Turin has a hidden second city beneath its baroque streets, and this guided tour takes you into it. The highlight is the network of military countermine galleries at the Pietro Micca Museum, around fifteen metres underground, dug to defend the citadel during the French siege of 1706. It was here that the soldier-miner Pietro Micca blew up a tunnel to stop the enemy breaking through, sacrificing his life and becoming a city hero. The tour also visits crypts and burial spaces beneath historic churches, and air-raid shelters where residents took cover during the Second World War. Along the way the guide explains how the city’s layers of Roman, baroque and modern history fit together. The format is a three-hour small-coach tour that links the underground sites, so you see more than you could on foot. It is an unusual alternative to the palace circuit and a strong choice for a cold or wet afternoon.
How it works: the Tiqets product linked here, branded Torino Sotterranea, is a three-hour guided tour in English and Italian with a maximum group of thirty. It starts in the afternoon from Via Francesco Guicciardini 7, near Porta Susa, where the guide meets you with a sign. Entry to the underground sites, a private bus between them and a guidebook are included. Free cancellation and rescheduling are available up to a day before. Departure days vary through the season, so check the calendar for your dates.
What you see: expect narrow tunnels with steps, uneven floors and low ceilings in places, especially in the siege galleries, where you walk by lantern light through passages barely wider than your shoulders. The church crypts and the wartime shelters each add a different chapter of the city’s story.
Making the most of it: wear comfortable shoes with good grip and bring a light layer, as underground temperatures are cool all year. The tour is not suitable for anyone uncomfortable in confined spaces. Afterwards, the Quadrilatero Romano district is close for an aperitivo.
What to expect
The experience
A three-hour guided tour by small coach between underground sites, including siege tunnels, church crypts and wartime shelters.
Best time
An afternoon departure on a cold or rainy day, when the underground is the perfect escape.
How long
About three hours from the meeting point and back.
Tips
Wear sturdy shoes, bring a layer for the cool tunnels and skip it if you dislike confined spaces.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Military history fans, repeat visitors and anyone who wants a different side of Turin.
- Families
- Adventurous older children love the lantern-lit tunnels, but the narrow galleries are not for toddlers.
- Couples
- An offbeat shared adventure that ends close to the bars of the Quadrilatero Romano.
- Pair with
- An aperitivo in the Quadrilatero Romano or a visit to Turin Cathedral nearby.
- Time needed
- About three hours.
Good questions
What do you see on the Torino Sotterranea tour?+
The tour visits the eighteenth-century siege tunnels of the Pietro Micca Museum, crypts beneath historic churches and wartime air-raid shelters. A private bus links the sites.
Who was Pietro Micca?+
He was a soldier-miner who blew up a tunnel during the French siege of Turin in 1706 to stop the enemy entering. He died in the blast and became a city hero.
Is the underground tour in English?+
Yes, the linked tour is guided in English and Italian. Groups are limited to thirty people.
Is the tour suitable for claustrophobic visitors?+
Probably not, as some siege galleries are very narrow and low. There are also steps and uneven floors.
Where does the tour start?+
It starts at Via Francesco Guicciardini 7, near Porta Susa. The guide waits with a sign for the tour company.