Piazza San Carlo: Turin Travel Guide (4.7★)

Turin’s drawing room

The Torinesi call it il salotto di Torino, the city’s drawing room. The name fits. The square is a long rectangle closed in by matching arcaded façades, laid out in the 17th century under the court architect Carlo di Castellamonte. Via Roma cuts straight through it, so you can walk from the train station to the royal quarter without ever leaving the shade of the porticoes.

There is no gate and no ticket, and the square never closes. It is also one of the most-reviewed public spaces in Italy, so don’t expect a quiet corner. It is a working plaza. Concerts, markets and big-screen events take over the paving several times a year.

What to look for

Take it in the order you would read a stage set.

• The bronze horse. In the centre, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy sheathes his sword on horseback. Carlo Marochetti cast the statue in 1838, and locals still call it ‘l Caval ‘d Brons in Piedmontese.
• The twin churches. At the south end, Santa Cristina and San Carlo Borromeo face you like a matched pair. Santa Cristina’s façade, the one with statues along the roofline, is by Filippo Juvarra.
• The brass bull. Look down outside Caffè Torino under the western arcade. A small bull, Turin’s emblem, is set into the pavement. Tradition says grinding your heel on it brings luck, and that’s why one part of it is polished bright.
• The sightline. Stand by the churches and look north. The arcades frame Via Roma running on towards Piazza Castello.

Coffee under the porticoes

The historic cafés along the arcades are the reason people stay longer than ten minutes. Caffè Torino and Caffè San Carlo have been serving here since the 19th century, and the chocolatier Stratta has windows under the same arches.

Italian bar rules apply:

• Standing at the counter is the cheap, fast way. Pay at the till first, then hand your receipt to the barista.
• A table, inside or out on the square, costs noticeably more for the same cup. That’s normal, not a tourist trap.
• Order un caffè for an espresso. A cappuccino is a morning drink here.
• Cards are widely accepted. Tipping is optional, and leaving small change on the counter is enough.

Timing is where you win. The square is at its quietest between 7am and 8am on weekdays and between 7am and 9am on weekends. That’s early enough to photograph the churches without a crowd in front of them. Don’t arrive between 11am and 11pm on a weekend expecting space. The arcades fill, café tables are hard to get, and the horse is ringed with people all day.

Getting there and next door

From Porta Nuova (mainline trains and Metro Line 1), walk north up Via Roma for about five minutes and the square opens up in front of you. Carry on another five minutes north and you reach Piazza Castello, Palazzo Madama and the Royal Palace.

The Museo Egizio is two short blocks east on Via Accademia delle Scienze, and Palazzo Carignano is just beyond it. Allow 20 to 30 minutes for the square itself, or an hour with a coffee. It works best as a stop between the station and the museums rather than a destination alone. At night the lit arcades make an easy passeggiata.