Piazza San Carlo

Piazza San Carlo is the elegant heart of Baroque Turin, an arcaded square laid out in the seventeenth century and long known as the salotto, or drawing room, of the Piedmont capital. Symmetrical porticoed palaces in warm stone frame the space, and at the southern end stand the celebrated twin churches of Santa Cristina and San Carlo Borromeo, whose matching facades create one of the most photographed compositions in the city. At the centre rises the equestrian monument to Emanuele Filiberto, sculpted by Carlo Marochetti in 1838 and affectionately known to locals as the Caval ëd Brôns, the bronze horse. The square's arcades shelter some of Turin's most historic cafes, where the city's tradition of vermouth, bicerin and elegant aperitivo took shape, and the marble pavements make it a natural place to pause and watch city life. Visitors typically spend thirty to forty-five minutes here, more if they linger over a coffee, and the square works well as a hub between Via Roma's luxury shops, Piazza Castello and the museums nearby. The best atmosphere comes in the early evening aperitivo hour, when locals fill the cafe tables under the porticoes, and in the soft light of morning the twin churches photograph beautifully without crowds. As a free, always-open public space it has no admission, though it grows busy during festivals, markets and major city events. Set in the very centre of Turin, it is a short walk from Porta Nuova station and is one of the finest expressions of the harmonious Baroque urban planning for which the city is renowned.