Turin Shopping and Districts

(Turin, Piedmont, Italy)

Whilst Turin may not have the reputation as a shopping Mecca in Italy, the city nevertheless has plenty of shops to keep most visitors happy. As well as haute couture and high street fashion brands, Turin boasts plenty of bookshops, department stores and even the odd shopping centre or two.

In particular, Turin boasts one of the longest stretches of pedestrianised shopping street in the whole of Europe. At over 1 km / 0.6 miles in length, there's plenty of scope for window shopping without having to mind the traffic.

When to Shop and Opening Hours

Shopping hours in Turin generally run from 09:00 to 13:00 and then from 16:00 to 19:30 from Monday to Saturday. However, shopping centres, supermarkets and large department stores tend to stay open a little longer, until 21:00. The 8 Gallery shopping mall at the Lingotto Centre opens from 14:00 to 22:00 on Monday and from 10:00 to 22:00 on Tuesday to Sunday.

Where to Shop

Serious shopaholics need never venture from Via Roma's designer boutiques. Stretching from Piazza Castello to Turin's main train station, Via Roma offers prêt-a-porter fashion in plenty. Many shops are housed within arcades, so even on wet days, it's possible to shop in relative comfort.

If your tastes are more modest and you want a quieter shopping experience in Turin, then the pedestrianised Via Garibaldi is lined with some interesting small shops, including the official store for the local Juventus football team. Head to Via Po if you have more eclectic tastes or want to stock up on books.

In a suburb to the west of Turin city centre is Le Gru, a huge air-conditioned shopping mall which is reputed to be amongst the largest in Europe. It certainly offers pretty much everything you could want, including some 180 shops, a supermarket, department stores, restaurants and childcare facilities. Also worth mentioning, the 8 Gallery at Turin's Lingotto Centre also has over 90 shops, as well as a multiplex cinema, supermarket, restaurants and a bank.

If your tastes are more modest, every district of Turin has its own market. However, the best and biggest market is that held daily on the Piazza della Repubblica. The Porta Palazzo, as the market is known, is a good place if you are shopping for food, self-catering or planning a picnic. There is also a section of the market dedicated solely to clothing stalls. On the second Sunday of each month, a huge flea market known as the Balon is also held on this piazza. A good place to visit if you're looking for regional foods is the Turin Farmers' Market, located on Piazza Palazzo di Città on the first Sunday of the month.