Valentino Park

Stretched along the soft banks of the Po, Valentino Park is Turin's most famous green area: over 400,000 square meters of gardens, tree species, bike paths, and walks. For some, it's the Savoyard version of Central Park. Designed in the 19th century by the French landscape architect Barillet-Deschamps, it hosts the Botanical Garden, the Medieval Village, the Valentino Castle and a very interesting birdlife. In short, a must-see for those who love nature and outdoor walks.

   
   
How to reach Valentino Park

The green area is excellently located, a stone's throw from the city center and one kilometer from Porta Nuova railway station.  It is delimited to the north by Corso Vittorio Emanuele II and Ponte Umberto I, to the west by Corso Massimo D'Azeglio and to the south by Ponte Isabella and Corso Unità d'Italia. Reachable from our hotel in Turin city center in just twenty minutes by car or by bus from the Settembrini stop on Corso Orbassano.

   
   
The tree heritage, birdlife and vegetation

   
Valentino Park is populated by about 1800 tall trees, some of which are monumental specimens: poplars, plane trees, redwoods, willows, maples, lime trees, hornbeams, beeches, hackberries, ginkgo biloba, oaks, elms, and pterocaryas stand out. Half of the park is covered by lawn and throughout the year numerous blooms alternate: in spring it is the turn of various bulbous plants, then summer seasonal species, chrysanthemums in autumn and frost-resistant flowers in winter. But the park is also populated by flowering trees and rose bushes that create a harmonious chromatic palette throughout the marvelous landscape.

From a faunal perspective, the Valentino hosts numerous species of birds linked to the river environment, thanks to the proximity of the Po. On the outskirts of the city, the river is less urbanized and the Nicerini herons have chosen its banks for nesting: when they go up the river, they reach the park and it is possible to admire them in all their grace. Very common are also mallards, coots, moorhens and various species of ducks, including teal, tufted duck, wigeon and pochard. At the Medieval Village, especially in spring and summer, swallows become the true protagonists of the landscape.

In the southern part of the park, the Rock Garden emerges, designed by Giuseppe Ratti for the 1961 International Exhibition: a 12,000 square meter valley was transformed into a garden with paved paths, terraces, water features, streams and rest areas. In 1965, the Rose Garden was added with a rich permanent collection of over 2,000 rose bushes. Today it extends over an area of 44,000 square meters and every year it hosts numerous flower beds that change with the seasons.

Another group of green areas is the one found at the Medieval Village of Turin: garden of delights, garden of simples and vegetable garden, all enclosed within the picturesque crenellated walls.

   
Monuments and points of interest in Valentino Park
    

The Artillery Arch, the Castle, the Fountain of the Ceppi, the Medieval Village and numerous statues scattered along the paths: Valentino Park is not only nature but also history and culture. Monuments and points of interest are disseminated throughout the over 400,000 square meters of green space.

The Artillery Arch, erected in 1930 to commemorate the Battle of the Piave, is located at the northern entrance of Valentino Park, a stone's throw from Umberto I Bridge. It features four external reliefs inspired by various military corps, while at the center it hosts a statue dedicated to Saint Barbara, patroness of artificers.

The Valentino Castle is inspired by the typical structure of French Loire castles with its four towers delimiting its perimeter and its mansard roofs. Built in the 13th century, today it houses the headquarters of the Faculty of Architecture of the Polytechnic University of Turin.

The Rococo-style Fountain of the Ceppi is also known as the Fountain of the Twelve Months and consists of a large basin surrounded by twelve statues representing the months of the year. Built in 1898 for the Expo dedicated to the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Albertine Statute, it is linked to the legend of Phaeton, son of the Sun God, who fell precisely in that spot after taking possession of his father's chariot and causing the horses to bolt.

The Medieval Village was built in the southern part of the park for the 1884 Italian General Exhibition based on a project by Alfredo d'Andrade, a lover of medieval architecture. It thus re-proposed the architectural styles of Piedmontese and Aosta Valley castles of the time, complete with a fortress to visit.

Massimo d’Azeglio, Amedeo I, Cesare Battisti, Ascanio Sobrero and Nino Costa are some of the Italian and Turinese characters in the form of busts or statues scattered along the park paths. Particularly interesting is the equestrian statue dedicated to Amedeo I, first Duke of Savoy-Aosta, placed on the entrance square of the floral path next to Torino Esposizioni.

In short, a walk in Valentino Park is undoubtedly an extraordinary dive into nature but also an experience of history and culture. Overall, the city is a ferment of opportunities and alternatives, so those with different tastes can also opt for a visit to the Automobile Museum in Turin or to the Royal Museums, choose an excursion outside the city to Moncalieri, take a tour of the permanent exhibition of modern sculptures at Venaria Reale or head to the Santa Rita - Filadelfia area at the Olympic Stadium of Turin, perhaps on the occasion of a home match of the Granata.

The experiences to be had in the city are truly endless and Turin is a continuous discovery. Come and visit it in company and book a fantastic stay at our B&B HOTELS  in Turin.