Turin

Tre-Coni, Slow-Food-rooted gelato churned daily from Piedmont valley milk, Langhe hazelnuts and Gobino chocolate — plus his cult zabaione 'Zabà' (with vermouth/chinato). Pure, traditional, transparent supply chain; a Turin institution done right.

Food · Turin

A dedicated urban/heels studio — Heels Dance is explicitly open to all genders/levels and pitched at confidence, posture and expression rather than competition. The closest fit in Turin to Laura's 'movement/heels/reggaeton' wishlist, with free trial.

Dance · Turin

Genuinely traveller-friendly: a true pay-as-you-go single Reformer group class (€25) plus GYROTONIC and small-group options, all bookable through the Mindbody app — no membership or course commitment, which is rare in Turin where most studios force an intro assessment first.

Fitness · Turin

A Tre-Coni research lab for gelato in hip San Salvario — minimal sugar/fat, creative seasonal combinations chasing 'a memory'. The locals' choice for contemporary, ingredient-driven gelato over the tourist counters.

Food · Turin

The locals' romantic free alternative to the Mole's paid deck — a 15-min climb from Piazza Vittorio to a terrace framing the Mole with the Alps behind. Hear the city's evening sounds rising up the hill; way less mobbed than Superga.

Viewpoint · Turin

A family-run, working-class-quarter osteria with timber paneling and a handwritten seasonal menu — melt-in-mouth veal cheek, agnolotti, vitello tonnato, bonet, house Nebbiolo. 'Like eating at a friend's grandma's house'; locals' favourite, off the tourist map.

Food · Turin

Turin's 40-hectare English-style green lung along the Po — plane-tree avenues, the Fontana dei Dodici Mesi, the fairy-tale Castello del Valentino, botanical garden, rowers on the river and Mole glimpses. Lives with the city, not apart from it; walk farther from the gate for quiet.

Outdoor · Turin

A serious, aesthetics-first kinbaku studio (100 m², 16 suspension points, 15 hashira) run by Kurogami & Shiawase, who have tied at the Nawa Naka Kai in Tokyo. Runs classes for all levels, dedicated bottom workshops and open-day rope jams — workshops held in IT/EN/FR, so genuinely accessible to an international couple wanting to learn or just observe.

Kink · Turin

A bustling, no-frills piola where locals queue mid-week for antipasti misto and vitello tonnato at fair, non-touristy prices, with lively outdoor tables on a little square near Piazza Castello. Fast turnover keeps it real.

Food · Turin

Turin's oldest quarter: cobbled, labyrinthine Roman-grid streets that at dawn glow with soft light, laundry lines and pastel facades — then transform after dark into the city's densest aperitivo/nightlife warren. The authentic photo + drink zone.

Sight · Turin

Small-group, attention-first studio (deliberately capped class sizes) blending vinyasa/hatha with neuroscience, somatics and trauma-informed work. New-York-born teacher Meghan O'Connor leads classes in English — exactly Laura's kind of intentional, non-gym-y practice.

Yoga · Turin

A tiny, hidden concept bar in the Quadrilatero dedicated entirely to vermouth — Turin's own invention. Vast selection from Cocchi/Carpano/Antica Torino to artisan labels, served neat or in twists, with Piedmontese bites (acciughe al verde, vitello tonnato, toasts). A locals'-secret homage to the great Turin aperitivo.

Aperitivo · Turin

An opulent, mirrored 1858 café on Piazza Castello famed for gold-foiled gianduiotti and a classic bicerin. Stunning interior worth the pilgrimage; buy chocolates and the hazelnut spread (better than Nutella) to take away.

Cafe · Turin

A baroque basilica at 670m with sweeping Alpine views, reachable by the charming 1884 'dentiera' rack tram with wooden benches. Local tip: the official terrace is fenced/crowded — the unmarked pull-offs along the winding road below frame Turin with cypresses (better photos, morning light).

Viewpoint · Turin

The 1763 cradle of the bicerin (layered espresso, melted chocolate, cream) — a candle-lit, marble-and-wood time capsule facing the Consolata sanctuary. Go morning or mid-afternoon.

