Via Garibaldi, Turin

I have been to Torino for 7 short vacations. I stay in a very cheap hotel in Via San Dalmazzo, where there are two of the best restaurants in Turin, Taverna Dei Guitti and Mon Ami, and a great little caffe, Caffe San Dalmazzo. This street is a side street of via Garibaldi, about halfway along. Garibaldi runs from the Piazza Realle to Statuto, and is the longest pedestrian street in Europe, it is full of shops of all kinds, caffe's, bookstalls, and, always people, walking along, chatting, being families, eating ice-cream (check out Gelato dei Centro. All of the side streets have interesting, bars,restaurants and shops. Try exploring the parallel streets also. Lots to see and do.

Aperitivo Hour is wonderful, caffes tring to outdo each other with the sumptuousness of the free food. I suggest, Happy Days, Cutty Sark, Tambourini (for a bit of luxury) and my favourite, Caffe Garibaldi. Wonderfully friendly.

And just as an addition, if you are walking towards Statuto, just before you get to the arcade, on your left is a pretty good street market.

Have fun and don't worry about the bicycles they are very skilled and will not hit you.

Ron Gould.