Turin sits where the Po river meets the foothills of the Alps, and on a clear day you can see snow-capped peaks from the middle of the city. It's Italy's chocolate capital, home to one of the world's great Egyptian collections, and the birthplace of Fiat, but it still runs at an unhurried, elegant pace that Milan and Rome don't bother with.

Whatever kind of trip you're planning, from a long weekend of museums and coffee to a base for exploring Piedmont's wine country, there's a stay in Turin to match. Here's what you need to know before you book.

Where to stay in Turin

• Quadrilatero Romano - Turin's oldest quarter, laid out on the original Roman street grid. Narrow lanes packed with vintage shops, wine bars and aperitivo spots that spill onto the footpath after dark. Great if you want to walk everywhere.
• Centro (Piazza Castello) - the grand, arcaded heart of the city, home to the Royal Palace and Turin's best-known piazzas. Central, polished and an easy walk to the Mole Antonelliana.
• San Salvario - a mixed, lived-in neighbourhood south of the centre, right against Parco del Valentino and the river. Good street food, craft beer bars and a nightlife scene that runs later than the rest of the city.
• Crocetta - quiet, leafy and residential, just south-west of the centre. A good pick if you want to be close to everything without the noise of staying right on a piazza.
• Lingotto - the old Fiat car factory turned shopping, dining and convention precinct, with a rooftop test track you can still walk. Handy for Turin Esposizioni and quick access to the Lingotto train station.

How much is Turin accommodation?

Expect to pay around AU$150 a night on average for a comfortable mid-range hotel in the centre, more if you're visiting during a big trade fair or the Turin Film Festival.

• Backpackers/Hostels - from AU$35 per night, dorm beds in the Quadrilatero Romano or near Porta Nuova station.
• Budget hotels/Guesthouses - from AU$75 per night, simple rooms with a decent breakfast, usually a short tram ride from the centre.
• Mid-range/Apartments - from AU$140 per night, comfortable hotels or self-contained apartments close to Piazza Castello or San Salvario.
• Boutique - from AU$220 per night, design-led properties in restored 19th-century buildings, often with a spa or rooftop bar.
• Luxury - from AU$350 per night, grand historic hotels with full spa facilities and a doorman who knows the city better than any guidebook.

Top-rated hotels in Turin

• Hotel Turin Palace - a grand 19th-century hotel a few steps from Porta Nuova station, with a rooftop terrace and spa that guests consistently rate among the best in the city.
• Grand Hotel Sitea - a classic, quietly elegant hotel in Crocetta, an easy walk from the centre without the piazza-side crowds.
• Starhotels Majestic - a reliable four-star close to Porta Nuova, popular with both business and leisure travellers for its consistently high guest ratings.
• NH Collection Torino Piazza Carlina - spacious rooms and a generous breakfast buffet right on one of Turin's prettiest, quietest piazzas.
• DUPARC Contemporary Suites - art-filled suites beside Parco del Valentino, with a spa that runs to a hot tub and steam room.

Tips for finding the perfect accommodation in Turin

• Stay near Porta Nuova or Porta Susa station if you're arriving by train. Both put you within walking distance of the centre and cut down on taxi costs.
• Book early if your trip lines up with the Turin Film Festival (November) or Salone del Gusto, the city's big food festival. Rooms in the centre sell out and prices climb well ahead of the actual dates.
• If you want walkable access to the Mole Antonelliana and Museo Egizio, filter for Centro or Quadrilatero Romano rather than Lingotto or the outer suburbs.
• Turin's public transport (trams and metro) is compact and easy to use, so staying a short ride from the centre in Crocetta or San Salvario can save you money without losing convenience.
• Ask if breakfast includes a bicerin or at least a proper hot chocolate. Plenty of Turin hotels take pride in it, and it's the local way to start the day.

What makes Turin worth the trip

Turin's skyline is defined by the Mole Antonelliana, a 167-metre tower that houses the National Museum of Cinema. A glass panoramic lift runs up through the middle of the building to a terrace with views over the rooftops to the Alps, and it's one of the best few minutes you can spend in the city.

The Museo Egizio, Turin's Egyptian Museum, holds the second-largest collection of Egyptian antiquities in the world after Cairo's, with more than 40,000 artefacts across four floors. It's an easy walk from Piazza Castello, where the arcaded piazza and the Royal Palace's Baroque facades make for one of Italy's most elegant city squares.

Turin is also where Italy fell in love with chocolate. Gianduja, the city's hazelnut-and-chocolate specialty, was created here, and the bicerin, a layered coffee, chocolate and cream drink served in a small glass, has been made at Caffè Al Bicerin near Piazza della Consolata since the 1700s. Pick up a box of gianduiotti (the foil-wrapped, ingot-shaped chocolates the city invented) to take home.

For a change of pace, head south to Lingotto, the former Fiat factory that once turned out cars onto its own rooftop test track. Renzo Piano's redevelopment turned the site into a shopping centre, art gallery and convention precinct, and you can still walk the old track on top of the building, a strange and satisfying bit of industrial history.

Turin also makes a natural base for exploring the wider Piedmont region, from the Langhe wine country to the Alps. Book your stay on Traveloka and you'll have flights and things to do sorted from the same place.