16th - 19th JUNE  2005

An exploration of the city of Turin, Italy’s historical car making centre, with guided walks linked by travel on trams, buses and an early rack railway.

Turin is a city of about a million people set close to the Alps but on the plain of the River Po. It was Italy’s first capital after unification but is better known today as the capital of Piedmont. We will start our visit to Turin with a walk in the historic city centre which will include a visit to an unusual gas museum and archive. No matter what the weather we will keep cool, or dry, under the famed 14 kilometres of arcades. As well as some fine commercial buildings we will also see some examples of Italian art nouveau, ‘il stilo liberty’. Our walk along the River Po will include riverside warehouses and views of the various bridges as well as the site of the 1884 Exhibition held in the city. One of the remains there is a replica mediaeval village once representative of villages in the Alps.

(c) Sue Hayton, 2005

Part of the ramp to the roof of the Lingotto building

(c) Sue Hayton, 2005

On Saturday we will look at Turin, the ‘motor city’. Many famous car makers started work in the city, including Fiat, Bertone and Lancia. In particular, we will trace the progression of the FIAT company from their first works on the Corso Dante, to the kilometre-long Lingotto works with a car track on the roof, as featured in ‘The Italian Job’. Finally we will look at the 1930s Mirafiori factory where production is still carried on. We will visit the renowned Carlo Biscaretti di Ruffia Car Museum housed in an eclectic 60s structure. The museum contains examples of cars from the earliest steam-powered vehicles to the modern mass production models, from successful racing cars to the latest products of ecological research.

We will visit the city’s market area to join the city’s population buying fresh food in market buildings dating from the early 20^th century. Later we will see the remains of the city’s gas works, on a site dating back to the early 19^th century. We will also have the chance to view some of the other transport remains in the city such as railway stations and tram depots. As Turin is hosting the Winter Olympics in 2006, much of the transport system will be renovated so we will be able to see stations before they are modernised.

Porta Nuova Station

(c) Sue Hayton, 2005

Superga Rack Railway

(c) Sue Hayton, 2005

On Sunday we will ascend an 1880s funicular railway now refurbished as a rack railway to take us to Superga. This affords splendid views of the city as well as the foothills of the Alps. The church here houses the tombs of the Savoy royal family. After our return to the city centre we will visit the Mole, the tallest structure in the city, where those who are not too faint-hearted can take the glass lift through the building to an observation platform above the city centre for another alternative view of the city. The rest of Sunday will be free to wander further in the city, but some might like to take the opportunity to look at the Italian Cinema Museum which is also housed in the Mole as Turin was an early film centre.

Happy Safari folk waiting for a bus!

(c) Sue Hayton, 2005