Continuing along Via Po, we encountered more shops, several high-end, while walking under the opulent curved arcades that protect shoppers from inclement weather. Numerous side streets or walkways lead to more shops, restaurants, candy stores, and gelato shops. Eventually we came to Piazza Vittorio Veneto, one of the biggest squares in Europe. The open/far end of the piazza faces the Church of the Grand Mother of God along the Po River. It is here that I enjoyed (multiple times) one of the best meals in Turin: delicious ham lasagna!
Walking along the Po River never disappointed, as the people-watching was always interesting: from nuns washing their bed linens in the Po River to sunbathers occupying an incredibly small, man-made beach on a warm afternoon.
Walking this 2.5-mile journey with no side-street detours became our daily routine for the initial days of our life in Turin, as we learned the city and all its magical imagery.
The Holy Shroud
Turin is also known as the city of the Holy Shroud – the cloth used to wrap the body of Jesus after his crucifixion. There is speculation about the authenticity; however, it’s hard to doubt after seeing the replica Holy Shroud in the Cathedral of the Holy Shroud, visiting the museum, and listening to the justification of its authenticity.
Our walk to the Cathedral of the Holy Shroud, a short distance from the Piazza Castello, led us through a small piazza with restaurants providing 11€, fixed-price, 3-course meals for lunch, nice wine, and two scruffy old guys who sing and play a mean saxophone for tips. A great way to enjoy a lazy hour in the afternoon.
