Every design for Torino

Have you noticed how Turin seems to arrange itself around its mountains? On a clear day the western Alpine arch stands behind the rooftops, and from Superga hill the city lies stretched along the River Po as if you could hold it in your hand. Turin was the capital of the Duchy of Savoy, then the first capital of the Kingdom of Italy, and the political centre of the Risorgimento.

For many Turinese, home has a taste: a gianduiotto, a glass of vermouth, grissini on the table, an espresso at the bar. These are things the city gave the world, along with Fiat and a long habit of making things well. Memory here also has a skyline. The Mole Antonelliana, the city's architectural symbol, now houses the National Museum of Cinema; Palazzo Madama and the Palazzo Reale recall the House of Savoy, whose residences are a World Heritage Site; and the Basilica di Maria Ausiliatrice draws the faithful from across the city.

Then look for the Porta Palatina on the map: an ancient gate that stood long before the Savoy dukes arrived, still marking the edge of the old city while modern Turin carries on around it.