Torino, Piedmónte is written “Turin, Piedmont” in English. But, in Italian what it really means is “Detroit”. This is the epicenter of Italy’s car making scene and the home of the Agnellis who have made Fiats there since there were cars in Italy. It is a fun town; big and sprawling but doesn’t have a terribly industrial feel to it at all.
Parks along the river, car museums,The Shroud of Turin, the biggest collection of Egyptology outside of well, Egypt, wild architecture highlights including the Feta di Polenta house three stories tall and only maybe ten feet at its widest and tapering to a point at the other end. And the Mole Antoneliana which will probably be worked into the visuals of the next winter Olympics to be held there in 06. When you are here, you are surrounded by the foothills (hence Piedmonte name for region) of the Alps and many interesting religious sites hang precipitously to their high perches like Oropa and Superga. Our first “Italian daughter” Roberta is from Torino. She lived with us for a year and helped us raise our youngest daughter. They both turned out swell.
City Links:
http://www.travelplan.it/reg_pie_tor_page.htm
http://www.torino2006.org/
Seems to be the official Olympic site and you can click to “translate” but the English is clunky.