Top 5 Day trips from Turin: by train
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Here is a quick guide to the Top 5 Day-trips by train from Turin: how to get there, why go there and some tips for an unforgettable stay. You have an extensive choice of destination: the Beach, the Alps, Vineyards for wine lovers & city life.
QUICK LINKS
- Charming Beach towns: Spotorno-Noli
- The Italian Alps: Sauze d’Oulx
- Aosta: The city & its mountains
- Alba Vineyards: relax with winetasting
- Milan: The Duomo, The Last supper & Shopping
1. Charming Beach towns: Spotorno-Noli
If you’re craving for a day at the beach, this is the right destination for you. Spotorno & Noli are two beautiful little beach-villages that are definitely worth a visit.
1.1 Where is it?
Spotorno and Noli are in the province of Savona, within the Liguria region. This is 1h 30 mins drive South-East of Turin, not too far from Genova.
1.2 Why go there?
CLEAN WATER
The sea water is clean, clear and blue. They regularly win the “Bandiera Blu award” which is awarded to Italian beaches with excellent water quality and high environmental standards: http://www.bandierablu.org/common/blueflag.asp?anno=2022&tipo=bb
NO TOURIST TRAPS
These villages are not very well known by tourists who tend to go to: Portofino or Santa Margherita. Most of the Italians living in Milan or Turin have a beach house and love to spend their weekends here.
RELAXING & AUTHENTIC
Here You can park the car on arrival & forget about it. Everything is walking distance. The sea shore is full of restaurants and the beaches are fully equipped with food, sun beds & umbrella
1.3 Train trip: Cost & Time?
Torino Porta Nuova – Spotorno one-way ticket: between 12-20 € / 2h30-3h
1.4 Learn More
To learn more about Spotorno-Noli, you may read my post on Best Beach trip from Turin.
2. The Italian Alps: Sauze D’Oulx
If you’re mountain guy, don’t miss the charming village of Sauze d’oulx in the heart of the Italian Alps.
2.1 Where is it?
Sauze d’Oulx is little town located in the Val di Susa, which is 80 km away West of Turin. The town is about 1,509 meters above the sea level.
2.2 Why go there?
DURING WINTER
It is a fantastic location for skiing or simply to enjoy some comfort food by the slopes.
It is part of the Via Lattea ski area (Milky Way), which comprehends also Sestriere and other famous little towns. It was one of the towns in which the 2006 Winter Olympic games took place.
It has 72 skilifts and 400 km of slopes, reaching up to 2.800 meters heights.
DURING SUMMER
You can go for a nice hike or simply enjoy some fresh air.
We loved the hike from Sauze to Monfol, it took us only 50 mins! The views were great and it offered stunning spots for picnics.
2.3 Train trip: Cost & Time?
- One-way train ticket: Turin to Oulx (direct train) is 1h 12min and 7.00 Eur
- Oulx to Sauze d’Oulx bus: 15 mins ride and 2 Eur
2.4 Learn More
To learn more about Sauze d’Oulx you may read my post on Best-ski day trip from Turin.
3. Aosta: the Old City & its Mountains
If you’re undecided between going the mountain or visiting a city, go to Aosta: it offers both!
3.1 Where is it?
Aosta is a town situated in the Aosta Valley. It is 80 kms north of Turin.
3.2 Why go there?
TO VISIT THE CITY
Aosta city is tiny but worth a visit. It is surrounded by mountains and hosts some nice old roman ruins. You can easily spend a day there and enjoy some local delicacies.
TO ENJOY ITS MOUNTAINS
Aosta hosts many skiing resorts: the Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa, the Matterhorn & the Gran Paradiso.
If you don’t have a car, the most accessible is probably the famous & exclusive resort of Courmayeur.
If you do have a car you may want to check out: Cervinia (the Italian side of the Matterhorn, opposite Zermatt), La Thuile and Pila.
