A Local’s Guide to the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy in Turin
What’s a visit to Turin if you don’t visit at least one of its incredible Royal House of Savoy residences? As someone who grew up in Torino, these residences have always been a part of my life, and I’m so excited to share them with you!😍
Italy is the country with the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world, holding 58 sites. Turin was the first capital of Italy and home to the House of Savoy, a royal dynasty established in 1003 that ruled up until 1946. Despite its four UNESCO recognitions, there is only one main Turin UNESCO World Heritage Site: The Royal Residences of the House of Savoy.😍
Turin’s UNESCO World Heritage Site is composed by a total of 22 Royal Residences of the House of Savoy, with 11 of them being in the city center of Turin.
The residences fall into three categories: the Zona di Comando, the Corona di Delizie, and the 19th-century holiday resorts. The Zona di Comando consists of buildings created to conduct political, administrative, and cultural activities. The Corona di Delizie consists of residencies dedicated to relaxing, parties, and hunting.
Without further ado, here are the 7 most iconic and beautiful royal residences in Turin! Most of these are right in the Center, so you will be able to see them all by walking around the city. All of them are must-visits, but this guide will help you pick the ones you want to visit if you are limited on time.
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7 Must-See Royal Residences of the House of Savoy in Turin (UNESCO Site)
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Palazzo Reale (Zona di Comando)
- 💸 Free entrance with Torino + Piemonte card
- 📍 Location: Piazzetta Reale, 1, 10122 Torino TO, Italy
Welcome to the most iconic residences of Turin!
Dating back to the 16th century, the Royal Palace of Turin, was once the hub of the Court and political power and the main residence of the House of Savoy.
Over the years, the palace has undergone several renovations. In the 17th century, Christine of France worked with architect Filippo Juvarra to modernize and elevate its grandeur. Later, in the 18th century, Pelagio Palagi added further neoclassical elegance to the interiors
Inside, you’ll find everything from the personal rooms of the royal family to grand dining halls, the Royal Armory, the Sabauda Gallery (an art museum), and even the Chapel of the Holy Shroud.
Bonus: You can stroll through the Giardini Reali (Royal Gardens) for free. This is a perfect spot to relax and enjoy views of the palace from the outside.
Want to dive deeper into the history and architecture of the Royal Palace? This best-rated guided tour could be perfect for you! This skip-the-line tour is led by a licensed local guide and lasts 1.5 hours. Book your tickets before it sells out!👇
Palazzo Madama (Zona di Comando)
- 💸 Free entrance with Torino + Piemonte card
- 📍 Location: P.za Castello, 10122 Torino TO, Italy
- 🗺️ How to Get There: Right next to Palazzo Reale
Dating back to the 17th century, the Palazzo Madama was the official residence of the Madame Reali.
The Madame Reali commissioned the construction of the grand staircase and elegant facade. Filippo Juvarra, an important architect of Turin, finished Madame’s project in 1718. Throughout the centuries, this palace has been renovated several times.
Something really neat about this palace is that it actually has over 2000 years of history, with a façade dating back to Medieval times. The Medieval façade was originally an ancient Roman gate.
With several floors to explore, Palazzo Madama has lots to offer to its visitors. Here you will not only visit royal rooms, but also a contemporary museum, baroque masterpieces on the second floor, one of the most important collections of decorative arts in Europe, a hidden garden, and finally – the Observation Tower.
Palazzo Madama is smaller than the Royal Palace, so here you can expect your visit to last around 1 hour / 1.5 hours depending on your pace.
Facciata del Teatro Regio (Zona di Comando)
- ✨ Events
- 📍 Location: P.za Castello, 215, 10124 Torino TO, Italy
- 🗺️ How to Get There: Short walk from Palazzo Reale
Dating back to the early 18th century, the Teatro Regio is one of the most prestigious theatre in Turin.
Vittorio Amedeo II hired Filippo Juvarra to create a grand theatre for the reorganization of Piazza Castello – the square that houses Palazzo Reale and Palazzo Madama.
When Filippo Juvarra passed away, King Carlo Emanuele III entrusted the project to Benedetto Alfieri. Since 1740, Teatro Regio has been a very prestigious theatre where people attend ballet shows, concerts, and more.
Teatro Regio is an active theater and not a traditional residence you can tour like the other palaces in this list. Being in Piazza Castello you can easily check out its façade, or book tickets to one of its shows and events!
Palazzo Carignano (Zona di Comando)
- 💸Free entrance with Torino + Piemonte card
- 📍 Location: Via Accademia delle Scienze, 5, 10123 Torino TO, Italy
- 🗺️ How to Get There: Short walk from Piazza Castello
Welcome to one of the most historically important residences and home to the first Italian parliament, Palazzo Carignano!
