Polytechnic University of Turin
Country/city
Situated in the North West of the country, on the banks of the Po River and surrounded by the Alps, Torino is the administrative centre of the Piedmont Region and the third biggest city in Italy
The biggest attraction is the city itself with its cultural offerings, thanks to a wide range of museums, sites, monuments, churches, parks, theatres and events which take place all year round. More than two thousand years of history have contributed to build up this incredible heritage: from the Roman Empire, through the Middle Ages, the Savoy court, becoming the first capital of Italy in 1861 over the Risorgimento, to being the capital of Italian industrial production over the 20th century with FIAT.
The historic restaurants and cafes, the long arcaded streets and the multiethnic neighborhoods, the great events and the many small pleasures that have always made it unique, in a harmonious balance among the rational Roman urban planning, the moderate splendor of the Piemonte baroque and the originality of modern and contemporary architecture.
Torino must be discovered slowly, step by step, even by walking through streets and squares looking all around you, even upwards, and above all, the city has to be lived.
For this reason, there are some things that are absolute “must-dos”, “must-sees” and “must-tastes”.
By night Torino changes appearance, a city that loves to have fun and to entertain its guests. What better way to discover the place than to live it to the full? Right from the aperitif moment the streets light up and all the night spots come to life, the wine bars, restaurants and clubs offer jazz music or a trendy DJ set.
And then there’s also classical music, theatre and opera for the more refined tastes, shows, concerts, cabaret, literary cafés, carnivals, dance, all night long events… something for everyone.
Monthly budget
€ 400
Accomodation
€ 26
Transport
Student prices
€ 300
Food
€ 30-50
Other expenses
Clothes, cleaning products, …
€ 160
Entertainment
€ 30-50
Telephone and Internet
Get to Torino
Torino, thanks to its geographical position, can be reached easily by the most common transportation routes.
By train
Torino is a nationally and internationally important railway junction and high-speed trains connect it to Europe and to the rest of Italy.
By plane
Airport Torino Sandro Pertini (TRN) to city centre: 45 minutes (by shuttle bus).
By bus
If you are coming to Torino by bus, there are many links connecting the main national and international cities with Torino.
On site
Tramway, subway, bus
Torino local transportation is served by GTT – Gruppo Trasporti Torinese. Buses and trams usually run from 5 a.m. until midnight on weekdays. On the weekend, at night, special lines called “Nightbuster” run until 5 a.m.
Bicycle
Torino is equipped with a modern and very well organized bike-sharing system TO-BIKE with 116 stations scattered all over the city. It is very cheap and gives you the chance to explore the city along unconventional routes!
Food
As you may know, food is extremely important for Italians ! You will notice this: cafés, restaurants, pizzerias, food festivals, the delicious smell of cooking coming from an open window…Of course, everyone has heard of pizza, pasta and cappuccino, but how about meal times, or what to have for each meal? Italians usually have three main meals during the day: la colazione, il pranzo e la cena.
Pasta or rice-based dishes are called primi piatti (“first courses”). Meat or fish-based dishes are considered secondi piatti (“second courses”). Secondi piatti usually comes with sides (contorni). On a restaurant menu you will see antipasti (starters), primi, secondi, contorni e dolci (desserts). Pizza is usually considered a main dish (piatto unico).
As well as the three main meals, Italians sometimes have a mid-morning snack (spuntino) and an aperitivo before dinner, consisting of a cold drink and crisps (patatine) or savoury snacks (salatini) such as mini-pizzas (pizzette) to share.
Accommodations
International students can rent a room at university residences managed by EDISU Piemonte, the Regional Agency for the Right to Education of Piedmont. Rooms at Edisu must be booked through the EDISU online procedure (available in Italian and English).
If you are looking for an accomodation in Torino have a look at PoliTO website for all details on the different options.
Good to know! meta4.0 also has a partnership with Erasmus Play!
Erasmus Play is a search engine for student accommodation across Europe. It allows students to quickly and easily compare all available accommodation and book in safety as all the accommodations are 100% verified.
Things to do/see
Lively and always in movement, Torino is also an incredibly a city set in the heart of verdant areas: gently resting on the hillside and enclosed by the winding course of the River Po, it owes much of its charm to its enchanting location at the foot of the western Alps, watched over by snowy peaks.
The first Capital of Italia invites you to discover its ancient and modern history, the palaces and museums, the parks and tree-lined avenues, the Royal Residences declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the river and the hills, the restaurants and historic coffee houses, the long colonnaded streets and the multiethnic neighbourhoods, the great events and the many little pleasures which have always made it unique, in a balance between the rational Roman town layout, the measured pomp of Piemonte baroque and the originality of the modern and contemporary architecture. Torino is also a capital of taste with a long tradition of chocolate.
Torino must be discovered step by step strolling along its streets and piazzas; mostly, it has to be lived !