Piazza Vittorio Veneto

This massive Baroque square stretches out like an amphitheater, with its sweeping arcades descending toward the Po River and framing a perfect view of the Gran Madre di Dio church across the water. It's Europe's largest square of its kind, built in the 1800s as Turin's grand entrance from the river. You'll get one of the city's best panoramic shots here, with the Alps rising behind the neoclassical church and the green Collina Torinese hills rolling away to the east.

The square feels theatrical, almost like a movie set with its uniform cream colored porticoes curving down toward the river. Late afternoon light hits the arcades beautifully, and you'll see locals settling into the cafe tables under the colonnades as the sun starts to sink. The space opens up dramatically as you walk down from Via Po, and the view across to Gran Madre gets better with each step toward the river side.

Most guidebooks make this sound more exciting than it actually is. It's gorgeous for photos and aperitivo, but you don't need more than 20 minutes here unless you're settling in for drinks. The cafes under the arcades charge tourist prices (expect 8-12 EUR for cocktails), but the terrace tables with river views justify the markup. Skip the upper section near Via Po and head straight to the bottom for the best perspective.