Dating back to the 17th century, this palace is where the princes Carlo Alberto and Vittorio Emanuele II were born, and where the unification of Italy was officially proclaimed.
Today, people can visit the rooms of the Princes’ apartments and Museum of the Risorgimento, where you’ll find all sorts of documents, historic artifacts, and the history of Italy’s unification and what it took to reach it.
If you are someone who loves history, this is one of the best palaces to visit!
Castello del Valentino (Corona di Delizie)
- 💸 Free Guided Tours
- 📍 Location: Viale Pier Andrea Mattioli, 39, 10125 Torino TO, Italy
- 🗺️ How to Get There: 30 minute walk from Piazza San Carlo
Emmanuel Philibert bought this residence in 1564 after his official arrival in Piedmont. Later on, Christine of France commissioned Carlo di Castellamonte to reconstruct the place into a Maison de Plaisance. This explains why the castle shares similarities with French architecture.
The Castle is named “del Valentino” because of the word “Vallantinum“, the geomorphological nature of its land. Throughout time, this castle became the Royal School of Application for Engineers and the Royal Industry Museum.
This is about a 15-minute walk from the center, in the beautiful Parco del Valentino.
The Castello del Valentino is managed by the Polytechnic University of Torino. Make sure to check out their schedule and sign up for a free guided tour of the castle!
Important Note. Reservations close two days before the scheduled visit date – make sure to schedule your tour well in advance.
Reggia di Venaria (Corona di Delizie)
- 💸 Free entrance with Torino + Piemonte card
- 📍 Location: Piazza della Repubblica, 4, 10078 Venaria Reale TO, Italy
- 🗺️ How to Get There: Venaria Express or Public Transportation
Welcome to the largest residence of the Savoy Family, and the second-largest castle in Italy!🤯
Not only is this the largest residence, but the most grandiose alongside the Royal Palace. It comes to no surprise that this exemplary Baroque masterpiece is another of Filippo Juvarra’s works.
The Reggia di Venaria Reale is one of the finest examples of universal Baroque and is particularly famous for its breathtaking Galleria Grande, “Great Gallery” and enormous gardens. Often nicknamed the Versailles of Piedmont, the Dukes of Savoy actually intended for this palace to challenge Versailles.
Once you’re done visiting the Reggia, make sure to also walk around the historic center of Venaria Reale!😍
This is outside of the city center but is a short commute and is ABSOLUTELY worth visiting. For the commute, with a Torino + Piemonte Card you will get a discount on transportation.
Want to dive deeper into the history of the Reggia di Venaria? This best-rated guided tour might be perfect for you! Personally, this price is a bit too high – but based on the reviews and the expert guide, it sounds like a great tour for those who have the budget. Book your tour here!👇
Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi (Corona di Delizie)
- 💸 Free entrance with Torino + Piemonte card
- 📍 Location: Piazza Principe Amedeo, 7, 10042 Stupinigi, Nichelino TO, Italy
- 🗺️ How to Get There: Public Transportation
Dating back to the 18th century, Palazzina di Caccia was once the main hunting lodge and the location for all sorts of Royal celebrations – ranging from parties to weddings.
Along with many of the other Royal Residences, this lodge was designed by Filippo Juvarra, and its construction ended in 1733.
One main difference between this residence and the other ones, is that the Palazzina di Caccia features the dreamy Rococo architecture.
Similar to Reggia di Venaria Reale, the Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi is located a little over 30 minutes outside of the city center. You can easily reach it with a taxi or public transportation, and is absolutely worth the visit – especially if you want to experience something more unique.
Planning to only visit one royal residence, and planning to get the Turin+Piemonte City Card or Royal Pass? Then you can book your tickets here!👇
Map of the 7 Must-Visit Royal Residences of House of Savoy
Dive Deeper in History with Guided Tours
Here are three best guided tours you can take through some of the Royal Residences of Turin. Save your spot today for your favorite residence!👇
Visit the Royal Residences for Free with the Torino + Piemonte Card!
That’s right, with the Torino + Piemonte card, you can visit all the Royal residences for free and get discounts on the commute to those that are outside the city center. When purchasing this card, you will be asked to choose how many days you want it to count for– from 1 day all the way to 5 days.
Important Note: The 24-hour card only allows up to 3 free entrances. Due to this, I highly recommend a 2-Day or 3-Day card.
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Here additional posts that will help you out with your upcoming Turin and Italy travels!👇
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- Where to Stay in Turin: A Local’s Complete Dive for Tourists
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I have to ask…
Which of these Royal Residences would you visit first? Let me know in the comments!😊👇
Share this with family and friends who would find this helpful!
Definitely into the Reggia di Venaria Reale with the view of the Alps. Can’t wait!
Yes!! It is such a spectacular and mesmerizing residence. You will love it!😍