A JEWEL IN THE CROWN

Meet your private guide and driver at your hotel and relax on the ride to Venaria Reale. Here you will spend the morning marvelling at the sheer opulence of the Royal Palace, the former residence of the rulers of the House of Savoy, and lingering along the paths of its carefully manicured gardens.

The mansion was originally built in the second half of the 17th century as a base for Duke Charles Emmanuel II’s princely pastime. As the word Venaria reveals – deriving from the Latin term Venatio, meaning hunt – this stately home served as a hunting lodge for the duke’s expeditions in the woods north of Turin. Court architect Amedeo di Castellamonte was entrusted with the task of drawing up the plans for a grandiose estate. His project included a sumptuous palace, an extensive park, a hunting ground as well as an entire village where court dignitaries, officers, farmers and artisans could find accommodation. But this modest arrangement evidently fell short of the family’s aspirations and the duke’s successors redesigned the complex, which was then enlarged with pavilions and stables, festooned with finely carved stucco mouldings, decorated with sculptures and paintings, becoming the jewel of the Savoy rulers’ richly embellished Corona di Delizie.

Indeed Turin is surrounded by a number of remarkable royal palaces belonging to a single architectural and urban plan that aims to create an ideal frame around the city. The mansions have always been known collectively as the Crown of Delights of the House of Savoy and refer to a group of luxury country retreats, built between the 16th and 18th centuries, that doubled as administrative headquarters for the ruling class.

Your guide will lead you through the halls of this UNESCO-listed palazzo and enrich your experience with tales and intriguing anecdotes about some of Italy’s prime movers, those who made and changed the course of its history. Your visit begins with a tour of the basement, once used as kitchens, service rooms and storage, and today the site of a permanent exhibition on the Savoys. Here you will learn about the genealogy of the family, from its somewhat fanciful, legendary 10th century origins to the early 19th century, when the main branch became extinct. You will then head upstairs to the Piano Nobile to gain a fascinating glimpse of courtly life as you wander through the exquisitely decorated royal apartments. Here you will also witness the significant contribution of Baroque star Filippo Juvarra to the building’s greatest masterpieces: the Great Gallery and the Chapel of St. Hubert are among the major achievements of 17th century northern Italian architecture.

The neighbouring garden, with its geometric parterres, colourful flower beds and rose pergola, provides a magnificent backdrop to the palazzo. Enjoy a leisurely stroll through this peaceful oasis before returning to your hotel in Turin.