Parco del Valentino, Turin

Take a relaxing walk through Parco del Valentino, officially opened in 1856 as the country’s first public garden. The vast park contains a botanical garden, a castle, and a medieval village built specifically for the 1884 World’s Fair. The park stretches along the Po River and covers an area of about 50 hectares (124 acres). For the first few decades of the 20th century, the park served as the site of popular car races, the most notable of which was the 1948 Italian Grand Prix. The days of cars speeding over the park’s paved circuit are long gone, but the site still contains a special bench built in honor of Enzo Ferrari, perhaps the country’s best known racecar driver and automotive entrepreneur. Put Parco del Valentino and other Turin attractions into our Turin online visit planner, and watch your holiday take shape.