Cafe · Turin

A jewel-box 1907 café under the Piazza Castello arcades, all marble, brass and leather — birthplace of the tramezzino. Great for a stand-up coffee, an excellent bicerin twist, or a classic Turin aperitivo in a tiny historic room.

Cafe · Turin

A 1641 Carthusian charterhouse that became one of Italy's largest asylums (closed after the 1978 Basaglia law) — grand cloister, decaying late-1800s padiglioni and a heavy, layered atmosphere. Unusual for urbex: the walls came down and it sits inside a public park, so much is freely and LEGALLY walkable; only some derelict pavilions are off-limits.

Urbex · Turin

Italy's oldest home-cook network: book a Turin 'Cesarina' (e.g. Benedetta) for a Porta Palazzo market visit, then make fresh agnolotti/tiramisù and eat a 4-course Piedmontese meal with local wine around her table — small groups, English, genuine connection over food, not a tourist class.

LocalConnect · Turin

A couple-shoots-couples studio doing warm, intimate reportage portraits both in-studio and out in Turin's arcades and lamp-lit alleys at night (they also shoot in Aosta) — the romantic, story-driven alternative to a posed studio session, with prints framed right after.

Photoshoot · Turin

A sprawling 'city within a city' asylum (opened 1871, up to ~1,800 patients), largely emptied after Italy's 1978 Basaglia law. Famous in the urbex scene for the chilling preservation of medical equipment, an old operating theatre and records — a heavy, freeze-frame atmosphere. Roughly on a Langhe→Bra→Carmagnola→Turin line.

Urbex · Turin

Europe's largest alpine fortification: ~3 km of ramparts and a 4,000-step covered staircase climbing 600 m of mountainside, abandoned by the military and slowly decayed before being saved. Cavernous, moody and far less mobbed than Turin's palaces. Properly atmospheric without any trespass — you walk it on a ticket/guided tour.

Urbex · Turin

An elegant 1874 iron-and-glass shopping gallery linking Piazza Castello and Piazza Carlo Alberto — Belle Époque cafés, a vintage cinema and bookshop under a luminous vault. A quick, photogenic, often-overlooked gem (and home to Baratti & Milano).

Sight · Turin

Turin's most celebrated modern chocolatier — his tourinot/gianduiotto (Langhe hazelnuts, no additives) is a benchmark, and the same Gobino chocolate flavours top local gelato. A sleek tasting bar for the city's defining sweet, the gianduja.

Cafe · Turin

Studio 21's 'Heels Me' project (run by specialist Rachele Sampogna) holds Heels classes roughly once a month on Saturdays — a true one-off workshop format that's ideal for travellers who can't commit to a course. Technique + a choreography to a current hit.

Dance · Turin

A 2,000 m² central privè with a strong wellness area (chromotherapy pool, hydromassage, sauna) and an explicit 'first-timers welcome' ethos. Friday is the big swingers party; Thursday is dedicated to couples, and under-35 couples who are members get free Friday entry — a softer, more curated entry point than the bigger barn-style clubs.

Kink · Turin

A historic, alternative riverbank bar inside Parco del Valentino — home of Radio Banda Larga, with breakfast-to-late-night drinks, outdoor sun decks over the Po, and a music/film programme. Pure local Turin chill, zero tourist gloss.

Aperitivo · Turin

Turin's legendary alt shop (since 1977), two floors of gothic/punk/club gear: Punk Rave, Alchemy Gothic, Spiral, plus corsets, lace and the city's best New Rock + Dr. Martens stock sourced from London/Germany. The go-to for something dark, statement or club-ready in Turin.

Shopping · Turin

A members' swinger club for couples and transgressive singles with a clean, relaxed environment and regular themed party nights (e.g. masked/seduction events), a guest buffet and bar. Notably it has clearly published hours and is open Friday both afternoon (14:30–20:00) and night (22:30–03:00), so the Friday-night slot you want is a scheduled session rather than a maybe.

Kink · Turin

Friendly, broad ASD covering Salsa, Bachata Sensual, Reggaeton, Rueda and Zumba; explicitly welcomes singles and runs its own nights out in local venues, so a trial can plug you straight into the social scene. Good beginner-welcoming energy.

