Turin is a historic city in the north of Italy and the capital of the Piedmont region.

9 Sep 2019

Gruppo UNA

There are a wide variety of outdoor activities and attractions in Turin, including parks perfect for taking a relaxing stroll in. The Parco del Valentino, the city's best-loved public park is ideal. Or, try canoeing or kayaking on the majestic River Po. Of course, Turin is also famed as the gateway to the entire Piedmont region with all its fantastic outdoor activities and winter sports resorts.

More about the most popular outdoor activities in Turin.

As already noted, the Parco del Valentino is one of the most popular central Turin parks, known affectionately as Il Valentino by locals. The park is a World Heritage Site and home to the historic Valentino Castle. Autumn in Valentino Park can be spectacular, as its ancient trees turn colours, and visitors to the city will find the park is a lovely location for jogging, walking, or bike riding. 

The Turin Outdoor and Bike Park (TOP) will be a major city attraction when completed. This park will be the largest outdoor park in Europe, offering mountain bikers, climbers, hikers, joggers, and sporting families the opportunity to get out into the Alps above Turin and challenge their bodies. The project will provide cable cars to the peaks for mountain bikers, hikers, and explorers, with plenty of space for backpacks or bikes. The river park is situated in an ancient forest and provides gentler sporting activities as well as a restaurant and hotel. Find out more about the proposals for the Turin Outdoor and Bike Park on their website. 

Turin is famed for two great soccer teams: Juventus and Torino. So it's not difficult to see why football is classed as one of the best sports Turin has to offer. However, it should be highlighted that Turin is also a winter sports capital, and offers a wide range of indoor and outdoor sports throughout the year, including tennis, golf, swimming, basketball, and hiking. 

Kayaking on the River Po is also popular in the city, which has hosted the annual Silver Skiff Regatta since the year 1992. There are three canoeing and kayaking clubs in Turin, so visitors with a yen for boating can easily hire a craft.  

Keen cyclists will also find Turin is an extremely bike-friendly city, offering around twenty-five miles of cycleways which often enable cyclists to avoid major roads altogether. Turin also hosts its annual marathon which takes place every November.

Hosting the Winter Olympics in 2006 ensured Turin a top sport for winter sports tourism, and local Piedmont resorts are briefly discussed below.

Discover the Great Outdoors in Piedmont.

Alps in Piedmont

The Piedmont region is virtually surrounded by the Alps, so mountains feature heavily in the outdoor sporting activities Piedmont has to offer. That said, the central Piedmont region is a fertile valley, famed for its wine and crop production. Lake Maggiore is also located in Piedmont. There are around 56 national or regional parks in the region, so outdoor experiences in Piedmont are available in just about every location. 

Lake Maggiore is famed for its watersports, including skiing, jet skiing, windsurfing, and sailing, although many visitors find the sub-glacial waters a bit too cold for swimming! There are a few sandy beaches on the lake, such as Cannobio or Baveno. It's easy to hire a boat for a few hours or for the day from a variety of different marinas based around the shores of the lake, and holidaymakers can also take boat tours of the lake or visit its islands by boat if preferred.

Other popular outdoor activities in Piedmont include climbing, hot air ballooning, hiking, orienteering, white water rafting, and mountain biking.

Piedmont winter ski resorts.

Alps

There are nearly 800 miles of ski slopes in Piedmont and lots more opportunities for off-piste ski or snowboard activities. Some of the best-known ski resorts in the region include Via Lattea, Mondole Ski, and the highest resort of Alagna Valsesia. With 277 ski lifts in the region, Piedmont winter snow holidays have become more and more common with travellers from all areas of the world. 

You can find out more about visiting Turin and Piedmont in our Gruppo UNA magazine, or get in contact with us direct to discuss any questions you may have about the city.  

Where to stay in Turin.

Our five star Principi di Piemonte | UNA Esperienze hotel is located bang in the middle of Turin and is the ideal location for travellers seeking the best of sports in Turin and the wider Piedmont region. Get in touch or browse our website to find out more! 

Principi di Piemonte | UNA Esperienze

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