Torino Playbook: Your Unrivalled Experience Watching the Granata

The first capital of unified Italy, home to Fiat, the birthplace of breadsticks, and host of the 2006 Winter Olympic Games… Turin has plenty to shout about.

It is also home to two of Italy’s most storied football clubs – Juventus and Torino.

So, if you are heading to the city on banks of the River Po to watch the Granata in action, the information below will help.

Where To Stay

Turin is Italy’s fourth-biggest city but relatively compact when compared to the likes of Florence and Milan. So, you are never too far from historical landmarks, bars and restaurants. The Centro Storico is arguably the best option for first-time visitors because of its central location and blend of high-end hotels with reasonably-priced Airbnbs and rental accommodation. Vanchiglia, Cenisia and San Salvario are still fairly central and ideal for visitors who want to experience Turin’s vibrant bars, while Lingotto offers great transport connections, as do the areas around Porta Nuova and Porta Susa train stations, which have both had a facelift.

Where To Eat

Piedmont has a proud gastronomic tradition and Turin upholds it. Le Vitel Étonné in Via San Francesco da Paola focuses on local delicacies, such as tajarin – hand-cut ribbons of pasta – and agnolotti (a smaller version of ravioli) along with anchovies with green and red sauce and vitello tonnato, slow cooked veal served in thin slices. Two courses will set you back around €30 and they have recently opened a takeaway pasta shop just around the corner.

Located in the Cenisia neighbourhood, Antiche Sere is a hit among locals and visitors courtesy of its intimate setting and a modern twist on local staples, such as tomini – a small, soft, fresh Italian cheese, traditionally produced in Piedmont. Booking is essential and mains start at €12.

Al Gatto Nero, just behind Porta Nuova station, is a shade more expensive with mains starting at €20, but this place is a Turinese institution that first opened its doors in 1927.

But if you really want to try the local taste, get yourself to a piola – dialect for osteria, which can be roughly translated to inn – and taste the merenda sinoira, a staple of old Turinese families which centres around small plates and local wine. Think tapas by the Alps. The are many superb piolas dotted around the city, with Caffe dell’Orologio just off the Parco del Valentino a superb option.

Where To Drink

If heading to the Stadio Grande Torino early for some pre-match buzz you will not be short of options. Sweet Toro and Fragole & BARbera just outside Torino’s old ground in Via Filadelfia are fan favourites with Torino memorabilia decking the inside of both bars.

Birreria don Giovanni, meanwhile, is one of the closest pubs to the ground and a good spot for a last-minute pint.

Stop off at just about any bar in the Centro Storico and you will not be disappointed. If you really want to treat yourself, get an aperitivo at Caffe Torino in Piazza San Carlo. On your way out, make sure you walk over the testicles of the golden bull engraved in the pavement as this is meant to bring good luck.

For something slightly more relaxed, try Il Carlino Ubriaco, in the San Donato district, which has a wine list longer than you can imagine, while Rough in San Salvario is anything but.

Don’t Forget

Tickets – Torino tickets are available online through the club’s official website or at the ticket offices at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino. Tickets start at around €25 for adults and €10 for under-18s.

When picking up tickets at the stadium or at the office, remember ID and leave a bit of time as they can get busy.

Kick-off times will be moved for television, so bear that in mind when arranging a trip far in advance.

Merchandise – All merchandise can be bought on the club website or at the Torino store at the Rinascente in Via Lagrange 15 in the city centre, which is open seven days a week from 10am until 9pm, except for Wednesday and Thursday when it shuts at 8pm. There is also a store at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, which is open from 3:30pm to 7pm on Monday and from 10am to 1pm and 3:30pm to 7pm Tuesday to Saturday.

Did You Know?

In 1979 French football magazine Onze Mondial declared Torino’s Curva Maratona the “most beautiful curva in European football”.

Getting There

Turin’s Caselle Airport is well connected to the UK. It is a 45-minute journey to the central Porta Nuova station by bus. A single ticket costs €7.50, while a return is €14. A cab from the airport to the station takes around 25 minutes.

Turin is an hour away from Milan on the fast train and just over two hours from Genoa and Bologna.

As for the getting to the game, public transport or taxis are the best options from the city centre, while all the key information is in our stadium guide.

Need Another Football Fix?

While Turin is home to Torino and Juventus, the rivals are seldom at home on the same weekend. Alessandria, Pro Vercelli and Novara are all within an hour on the train from Porta Nuova if you want a taste of lower-league calcio, with the latter pair in Serie C and the former in Eccellenza, the fifth tier of Italian football.