.

As the world’s first Italian capital, Turin boasts a cosmopolitan town centre and a thriving industry. It’s the city with the largest pedestrian area in the whole of Europe. Scattered across its cobbled streets are equestrian statues of Savoy knights. Monumental arcades stretch over 17 kilometres with elegant coffered and vaulted ceilings, built in the 18th century merely to protect the king from rain.

Young families and cogwheel rail enthusiasts can travel back in time and admire majestic alpine views aboard the Sassi- Superga service, now in operation for more than a century. Passengers who alight for the Basilica of Superga can visit the tombs of the many royals of the House of Savoy.

Back in the city, tourists congregate at the Piazza Castello in front of the Palazzo Reale. As the royal palace and seat of the Savoy dynasty, it’s the place to see 5 centuries of power and wealth reflected in opulent architecture, sculptures, weaponry and livery. Beside the palace lies Turin’s cathedral, the seat of the archbishop and home of the Holy Shroud.

Just next door lies Palazzo Madama, a former castle and prison turned museum. As the kingdom’s first Senate, the palace was embellished by 2 queens and displays an impressive collection of 16th to 18th-century art. Opposite the Royal Palace’s gardens is the Mole Antonelliana, a Turin icon and cinema museum depicted on Italy’s 2-cent coin. It’s a must-see landmark for film buffs, who often come to Turin hoping to retrace scenes from "The Italian Job". Then there’s also the Egyptian Museum, which displays the only intact collections of Egyptian artefacts this side of Cairo, and it’s only a 7-minute walk.

Finally, Turin is also the home of Juventus and Torino, two major football clubs. They play for their adoring fans at the Juventus Stadium and the Stadio Olimpico Grande, respectively. Both offer arena tours and museum entry. Also, they’re both within walking distance from Michelin-star restaurants and gelato places. 

Less crowded than Rome or Milan, Turin is an easy city to drive in. As in the rest of Italy, motorists drive here on the right-hand side of the road. Speed limits are 128 km/h on a motorway and 90 to 110 km/h everywhere else. But this excludes built-up areas, where the limit can go down to 48 km/p. Drivers aiming for the mountains should equip their cars with snow chains or snow socks, which are compulsory in some areas, and remember to opt for dipped headlights in low visibility.

Turin is accessed via the European routes E70 and E612, a handful of provincial roads and the A55 orbital motorway. It’s also crossed by a type of wide landscaped boulevard called "corso", which makes traffic flow better. But drivers should pay special attention to tram rails and the unique rules that apply to them. For instance, depending on the amount of room available, drivers may overtake trams on the left side. But overtaking is forbidden when trams are collecting passengers from a tram stop without an island.

Like all major European cities, Turin is a low-emission zone with time-based traffic limitations in place. Vehicles that do not meet local emission requirements for their category and fuel type are not allowed in the city centre between 07:30 and 10:30 on workdays. There are 41 cameras across the ZTL enforcement area. ZTL pedestrian areas, the Roman Area and public transport thoroughfares have time-based restrictions of their own. Any reputable company that provides car and van rental in Torino should be able to offer compliant vehicles.

There is little parking available in the city, and most of the central area is pedestrianised. Therefore, sightseeing tourists often prefer to park their cars in the suburbs or near train stations and avail themselves of the city’s many public transport options. This is especially the case on match days. Special bus connections can take tourists from football stadiums to rail and tram stations across the city.