An Introduction to Turin
The Host City

Classical Turin
Turin is a city of numerous identities and different characteristics that blend discreetly, so remote and yet so central, so sub-alpine and yet so cosmopolitan, so geometrical and yet so astonishing; a strong combination of entirely Italian, exuberant imagination and a strict northern European framework.

A walk round the city provides a chronological account of Turin's history, linking the Roman city to the capital of the Duchy of Savoy and the Kingdom of Sardinia, the heart of the Italian Risorgimento, and the "car capital" of today, a complex city which lives up to its reputation as a "city based on work".

Turin also has a Baroque charm, expressed in its portico-lined streets, the wide Po river that flows between the city's many parks and the hills, and the long tree-lined avenues that point up the right-angled layout of the streets.

Another important feature of Turin is its museums and special collections, especially the renowned Egyptian Museum, the Royal Armory and the cathedral that houses the Shroud of Turin.

Turin - Accessible by air, rail, and car
The name Piedmont reflects the region's close relationship with the mountains and hills that are Turin's characteristic features. Piedmont has always been the Alpine region par excellence; its very name, which means "at the foot of the mountains", conjures up a picturesque, charming panorama. Thanks to its geographical location, Piedmont is easily reached by car, train and plane from every corner of Europe. It is linked by road to France through the Tenda and Frejus tunnels, over the Montgenèvre pass and through the Mont Blanc tunnel via the Aosta Valley, and to Switzerland over the Simplon pass and the Great St. Bernard pass.

Turin Caselle Airport lies 16 kilometers (10 miles) from the city centre. It connects with the busy motorway network that allows easy access to the most important cities of northern Italy and southern France. Caselle Airport connects with eight national and seventeen international destinations.

Shuttle buses are available from airport to city centre (Porta Nuova Station) and from city centre to airport every day, from 6:30 AM to 11:30 PM, every 30 minutes. A taxi to the city centre is approximately 50.000 Lire (20 to 30 minutes) and a taxi to conference centre is approximately 80.000 Lire (45 minutes).

Bank Hours

• Monday through Friday
  8:30 AM to 1:30 PM and
  2:30 PM to 4:00 PM

Shops

• Monday
  3:30 PM to 7:30 PM
• Tuesday through Saturday
  10:00 AM to 12:30 PM and
  3:30 PM to 7:30 PM
  (Many department stores and shops in city centre do not close for lunch.)

Museums

• Closed on Mondays, opening hours are different, but normally are 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM (Egyptian Museum is open until 7:00 PM). For specific times you may check: http://www.comune.torino.it/musei.