Torino, Italien
Medium size industrial city, located in north-western Italy in the region of Piedmont; Turin is sometimes called the Capital of the Alps for the spectacular alpine setting surrounding the city. No wonder Turin was chosen to hold the 2006 Winter Olympics. Turin was once the seat of the House of Savoy, a leading Piedmontese noble family who supported the unification of Italy in the mid nineteenth century: Turin became thus the first capital city of the Regno D'Italia. With its busy Caselle airport, today Turin is a centre for business and industry, renowned for holding the headquarters of FIAT and Lancia, Italy's leading car manufacturers. Though Turin has shed her aristocratic glitter, it has not ceased to enchant the many visitors that come each year. Perhaps Turin's most important landmark is the imposing Mole Antonelliana, a unique structure that dominates the skyline of this splendid city. Take a stroll through Torino's grandiose avenues with the Alps in the background, and indulge yourself in a luscious gianduiotto chocolate and a glass of Italy's "noble" Barolo wine.
