District on the Po
Opposite Piazza Vittorio Veneto, on the other side of the Po, the Turin hills begin. This is where you find the Gran Madre di Dio church, the Monte dei Cappuccini viewpoint with its mountain museum, and the Villa della Regina – all within walking distance.
from€39.00per person
E-bike tour to Monte dei Cappuccini
Borgo Po stretches as a narrow strip along the right bank of the Po, from the area around Corso Casale in the north to the Monte dei Cappuccini in the south. Right behind it rises the collina, Turin's green hillside with its villas and gardens. Administratively, Borgo Po belongs to Circoscrizione 8, together with San Salvario, Cavoretto, Nizza Millefonti and Lingotto.
The borgo was once a small village outside the city, where fishermen and washerwomen made their living from the river. Today it is a quiet, sought-after residential district with period buildings and small shops. The main streets are Via Monferrato with its shops, Corso Moncalieri along the river to the south, and Corso Casale to the north towards Superga.
For visitors, Borgo Po is interesting mainly because of where it is. An old Turin city guide already described the view from Piazza Vittorio Veneto across the Napoleonic bridge over the Po: the Gran Madre in the middle, the Monte dei Cappuccini on one side and the Villa della Regina on the other. This page connects exactly these three places – plus the bridge that gets you there.
There are no big museums or shopping streets here. You come for the church, the view and the palace gardens, and in the evening for the view back over the illuminated city. On the other side of the river is Piazza Vittorio Veneto, one of the most popular spots for aperitivo.
After Napoleon fell in 1814, the House of Savoy returned to Turin. King Vittorio Emanuele I entered the city once again. That same year, the city council decided to build a church in gratitude for the end of French rule. The inscription on the pediment still says so today: "Ordo populusque Taurinus ob adventum regis" – the nobility and people of Turin, for the arrival of the king.
In 1818, Vittorio Emanuele I laid the foundation stone himself. The design came from the architect Ferdinando Bonsignore. The church was consecrated on 20 May 1831.
Visiting: the Gran Madre is a parish church at Piazza Gran Madre di Dio 4. According to Turismo Torino, it is open Monday to Saturday 8:00–19:00, with different hours on Sundays. Avoid sightseeing during services.
Turin is known as a city of magic, and the Gran Madre plays a leading role in these stories. Italy's official tourism portal calls it "the most esoteric church in Turin", and Turismo Torino counts it among the city's esoteric places.
The best-known legend: the Holy Grail is said to be hidden somewhere between the statues Fede and Religione. Some read the chalice in Fede's hand, or the direction of her gaze, as a clue to the hiding place. There is no evidence for this – it is a legend, not history. But it is as much part of the Gran Madre's image as the columns and the dome.
Then there is the tale of Turin as a city of "white" and "black" magic. According to it, the city's "white soul" lies at Piazza Castello and its "black heart" at Piazza Statuto. More on this, and on the tours that tell these stories, can be found among our city tours in Turin.
You reach the Gran Madre from Piazza Vittorio Veneto across the Ponte Vittorio Emanuele I. The stone bridge is older than the church: the French decided by imperial decree to replace the old bridge. The foundation stone was laid on 22 November 1810, and the new bridge was finished in 1813.
A year later the king returned. Today the bridge bears his name, and the Gran Madre was built at its end. Via Po, Piazza Vittorio Veneto, the bridge and the church thus form a straight axis from the old town to the hills.
Tip: stop on the bridge and look back. Behind Piazza Vittorio Veneto you can see the dome of the Mole Antonelliana. Upstream you can make out the Monte dei Cappuccini with its church. From 22 October 2026 to 10 January 2027, the bridge is part of Luci d’Artista: Joseph Kosuth's work "Doppio Passaggio (Torino)" lights up here, and Rebecca Horn's "Piccoli spiriti blu" on the Monte dei Cappuccini.
South of the Gran Madre, a small wooded hill rises straight above the river: the Monte dei Cappuccini. Duke Carlo Emanuele I of Savoy gave the land to the Capuchin friars at the end of the 16th century, and they founded a monastery here. Hence the name.
Santa Maria al Monte: the monastery church was built to a design by Ascanio Vitozzi; construction began in 1584 and it was consecrated in 1656. It has the floor plan of a Greek cross and a dome on an octagonal drum. According to Turismo Torino, the church is open daily 9:00–19:00; the address is Piazzale Monte dei Cappuccini 3. Please do not visit during Mass (weekday evenings, and also mornings at weekends).
The viewing terrace: in front of the church is the piazzale with its balustrade – and the view most people come up here for. Below you lie the Po, the bridge and the Gran Madre, and beyond them the rooftops of the old town with the Mole Antonelliana. On a clear day you can see the Alps on the horizon. The square in front of the church is freely accessible.
Even a little higher, with an Alpine panorama, is the Vedetta Alpina on the roof of the mountain museum next door – more on that in a moment.
