Where to stay, what to see in Torino

Sorry, I can't recommend places to stay since I was in Torino on a day trip, but your heading says 'what to see' so...if you are an Italian cinema buff, be sure to visit the National Museum of Cinema. If you are a soccer fan, visit the stadium where Juventus plays. The Royal Palace (Palazzo Reale) and Palazzo Madama http://www.palazzomadamatorino.it/?& will interest you if you like visiting palaces. You won't run out of sites to see and nice bars to have coffee under the many arcades. The Basilica di Superga is near the top of many to-do lists; a plane carrying a soccer team (Juventus?) hit its spire many years ago (fatal accident). Torino is also famous for its chocolate made with hazelnuts (gianduia)...yum! Be sure to have the typical drink of Torino: 'bicerin': espresso, chocolate & milk...mmmm. The annual Chocolate festival (CioccolaTO) is in March.

No the Shroud will not be on display, but there is a rather nice museeum about the Shroud, which i found very interesting. It sort of digs in to the Indiana Jones type mystery sorrounding the Shroud.

We enjoyed Townhouse 70 and found it convenient. Torino is very walkable. We thought the Cinema Museum was less than spectacular, but the building the Molo Antonelliana is wonderful. Take the ride to the cupola for a view! The Museo Nazional dell'Auto was superb, and you can ride the sleek Metro out there.

Hotel Torino Centro near Porta Susa station was the best of four hotels on that particular trip. Like Laurel, our group enjoyed the car museum. I was excited to visit the Cinema Museum, but having done so, cannot call it a must-see. Egyptian museum is well regarded, undergoing some remodeling. Risorgimento museum of Italian history is packed with original documents, flags, etc., but has very little English translation.

Sorry to say that we found Turin to be boring. We had a one night stay there before a bike trip in Piedmonte. Thought the city sounded interesting after watching the winter Olympics a few years back.

We wandered the old center, found some Roman ruins (a remaining wall) that is by the church where the shroud is kept (didn't go into the church). Wanted to go to the top of the Mole, but it was closed (closed on Monday) that would probably been the best part of the day, getting to climb to the top and see the city and mountains from up high.

Torino is famous for chocolate, but we didn't find any stores open. I guess Monday in the city is the worst time to be there.

In one full day, you'll have had your fill....just keep an open mind and walk everywhere. Here's TripAdvisors Top 30 things to do in Turin. Nothing sound interesting to me!
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g187855-Activities-Turin_Province_of_Turin_Piedmont.html

Turin has wonderful food, and the best desserts I've had in Italy (and yes, I've been to Sicily). It also has grand 19th century caffes that look like Scarlett O'Hara will come sweeping down the stairs any minute - fun to peek in, even if you don't order a drink there. (Part of the "royal" atmosphere you've read about).

The church where the Shroud is kept also has a copy of Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper that is considered the most accurate one, as it was made when the original was relatively new and just starting to deteriorate (or so I've read - I have no specialist knowledge).

I found the atmosphere in Turin an interesting contrast to other Italian cities. At least in 1999 when I was there, it was very self-consciously "European" as much as it was "Italian" (there were even signs saying something like, "Turin: Proud to be Italian, and happy to be part of the EU")

I stayed at the Hotel Roma and Rocca Cavour, on a park just near the Porta Nova train station. At the time, it was a bit of faded grandeur, built in the age when a "train station hotel" was glamorous. It was a great location to walk all over the center, and the rooms were huge by European standards. As I said, I was there in 1999, so I have no idea what it's like now, but if I were to return, I'd look into staying there again.

Torino reminds me of Bologna with the porticos. There are many historical buildings and they all have plaques with history written in Italian and English. History buffs like love that! I highly recommend Museo Egizio. It has the second largest Egyptian collection outside of Cairo if you are interested in that sort of things. It was 3 euros. It was/is being renovated so it will be better than when I was there. Torino is also home to many palaces of the Royal House of Savoy. I did not have money or time to go inside. The Porta Palazzo Market is Europe's largest open air market that sells fresh fruit, vegetable and other stuff (flea market). It is so much cheaper to get your fruit and vegetable at this market than at the mini markets.

I was traveling alone and stayed in a former palazzo/converted apartments in the middle of old town (Via Po). It was LOUD as it is next to the tram and several cafes below open 24 hours. The unemployed youths were out screaming all night. It was miserable so I would avoid the main streets where the tram runs.

I am planning a trip to Sardegna in 10 days. I am considering stopping in Torino instead after seeing this post :) Happy travels.