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Turin’s stylish and buzzing café and nightlife scene is one of the most surprising aspects of a city famed for its industry, grey weather and dull personality. Turin’s cafés have long been famous as the place where 19th-century Parisian-style intellectuals gathered, reflected and gave birth to such things as the Italian nation, political movements and great football teams over a lingering cappuccino. For the most historic hotspots, still with lavish Parisian interiors, head for piazza Castello and piazza San Carlo. Most cafés are suitably open well into the early hours and also offer a good range of smaller meals and snacks.
The revitalized quadrilatero romano, north of via Garibaldi, is virtually wall-to-wall with funky new bars which serve plates of starters as canapés to accompany your campari from around 1900. Many of these bars are sponsored by Martini who have invented the local concept of the ‘drinner’ (a Martini or two with food and music). These bars become the city’s late lounges with St Germain and their imitators turned up high on the speakers.
When it comes to clubbing in Turin, don’t expect the stereotype V-neck and brogues, vanity and slightly dodgy techno of Milan and other Italian cities. Some mediocre discos do exist in town but Turin’s edge is its grungy youth culture based around reggae, drum’n’bass and jazz. The late hour meccas are the Po-side Murazzi, where former boathouses have been transformed into back-to-back riverside clubs (many of which are only open in summer), and the jazz venues of the Docks Dora in the northwest. Traditional discos are usually open until 0400 in the morning, as are the clubs in the Murazzi and Dora areas although some of these seem to stay open until the last person leaves. This alternative scene is the heartbeat and barometer of Turin. Many venues are linked to associations such as ARCI and AICS, associations for which in theory a yearly pass is required in order to gain entry. This is obtainable immediately on the door but may cost more than you want to pay. As a temporary visitor, if you take some ID with you and are prepared to leave it on the door, that should suffice for free entry. If they look like resisting, plead your case as a foreigner and newcomer to Turin. They’ll want to show you the place and make a good impression. Entry into bars is always free; discos and nightclubs can cost anything from E 10-15 at the cheap end to E 20-25 for places like Hennessey.
Travel Guides | Turin | Bars and Clubs Turin
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