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Located in the heart of Piedmont, with France and Switzerland just over the surrounding Alpine arc, Turin is open to European and world culture, ideas, and innovation. The city presents a dynamic combination of past, present and future. As the capital of the Kingdom of Savoy and later the first capital of Italy, the birthplace of Italian cinema and the automobile industry, Turin is a metropolis that always keeps pace with change while remaining a delightful Baroque city.

A long history
The waters of the River Po that flow through Turin

could recount thousands of years of history. Founded by the Celts, destroyed by Hannibal, rebuilt by the Romans, invaded by the Goths, the Longobards and then the Franks, it was a free commune and then, except for brief interruptions, dominated by the Savoy, who made it the capital of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861. Turin conserves important remains recalling many of these events.

The city
Before touring the city it is a good idea to go up to the Mount of the Capuchins for a panoramic view. In the old part of the city are Piazza Vittorio Veneto, Piazza Castello, Piazza San Carlo, Piazza Solferino, rich in history and monuments. Along the route that joins them are most of the city's greatest civic buildings: the Mole Antonelliana, Palazzo Reale, Palazzo Madama, Palazzo Carignano, once the seat of the Italian Parliament.

A little further away are the Citadel, the heart of the old city fortifications, and the Roman Palatine Gate which gives its name to the vast market area of Porta Palazzo. Along the River Po are the Valentino Castle and the Medieval Village, built in 1884 for the first Italian Universal Exhibition. Turin is also a city of great churches which, together with the palaces, represent milestones in the city's architectural history. Walking from the train station (Porta Nuova) up Via Roma you will discover the portici, the broad, covered pavements with arches open on to the street. There are over 16 kilometres in all, and no other city in the world can boast so many. A walk under the portici is a voyage of continuous discovery: visitors can glance into half hidden courtyards or enter shops, stop at stalls selling second-hand books, historic cafés, antique

shops where gems of art and culture can be found. Of the major European cities, it is certainly one with most greenery: the historic gardens, the Botanical Gardens (containing over one million plants in its Herbarium) and many more recently designed parks and special areas for sports enthusiasts. The most important of the historic gardens are the Valentino, designed by Barillet Dechamps, and the Royal Palace gardens, laid out by André le Notre.


Museums
Turin has a wide range of museums with a broad and diversified series of collections: the Egyptian Museum, the Royal Armoury, the National Artillery Museum, and the Pietro Micca Military Museum which allows you visit the tunnels dug under the city during the Franco-Spanish siege. There are prestigious art galleries like the Galleria Sabauda and the Gallery of Modern Art. There is also a museum of the Mountains, of Antiquities, of the Risorgimento, of Natural History, Numismatics, Ethnography and Oriental Arts. Turin is the Italian capital of the car industry and hosts the Automobile Museum, that  exhibits cars from the most famous manufacturers. The Museum of

Cinema tells the history of film, in the city where Italy's film industry began, and is a very short walk from the University of Turin, where the conference will take place.

Shopping
Turin is the showcase for the whole of Piedmont, adding the best of the region's products to all that you would expect to find in the elegant shop windows on Via Roma, or on Via Garibaldi, Europe's longest pedestrian street. There are also many small shops where time seems to have come to a standstill, as well as the eternally busy Balon, a flea market that occupies an entire district. Here you really can find anything, the antique, the old and the "almost" new, and discover incredible objects and characters.

Food
The gastronomy of Piedmont is like opening a history book with many chapters, based on top quality agriculture and livestock. When, in the 18th century, French chefs began to turn away from Renaissance recipes with their strong emphasis on ornamental ingredients and show in favour of more refined taste and flavour, Piedmont was the first region in Italy to be influenced by the cuisine of neighbouring France. Since then, Piedmont has continued to play a seminal role in the history of Italian haute cuisine. You can taste many different dishes as: agnolotti,  tajarin (home-made tagliatelle), risottos, several different cuts of boiled beef served with an equal number of sauces, beef braised in Barolo, Finanziera (mixed stew of meat

and giblets), and the Fritto Misto, a great fry-up of varied meats, vegetables and even fruit, Bagna Cauda, Rubatà, Castelmagno cheese, white truffles. To finish off, the desserts: rich panna cotta, bonet, hazelnut cake, Monte Bianco, a sweet chestnut and whipped cream delight, or zabaglione served with wafers. Moreover, Turin is widely renowned for its pastry. Chocolate was invented here in the Savoy capital, and the most typical, made by blending cacao and hazelnuts, is “Giandujotto”, which dates back to 1800. Assorted pralines, together with every sort of chocolates and creams, accompany the Giandujotto chocolates. But Turin does not offer only Piedmontese cooking. There are restaurants that serve food typical of all Italy's regions. Many restaurants also offer international cuisine.

…and wine
Piedmont is a land of wine. Its famous wines include Barolo, Nebbiolo, Barbaresco, Dolcetto, Asti Spumante, Moscat. There are almost ninety specially designated wines (a denominazione d'origine controllata - d.o.c., d.o.c.g.), and each one has its own unique characteristics. But drinking does not only mean wine in Piedmont. The region offers great spirits (above all grappa), herb and fruit liqueurs such as Genepy and aromatic wines, especially Vermouth.



For further information about Turin: http://www.turismotorino.org/ and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turin
about torino getting there

Turin is very conveniently located for both air and train travel.

Various airlines frequent Turin International Airport, either directly or indirectly through code share partners. These airlines include:
Aer Lingus: www.aerlingus.com
Air France: www.airfrance.it
American Airlines: www.aa.com
Austrian Airlines: www.aua.com
British Airways: www.britishairways.com
Brussels Airlines: www.brusselsairlines.com
Delta Airlines: www.delta.com
Easyjet: www.easyjet.com
Iberia: www.iberia.com

For more information about Turin airport, please visit: http://www.aeroportoditorino.it/EN/voli/default.php

Cheaper and more direct fares can sometimes be found by flying to the larger and better known airports in Milan (Malpensa and Linate)

From Milan, the train will take you to Turin in less than 2 hours.

For more information about the train, please visit: http://www.trenitalia.it/en/index.html   

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