Province TO
Venaria Reale, TO
A town just northwest of Turin, built in the 17th century as the service settlement for a Savoy hunting palace. The palace complex and the adjoining La Mandria park are the reason to come. The historic core is a planned baroque street laid out to frame the palace gates.
Sights
- Reggia di Venaria, the Savoy royal hunting residence begun in the 1660s, part of the UNESCO Residences of the Royal House of Savoy
- Galleria Grande, Juvarra's long barrel-vaulted gallery and the single most photographed interior
- Chiesa di Sant'Uberto, Juvarra's court church inside the complex, dedicated to the patron saint of hunters
- Parco La Mandria, the regional nature park adjoining the palace, a former royal hunting estate
- Via Mensa and the Borgo Antico, the 17th-century axis designed as an approach to the palace
Things to do
- Walk or cycle the flat trails of La Mandria and look for the free-ranging deer
- See the formal gardens, which are a separate walk from the interiors
- Come out from Turin by train or the dedicated bus and treat it as a half day
Annual events
September
Festa Patronale di Maria Bambina
The town patronal festival with a street programme, running for more than forty editions.
When to visit
April to June or September, when the gardens and park are at their best and the palace is less crowded than in August.