3.3 Train Trip: Cost & Time?
Torino Porta Nuova – Aosta one-way train ticket: 10 € / 1h 55 mins
3.4 Local Tip: Don’t miss Pleiney
Take the 422 bus from Aosta and go to Pleiney, its only a 40 mins ride.
We found this incredible B&B called “la Nuit a Pleiney”. It is a marvelous chalet from the 1600 completely renovated. Spacious room and healthy breakfast with products from the region.
Pleiney is a tiny village in the middle of nowhere: perfect to recharge from the dust and bust of the city.
4. Alba & Langhe Vineyards
If you like the country-side, good wine and superior food then you must go to the Langhe Vineyards.
4.1 Where is it?
Alba is small city 60km from South of Turin. It is the main city within the famous “Langhe vineyards” area, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2014.
4.2 Why go there?
The Langhe area is famous for its gentle hills covered by vineyards stretching as far as the eyes can see. There are charming Medieval towns at the top of the hills which make the tour even more fascinating.
It’s one of the most prestigious wine regions of Italy, thanks to the award-winning Barolo & Barbaresco.
4.3 Train trip: Cost & Time
Torino Porta Nuova – Alba one-way train ticket: 6 € / 1h 25 mins
4.4 Learn More
To learn more about Langhe Vineyards, you may read my post on Unforgettable Barolo Wine Tour or the one on Perfect two day itinerary in Turin book.
4.5 Guided Tours
Once you’re in the area there are a couple of interesting things you could do. Valle d’Aosta if famous for two things: 1) its faboulous Mountains and 2) its tasty D.O.P. Fontina cheese.
The Mountains includes the Italian side of the Mont Blanc (the tallest mountain in Europe) and Cervinia which has one of the most popular & iconic mountains of Europe the Matterhorn (in Italian its called Cervino) which is opposite side of Zermatt (Switzerland).
If you are in Aosta, it would be a really good a idea to go and see at least the Mont Blanc. You can either take a bus up to the famous ski town of Courmayeur (~1 hours ride) or book a Blablacar ride (it will be only a 30 mins drive & super cheap).
There you can get on the “Sky Way” cable car which takes you up to 3,500 meters. You can eat something & admire the stunning views!
If you just want to chill, you may want to book a walking food tour so you can discover the city while at the same time tasting the best local food of the area. Stop at restaurants, wine bars and cafes together with a local food expert where you will have lunch & learn anecdotes about the dishes you taste.
I’ve added below a few suggestions which I thought might be handy. Please be aware that if you click and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost for you.
5. Milan: Duomo, Da Vinci & Shopping
If you’re mountain guy, don’t miss the charming village of Sauze d’oulx in the heart of the Italian Alps.
5.1 Where is it?
If you love the city-life then you must go to Milan, the economic & fashion capital of Italy.
5.2 Why go there?
Visiting the Duomo of Milan it is already worth the trip, this is truly one of the most beautiful churches in the world. At its top, you can have a stunning panoramic view overlooking the whole city.
One of the main reasons why Milan is so famous is for shopping. The most prestigious boutiques are in the famous Via Monte Napoleone or in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
Lastly, most people ignore that in Milan you have the chance of seeing in real life probably one of the most famous frescos in the whole world: Leonardo Da Vinci’s Last Supper.
5.3 Train Trip: Cost & Time?
- High-speed trains (Italo or Frecciarossa): 20 Euro/ 1h 00
- Regular train: One way ticket to Milan: 10 Euro / 1h 40 mins
5.4 Learn More
To learn more about Milan, you may read my post on whether to visit Turin or Milan.
5.5 Guided Tours
Milan is a pretty big city, the second biggest in Italy. The Metro works very well but if there is a nice day you might want to consider renting a bike and enjoy some fresh air and avoid crowds.
As mentioned above, the two must sees in Milan are definitely the Duomo and the Da Vinci’s Last Supper painting. As you can imagine they are pretty popular, so I strongly suggest the skip-the-line option.
I’ve added below a few suggestions in the section below. Please be aware that if you click and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost for you.
Hope you’ve found this post helpful. I wish you a lot of fun in your travels!
