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Turin, the First Capital of Italy and the House of Savoy
Sunday, August 29, 2021
11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Central Daylight Savings Time
Presented in English
Explore the city of Turin with Sentieri! We’ll see how Turin expanded and grew to become the first capital of Italy in 1861, ruled by King Vittorio Emanuele II of the House of Savoy.
We’ll visit the main residential palaces and the squares — the places in the heart of Turin that were the theaters of the life of this dynasty until the unification of Italy and then again until 1946.
We will see the historical palazzi (some of them are now Unesco Heritage sites) that were the seats of the power and daily life of the royal family. These include the Palazzo Reale, Palazzo Madama, Palazzo Carignano (birthplace of the first King of Italy and seat of Italy’s first parliament) and the Royal Church of St. Lorenzo (with a nod to the Holy Shroud, which was the property of the House of Savoy until 1983).
We will tour the key places in the city which will enable you to become acquainted with the main characters and the main historical events that led to the expansion of the dynasty and made Turin politically and historically great, so it became the first capital of Italy. We’ll discover the reasons why this dynasty of French origin managed to rule for nearly 1,000 years, thus becoming the longest reign in Italy and one of the longest in Europe — from their French origin as dukes until becoming kings of Italy.
We will also visit two very important places. First, the Basilica di Superga, at the top of the hill of Turin, was of key importance for the victory of the Savoy against the French, allowing the passage of their House from dukes to kings. Then to the Reggia di Venaria, (also called “the little Versailles”) a magnificent Savoy baroque castle just outside Turin, it was the first to be purposely built for hunting and to celebrate the wealth and splendor of the House.
During this tour, you will also get to know some of the architects like Guarino Guarini and Filippo Juvarra, who were famous throughout Europe in their time. They were called to Turin to work for the House of Savoy and left their indelible baroque imprint on the palaces, churches and urban development of the city.
Meet Our Guide
My name is Piermaria. I was born near Turin and grew up in Piedmont in the north of Italy. I studied English, French, German and Spanish at a language school for interpreters in Turin. I then worked for many years as an interpreter and translator and also taught languages in private companies, schools and vocational training courses.
In 2009, I decided to become a professional tour guide in the Piedmont region and I’ve been working as a tour guide ever since. In recent years I have also started taking people on hiking tours in the wonderful landscape of the wine region where I live.
I really love my job. Thanks to it, I can live most of my passions together at the same time. I’m curious and always willing to learn and discover something new. I’m a people person and passionate about art, travel, culture and nature. I also appreciate good cuisine — I’m a foodie and in Piedmont, we are never short of excellent wine and food!
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Turin — Sentieri Current Members-Only Pricing • August 29, 2021 @ $30
Turin — Non-Member Pricing • August 29, 2021 @ $40
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Please register by August 27, 2021 • Questions or concerns? email daniela@sentieri.com