Transportation
Metro:
- The Torino metro system only has one line which was built in 2006 for the Olympics.
- There is nobody who “drives” the metro train
- As seen below, there is a sort of window that prevents people from jumping or throwing objects on the track.
Bus:
- A bus, metro, or tram ticket can usually be purchased at a metro station or at “tabaccherie” NOTE: You CANNOT pay your fare on the bus or tram!! So it's always best to have a few tickets on you!
- While one can assume that the bus will stop for you when you are waiting at a bus stop, that is not always the case. If you want to make sure that the bus will absolutely stop, extend your arm!!
Food and Drink
- Aperitivo: It’s like Happy Hour, but better. If you’re travelling and on a budget most bars and cafés in Torino (I have yet to discover what it is like for the rest of Italy) will have an aperitivo. Starting at about €8, you can buy one drink and eat at an all you can eat buffet. The aperitivo will usually start at around 6pm and go up until 9 or 10 pm. Food at the buffet usually includes, pizza, pasta, cold cuts, fruits, vegetables, and desert. The ones that are usually a little more then €8 (usually around €10) will have a bigger spread.
- Money Saving Tip: You can get more bang for your euro if you eat like the locals do then if you were to eat at a fast food chain. And yes, that means carbs!!
- For those of you who warned me about the food in Italy, yes, it’s ALL carbs ALL the time!! However, (this is based on my observations) everybody seems to be in shape. This is probably because:
1) Everybody usually sits down to have a meal
2) Portion control!!
3) I haven’t noticed any drive thru or delivery services, so this usually means that people have to actually get out of the house and actually MOVE to get their food!
- To all Canadian and American coffee lovers who may be reading this while drinking your morning coffee: You’re probably doing it wrong!! As some people have told me, and as many of the coffee shops here have shown me, nobody sells what they call “pints’’ of coffee. The ''shorter'' the better!!
- If you walk into a coffee shop and the barista asks you if you want your coffee at the bar (al banco) or if you want to sit down, the reason she asks you is because it costs more to sit down!!
Fashion
- All I can say is that people look beautiful ALL the time. I have never seen anyone in sweat pants…. Not even when walking the dog on a Sunday morning!!
- There are so many trendy boutiques from Hermès, to Gucci, to Prada and so much more!!
- For those who cannot splurge on a new pair of Gucci shoes, there are many places around the city center in Piazza Vittorio or even the markets (for example, the largest open air market in Porta Palazzo) where you can find inexpensive clothes, shoes, and accessories)
Metro:
- The Torino metro system only has one line which was built in 2006 for the Olympics.
- There is nobody who “drives” the metro train
- As seen below, there is a sort of window that prevents people from jumping or throwing objects on the track.
Bus:
- A bus, metro, or tram ticket can usually be purchased at a metro station or at “tabaccherie” NOTE: You CANNOT pay your fare on the bus or tram!! So it's always best to have a few tickets on you!
- While one can assume that the bus will stop for you when you are waiting at a bus stop, that is not always the case. If you want to make sure that the bus will absolutely stop, extend your arm!!
Food and Drink
- Aperitivo: It’s like Happy Hour, but better. If you’re travelling and on a budget most bars and cafés in Torino (I have yet to discover what it is like for the rest of Italy) will have an aperitivo. Starting at about €8, you can buy one drink and eat at an all you can eat buffet. The aperitivo will usually start at around 6pm and go up until 9 or 10 pm. Food at the buffet usually includes, pizza, pasta, cold cuts, fruits, vegetables, and desert. The ones that are usually a little more then €8 (usually around €10) will have a bigger spread.
- Money Saving Tip: You can get more bang for your euro if you eat like the locals do then if you were to eat at a fast food chain. And yes, that means carbs!!
- For those of you who warned me about the food in Italy, yes, it’s ALL carbs ALL the time!! However, (this is based on my observations) everybody seems to be in shape. This is probably because:
1) Everybody usually sits down to have a meal
2) Portion control!!
3) I haven’t noticed any drive thru or delivery services, so this usually means that people have to actually get out of the house and actually MOVE to get their food!
- To all Canadian and American coffee lovers who may be reading this while drinking your morning coffee: You’re probably doing it wrong!! As some people have told me, and as many of the coffee shops here have shown me, nobody sells what they call “pints’’ of coffee. The ''shorter'' the better!!
- If you walk into a coffee shop and the barista asks you if you want your coffee at the bar (al banco) or if you want to sit down, the reason she asks you is because it costs more to sit down!!
Fashion
- All I can say is that people look beautiful ALL the time. I have never seen anyone in sweat pants…. Not even when walking the dog on a Sunday morning!!
- There are so many trendy boutiques from Hermès, to Gucci, to Prada and so much more!!
- For those who cannot splurge on a new pair of Gucci shoes, there are many places around the city center in Piazza Vittorio or even the markets (for example, the largest open air market in Porta Palazzo) where you can find inexpensive clothes, shoes, and accessories)