Dance · Turin

Europe's largest open-air market — a loud, multicultural sprawl of Piedmont produce, cheese, fish and street food that fuels Turin's kitchens; the adjacent Balon flea market (Saturdays; Gran Balon 2nd Sunday) is vintage-hunting heaven. The most alive, real-Turin morning you can have.

LocalConnect · Turin

Turin's iconic spire, housing the superb National Cinema Museum; a glass lift shoots you to an 85m open deck for a 360° view of the city, the hill and Monviso. Famous but genuinely worth it for the museum + the unusual close-up skyline.

Sight · Turin

The largest, best-equipped privè in Turin (~1,750 m² indoor + 1,500 m² outdoor) and the most genuinely 'complete' for a curious couple: discoteca, a real SPA (hydro tubs, sauna), a dedicated BDSM area, dark room, glory hole and a women-only zone, plus a summer garden with pool and naturist outdoor space. Solar-powered and unusually well run vs the seedier end of the scene.

Kink · Turin

A warm, human Quadrilatero institution (with a chunk of the Berlin Wall embedded in the floor) where 'relationships come before the bill' — breakfast to late-night, a lively popular lunch spilling over from nearby Porta Palazzo, and a classic Turin aperitivo.

Aperitivo · Turin

One of the largest royal residences in the world: the Great Gallery, 80 hectares of baroque gardens with contemporary art and Italy's biggest potager. Grand and famous — worth it; go early or late afternoon and focus on the gardens to dodge crowds.

Sight · Turin

An evocative medieval keep-ruin (square dongione, you can still see merlons reworked from Ghibelline to Guelph) guarding its hamlet amid cliffs, erratic boulders, chestnut woods and terraced 'heroic' Carema vineyards. Reached by an old mule track on a Via Francigena variant; the ruined Castello di Castruzzone is on the same loop.

Urbex · Turin

Turin's most established ballroom/caribbean school (since 1948, run by Ballando-con-le-Stelle pro Sergio Sampaoli). Dedicated mono-thematic Bachata Sensual/Fusion/Dominicana tracks plus Kizomba, and you can join as a single (no partner needed) — they balance leads/follows. Solid technique focus rather than a meat-market.

Dance · Turin

A central, friendly Hatha/Vinyasa school that runs a Thursday lunch 'Yoga Flow' class specifically in English for non-Italian-speaking short-term visitors — ideal for a drop-in. Booking via their online calendar.

Yoga · Turin

Founded by 'Black Angel' (Marco), a teacher with a psychology/education background who frames shibari as consent-led personal and artistic growth. The twice-monthly 'Ring Rope Lab' guided practice is a low-pressure way for a couple to work on specific ties safely; also runs photographer-focused sessions. Operates across FunLab, Ginkgo Essentia, Kizuna and Nebi.

Kink · Turin

Reliable central option with a dedicated English-language Vinyasa class on a fixed schedule (Tue & Thu 19:00) — easy to drop into for an evening flow without speaking Italian. Practical rather than precious.

Yoga · Turin

A UNESCO Savoy residence hidden on the hill minutes from the centre, with terraced Italianate gardens, fountains and a working vineyard producing wine inside the city limits — and a panoramic backdrop over Turin. Far quieter than Venaria, a real local secret.

Sight · Turin

Reformer Pilates inside a restored villa on the edge of Parco del Valentino — a pretty, calm setting for private or small-group (max 3) sessions. Non-members can drop in for a single session, and they take trial bookings, so easy to slot a one-off into a trip.

Fitness · Turin

An intact 1875–1907 Liberty-style company village (architect Pietro Fenoglio) built around the Leumann cotton mill: workers' houses, church, school, convitto, and its own little train station. The mill shut in 2007; the village survives as a haunting, time-capsule slice of industrial archaeology right on the Turin ring road.

Urbex · Turin

A 13th–14th-c. mountain village of ~60 houses, depopulated for good in the 1960s by the rural exodus — now half-collapsed, reclaimed by nettles and forest, with its own founding legend (four brothers/clans). A FAI 'Luoghi del Cuore' true ghost hamlet, never reached by road or electricity.

