Turin is one of the best Italian cities to visit when the weather turns. Its centre was laid out on a grid, and long stretches of the main streets are lined with porticoes, so you can walk from one sight to the next with a dry head. Its sights are mostly indoors, with big museums, palaces and cafés that reward a slow day. This guide collects the best indoor plans, the practical details to check and a sample itinerary, so that a grey forecast becomes a reason to enjoy the city rather than to skip it.
Walk under the arcades
The arcades of Via Roma, Via Po and Piazza San Carlo form some of the longest covered walks in Europe. You can stroll from Porta Nuova station to Piazza Castello and on to the river without an umbrella, browsing bookshops, chocolate counters and old shops as you go. Piazza Vittorio Veneto, at the end of Via Po, is one of the largest arcaded squares in Italy, and it makes a good place to pause for a coffee. Even in heavy rain, the porticoes keep the centre pleasant.
Start with the Egyptian Museum
The Egyptian Museum is the obvious rainy-day anchor. It is large, it is dramatic, and a visit easily fills a morning, with mummies, painted coffins, papyri and the intact tomb goods of Kha and Merit. Arrive early or book a guided visit, because wet weather pushes everyone indoors and queues build at weekends. The darkened Gallery of the Kings is as impressive on a grey day as on a sunny one.
Film, cars and palaces
The National Museum of Cinema, inside the Mole Antonelliana, is a favourite with children and adults, because its galleries are theatrical, interactive and full of costumes, posters and film history. Remember that the panoramic lift is a poor choice in cloud or fog, so treat the view as an optional extra. MAUTO, the automobile museum, is a few metro stops from the centre and fills a rainy afternoon easily. The Royal Palace and Palazzo Madama are on Piazza Castello and are close enough to combine, with grand rooms, art and a good café. The Reggia di Venaria Reale is worth the longer trip for its enormous interiors, although the gardens are best left for a dry day.
Underground and below
The Torino Sotterranea tour goes below the streets to siege tunnels, crypts and shelters, and it is not affected by weather, which makes it one of the more unusual wet-day choices. Check the tour times in advance, as the group sizes are limited.
Cafés and chocolate
Turin was built for the long café stop. The historic cafés of the centre serve bicerin, the layered drink of coffee, chocolate and cream, in warm, wood-panelled rooms that suit a downpour. Chocolate counters offer gianduiotto, and the Lavazza Museum at the Nuvola tells the story of coffee in a modern building. A visit to Choco-Story is a good short stop that combines history with a chocolate tasting.
Tastings and classes
Several of the best wet-day activities are about food. A vermouth tasting and aperitivo is a gentle early-evening plan, a food and market tour works because so much of the route is under cover, and a cooking class fills a whole afternoon and ends in a meal. These suit travellers who have already seen the main museums and want something more local.
A sample rainy day
Begin at nine in the morning with the Egyptian Museum, allowing two to three hours. Walk under the arcades of Via Roma for lunch in a trattoria near Piazza San Carlo. In the afternoon, choose between the Cinema Museum, the Royal Palace or Palazzo Madama, depending on your interests. Finish with a bicerin or a vermouth tasting, and an early dinner in the Quadrilatero Romano.
Fog and winter
In winter, Turin can be foggy for days, which hides the Alps and the hill views from Superga and the Mole. Do not plan the viewpoints on those days. Wait for a clear spell after rain or a cold front, when the mountains return sharply, and spend the grey days on museums and cafés instead.
Practical tips
Wear shoes with a good grip, since the stone pavements get slippery. Carry a compact umbrella for the gaps between arcades. Check closing days before you go: several major museums close on Mondays or Tuesdays, and a wet day is not the time to arrive at a locked door. Book timed tickets ahead for the biggest sights, since rain pushes more visitors into the same few museums.
