Parco del Valentino

Torino's Green Escape by the Po

Laid out along the east bank of the river Po in the 19th century, Parco del Valentino is central Torino's main green space — wide tree-lined paths, riverside lawns and, at its heart, the Borgo Medievale, a remarkably convincing recreation of a Piedmontese medieval village built for the 1884 General Exhibition.

The park also fronts the Castello del Valentino, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed 17th-century royal residence now home to the Politecnico di Torino's architecture faculty. It's an easy, flat walk from the apartment and a good counterpoint to a day of piazze and museums — popular with runners, families and anyone wanting an hour by the water.