Urbex · Turin

A Turin photographer specialising specifically in boudoir — described as intimate and sensual but elegant ('mai volgare'), with a personalised, discreet studio experience. A tasteful option if Laura/the couple want a sensual studio shoot in Turin; portfolio viewable on his site/Instagram before booking.

Photoshoot · Turin

Built in 1358 for Amadeo VI of Savoy ('Conte Verde'), this four-round-tower fortress beside the cathedral reopened in 2024 after major restoration. Guided tours reach the courtyard, former prison cells and patrol walkways with a sweeping view over Ivrea, the Eporedian morainic amphitheatre and the mouth of the Aosta Valley — a good leg-stretch on the Turin↔Aosta drive.

Sight · Turin

A 1975 institution in a mirrored basement of three rooms; once home to the legendary 'The Plug' electro nights, now Turin's queer home base (Bananamia Fridays, DomenicaZoccola). Easy, mixed, multinational crowd.

Nightlife · Turin

A vast dead printing empire (Industria Libraria Tipografica Editrice, collapsed 2015–17): tens of thousands of m² of dust-silent offices and halls, rusted machines and fossil-stacks of old phone books, with a landmark tower at Turin's south gate. The benchmark Piedmont industrial-urbex site — heavily photographed. whySpecial caveat: it's privately owned, redevelopment works have STARTED, it's policed (a famous trespass case + a 1,500-person illegal rave happened here) — entry is illegal and increasingly fenced.

Urbex · Turin

A ring of glacial lakes (Sirio, Pistono, Campagna, Nero, San Michele) in the Ivrea morainic amphitheatre, linked by the '5 Laghi' walking route that also crosses the curious 'Terre Ballerine' (floating peat 'dancing lands' that quiver underfoot). Lago Sirio is swimmable in summer — a relaxed nature break a few minutes off the A5.

Outdoor · Turin

A soft-styled libertine club in Torino's Borgo Vittoria district near the Allianz Stadium, built around dim lounge/ambient atmosphere and a 'see/don't-see' design. It includes a spa zone with Turkish bath and Finnish sauna that couples and singles can use freely while inside, alongside the play areas. One of the established Piedmont privè options beyond the ones you already have.

Kink · Turin

Founded 2020, Turin's main reference point for the kink/BDSM community — a private multifunction dungeon + school hosting Munch, TNG and Play Party events with an explicit safe, consensual, inclusive ethos. The how-to-attend path is via their socials/membership.

Kink · Turin

Cross Turin's oldest bridge for the postcard line-up: the Pantheon-like Gran Madre, the Po, and the Mole on the skyline behind — wrapped in Templar/Holy-Grail folklore. A short, free, atmospheric riverside stop linking centre to the hill.

Viewpoint · Turin

A small holistic studio offering English-language Hatha flow and Yin yoga plus sound baths, massage and naturopathy, with deliberately limited class sizes for personal attention. A calm, English-friendly wellness option for Laura.

Wellness · Turin

Ivrea, 'Industrial City of the 20th Century', was inscribed by UNESCO in 2018 for the Olivetti factory and its modernist worker housing, services and social buildings — explorable as a free open-air museum (MAAM) along Via Jervis. A genuinely distinctive, design-lover's contrast to the valley's castles and Roman ruins.

Sight · Turin

A vast post-industrial park built into the carcass of old Fiat/Michelin plants: the towering 'Area Vitali' steel shed left standing as raw rusted skeleton, a former smokestack turned into the bell tower of the Santo Volto church, graffiti, skaters. Legal industrial-archaeology atmosphere in the heart of Turin.

Urbex · Turin

The Ivrea pasticceria associated with the Torta '900 (Novecento) — a layered chocolate-cream cake whose recipe the town's pastry-makers guard closely. A classic Canavese coffee-and-cake stop while breaking the Turin↔Aosta drive in Ivrea's UNESCO old town.

Cafe · Turin

An 1879 villa turned 1931 tuberculosis sanatorium (then a nursing home, closed 2013), famous for a vast skylit central atrium and a local 'cursed/haunted' reputation that draws paranormal hunters. A standout Piedmont medical-urbex subject. whySpecial caveat: it's a real detour north (Biella), still ASL-owned, empty and monitored — entry is trespassing.

Urbex · Turin