One of Italy's most important industrial centres, home to around 900,000 people and covering an area of over 50 sq mls, this prosperous city's appeal as a tourist destination has often been overlooked. But while the suburbs are characterised by car plants and factories, the city centre offers a wealth of hidden treasures and architectural interest, much of which bears witness to Turin's often turbulent history. Hannibal was an unwelcome visitor in 218 BC when he razed it to the ground; it was rebuilt by Emperor Augustus and there are still Roman remains today. It was also heavily bombed during World War II, although fortunately its splendid baroque character survived the onslaught. Via Roma forms the backbone of the compact historical centre, linking the main railway station with the Royal Palace via 3 piazzas: Carlo Felice, San Carlo and Castello. Most tourist activity is concentrated within this zone. Corso Vittorio Emanuele II is the other main thoroughfare and leads to popular parkland beside the River Po. Mainly flat with a grid-like layout, the city is relatively straightforward to navigate, while vaulted arcades along many streets offer a welcome respite from summer heat and winter chill. In August humidity can be particularly unpleasant - many locals take holidays at this time - and late spring/early autumn are the best times to visit.

Predominantly business and convention clientele plus increasing numbers of holidaymakers and weekenders. Attracts backpackers and upmarket visitors alike; lovers of art, architecture and culture, shopaholics and soccer fans will all find something of interest. A mecca for pilgrims during rare unveilings of the Holy Shroud.

A full range, although predominantly middlemarket and geared towards business and conference clientele. Quiet and good value in August; busier and more expensive during the ski season.

An impressive selection from top fashion boutiques to traditional delicatessens. Leather goods, foodstuffs and household items are typically good quality; shoes, chocolates and cheese are favourite buys. Many designer outlets are located among the arcades of Via Roma. Via Garibaldi - the city's longest pedestrianised street - offers a broader selection of shops, and specialist traders cluster around the historical centre. Numerous markets, including Porta Palazzo - reputedly Europe's largest open-air market.

Daytime: walking tours to get the best of the city's baroque architecture, long vaulted arcades and piazzas; 40 museums, including art museums and galleries, the Egyptian Museum, an impressive Automobile Museum and the Royal Armoury (a collection of antique weaponry occupying the grand gallery of the Royal Palace); many churches, notably Duomo di San Giovanni Battista where the Turin Shroud is kept (although rarely displayed); parks and gardens include the Royal Gardens and Valentino Park and Castle beside the River Po. Nightlife: Valentino Park, the Murazzi area along the Po riverbank and Docks Dora on Via Valprato are popular hotspots, but bars - even a handful of British-style pubs - are plentiful throughout the city centre; cafe life in the lively Fornelletti district; in summer (apart from Aug) open-air concerts and festivals feature anything from rock to jazz; many theatres including Teatro Regio, best known for its opera; classical music venues include the Lingotto Auditorium and the Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi.

Plenty of variety suiting all budgets, with numerous cafes, a handful of fast-food eateries, top-quality restaurants and traditional trattorias offering good-value pizzas and pasta dishes. Meats, cheeses and wild mushrooms form the basis of an acclaimed cuisine with strong French influences. Confectioners offer delicious pastries and chocolates; Italian ice cream needs little introduction.

An efficient bus and tram network provides good coverage of the city and suburbs; timetables are available from the tourist office and displayed at each stop. Tickets are purchased in advance from newsstands and tobacconists; 1-hour and day tickets are available. Links via coach and train to nearby towns are good, as are connections to neighbouring countries. Metered taxis are plentiful and offer reasonable value. Car rental agencies are found at the airport.

Half day: Superga Nature Reserve and Mesino Park (home to a colony of grey herons) in the hills E of the city. Full day: vineyards; alpine walks and quaint villages in the Po Valley; medieval towns of Alba and Saluzzo; Sacra di San Michele hilltop abbey in the Susa Valley. Two days: alpine walks and the resorts of Sestriere and Sauze d'Oulx in the Piemontese ski-region; Gran Paradiso National Park and the resort of Courmayeur in Valle d'Aosta in the foothills of the Alps; Lake Maggiore.

In NW Italy, at the heart of the Piemonte region. 350 mls NW of the capital, Rome. 100 mls SW of Milan. 100 mls N of San Remo on the Mediterranean coast. 35 mls E of Piemontese ski resorts and the French border. 10 mls S of Caselle airport.

At the confluence of the rivers Po, Stura and Dora Riparia, right at the W edge of a flat plain, in an area known as the Po Valley. Wooded hills to the E; Alps to the W.

Website: www.turismotorino.org

Airport : Caselle
Airport Code: TRN
Flight time from ther U.K.: 1 hr. 45 mins