My first surprise as we drove to Turin was a stop at La Reggia di Venaria Palace. Their magnificent gardens host bronze tree sculptures by Giuseppe Penone and dancing water fountains in the courtyard.
Once we got to Turin, we toured the Foundation Sandretto Re Rebaudengo. Located in a streamlined contemporary building by architect Claudio Silvestrin, it is a perfect setting to see the most forward and challenging art exhibitions. Be sure to eat at the cafe and look at the art vases in the gift shop.
The 11th century Castello di Rivoli, which houses Turin’s Museum of Contemporary Art, was another big surprise. The contrast of the ancient, architecturally restored rooms with the international, more contemporary collection of art works dating from the 1950s is memorable. Be sure to make a lunch reservation at their restaurant, Combal.Zero which has a two-star Michelin guide rating.
I was excited to tour the newly renovated Egyptian Museum. Critics have raved about the renovation, and justly so. It is spellbinding the way they show the Egyptian artifacts in context as to how the treasure was excavated: the viewer sees the entire room as it was originally found in the tombs.This museum is a “must see” when visiting Turin.
Juxtaposed with the opulence of the Egyptian Museum is the excellent Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli. This museum highlights the extreme restraint of architect Renzo Piano, who designed this small, private museum perched on the roof of the historic Fiat building.
Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli has masterpieces that include works by Picasso, Matisse, and Modigliani. As part of their programming, the museum invites artists to curate and show their private collections.
The best surprise happened on the day we were leaving for the airport. We visited the GAM, the Museum of Modern and Contemporary art in Turin. A splendid Claude Monet show was on view. Over 40 paintings were lent from the Musée d’Orsay in Paris. Room after room of world class masterpieces were on view, showing gorgeous impressionist landscapes and portraits of elegant late nineteenth-century women. The show was beautifully curated and received rave reviews.
The sign above the museum summed up this trip perfectly:
What a great way to say goodbye to a beautiful city.
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