Turin Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour 24 or 48 Hour Ticket

Piazza Castello, Palazzo Madama and the Royal Palace

Piazza Castello is the heart of Turin and the main stop of the tour. In the middle stands Palazzo Madama, a building that tells the whole history of the city: Roman gate, medieval castle and finally a baroque palace with a grand white facade, which now houses the city's museum of ancient art. On the north side, behind elegant railings, rises the Royal Palace, for centuries the seat of the House of Savoy.

Today the Royal Museums of Turin bring together the palace's state rooms, the Royal Armoury, the Sabauda picture gallery and the Chapel of the Holy Shroud with its extraordinary spiralling dome. Hop off here to visit them or to see the cathedral next door, where the Shroud of Turin is kept. The Egyptian Museum, one of the finest collections of ancient Egyptian art in the world, is only a few minutes away on foot.

The Mole Antonelliana

The Mole Antonelliana is the symbol of Turin, a brick tower crowned by a slender spire that rises about 167 metres above the city roofs. Begun in 1863 as a synagogue and completed in 1889, it was for a time the tallest brick building in the world, and its silhouette appears on the Italian two-cent coin.

Inside, a glass panoramic lift climbs through the middle of the vast hall to a terrace at about 85 metres, with sweeping views over the rooftops to the Alps on clear days. The building also houses a popular museum. The Red Line passes close by, so it is easy to hop off, ride the lift and catch the next bus; queues are shortest early in the morning and on weekdays, so plan your stop accordingly.

Piazza Vittorio Veneto and the Po

Via Po, lined with arcades, leads from the centre to Piazza Vittorio Veneto, one of the largest arcaded squares in Europe, which slopes gently down to the River Po. Across the bridge stands the neoclassical church of the Gran Madre di Dio, and behind it rise the green hills of Turin, dotted with villas and topped by the Basilica of Superga.

Along the river runs the Murazzi embankment, a favourite place for an evening stroll, and in summer rowing clubs train on the water. The audio guide explains how the city's long porticoes were built so that people could walk across Turin sheltered from rain and sun. For a postcard view, cross the bridge to the Gran Madre steps and look back at the square with the Mole behind it.

Valentino Park and the Borgo Medievale

South along the Po lies Valentino Park, the city's best-loved green space, opened in the mid-19th century along the riverbank. Its centrepiece is the Castello del Valentino, a 17th-century royal residence with French-style roofs, now part of the polytechnic university and listed by UNESCO among the Savoy residences.

Further along the river you reach the Borgo Medievale, a charming reconstruction of a Piedmontese medieval village and castle built for a great exhibition in 1884, with lanes, craft workshops and a fortress you can explore. Hop off here for a relaxed stroll under the trees, a rest by the water or a picnic on the lawns; it is a welcome break for families after a morning of museums, and the bus brings you back to the centre whenever you are ready.

Porta Nuova, Via Roma and Piazza San Carlo

Porta Nuova is Turin's main railway station, a grand 19th-century building that makes a convenient stop for travellers arriving by train. From here Via Roma, the city's elegant shopping street under continuous arcades, runs straight to Piazza San Carlo, often called the drawing room of Turin, with its twin baroque churches and historic cafés famous for hot chocolate.

On 3-line tickets, the Blue and Green lines take you beyond the centre to areas that are harder to reach on foot, giving you a broader picture of the city. Is a Turin bus tour worth it? With two days of rides you can combine the Red Line's historic sights with the outer routes and plenty of museum time, without worrying about public transport tickets or long walks between landmarks.