The former Capuchin monastery next to the church houses the Museo Nazionale della Montagna "Duca degli Abruzzi". It was founded in 1874 by members of the Italian Alpine Club (CAI). Across two floors, it covers life in the mountains, mountaineering and mountain cultures around the world, with video installations, changing collections and temporary exhibitions.
The highlight for many visitors is the Vedetta Alpina, the viewing platform overlooking the city and the arc of the Alps. You can also visit it without the museum, with its own inexpensive ticket. The museum is open daily 10:00–18:00, and the ticket office closes an hour earlier. There are lifts and accessible toilets.
| Ticket | Official admission |
|---|---|
| Museum, standard | €10.00 |
| Reduced: ages 11 to 18, over-70s, students under 25, groups of 15 or more | €7.00 |
| Panoramic terrace / Vedetta Alpina only | €3.00 |
| Children under 10, people with disabilities | free |
| With the Torino + Piemonte Card | free |
Official prices and opening hours according to Turismo Torino and Abbonamento Musei, as of October 2026. CAI members pay a reduced price. Current exhibitions: museomontagna.org.
Above the Gran Madre, on the slope of the hill, lies the Villa della Regina. In the early 17th century, Prince Maurizio of Savoy had it laid out as a country residence modelled on Roman villas. At first it was called "Villa Lodovica" after Princess Ludovica. Later, duchesses, princesses and queens of the House of Savoy lived here – hence today's name, the "Queen's Villa". Under Anna d’Orléans, Filippo Juvarra remodelled the villa.
The villa was badly damaged by bombs in the Second World War. Restoration began in 1994, and it has been open to visitors again since 2006. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Residences of the Royal House of Savoy".
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9:30–18:00, closed on Mondays. The ticket office closes an hour earlier. The address is Strada Comunale Santa Margherita 79. On Sundays and public holidays you must book in advance (via museiitaliani.it), even with the Torino Card or Royal Pass.
| Ticket | Official admission |
|---|---|
| Villa and gardens | €10.00 |
| Gardens only | €5.00 |
| Young adults aged 18 to 25 | €2.00 |
| Under 18s, people with disabilities | free |
| With the Torino + Piemonte Card or Royal Pass | free |
Official prices according to the Ministry of Culture (cultura.gov.it) and Turismo Torino, as of October 2026. According to Turismo Torino, admission is free on the first Sunday of the month – booking is still required. Current information: cultura.gov.it.
With the Torino + Piemonte Card, admission to the Museo Nazionale della Montagna and the Villa della Regina is free. If you combine Borgo Po with the Egyptian Museum or the Mole, the card quickly pays for itself. Note: the 24-hour card covers a maximum of three museums for free.
The Villa della Regina is one of the 16 residences included in the Royal Pass. If you are planning to see more Savoy palaces, such as La Venaria Reale, Stupinigi or the Musei Reali, the pass is worth it. The mountain museum is not included. Which pass suits you better is shown in our Torino Card vs Royal Pass comparison.
A half-day walk that follows on nicely from a visit to the city centre. Turismo Torino describes this route as part of a hiking trail from the Mole to the Monte dei Cappuccini. Time the climb so that you reach the top in the late afternoon.
Start at Piazza Castello. Walk under the arcades of Via Po towards the river. If you like, make a detour to the Mole Antonelliana via Via Montebello.
The wide square opens out towards the Po. From here the axis lies ahead of you: the bridge, the Gran Madre and the hills behind.
Cross the stone bridge from 1813 to the other bank. Halfway across, look upstream towards the Monte dei Cappuccini.
Climb the steps up to the statues Fede and Religione. Take a look inside the round interior if no service is taking place.
If you have time, walk up the slope from the Gran Madre to the Villa della Regina. Allow enough time for the villa and gardens, and remember: closed on Mondays, booking required on Sundays.
Back at the Gran Madre, follow Corso Moncalieri south along the river to the foot of the Monte dei Cappuccini.
The climb up the Monte dei Cappuccini is short. At the top, Santa Maria al Monte and the terrace with its view over the city await.
Before 17:00 you can still get into the mountain museum and onto the Vedetta Alpina. Afterwards, wait on the piazzale for the sun to set over the city. For aperitivo, head back down and across the bridge to Piazza Vittorio Veneto.
The Monte dei Cappuccini lies east of the old town. So you look west across the city to the Alps – exactly where the sun sets in the evening.
The square in front of Santa Maria al Monte is freely accessible. It is at its best in the late afternoon and at sunset, when the light falls across the rooftops and the lights come on below. In winter it gets dark early, in summer late.
The mountain museum's platform is a little higher and opens up the view of the arc of the Alps. It follows the museum's opening hours (10:00–18:00). For clear long-distance views of the mountains, dry, cold days after rain or wind are ideal.
From the bridge you see the Gran Madre head-on and the Monte dei Cappuccini above the river. At the blue hour, when the church is lit up, this is where the classic photos are taken.
Even higher and further out: the basilica on the Superga hill, reached by the historic rack railway from Sassi.
We have not found a tour of Borgo Po alone with the big providers, nor any bookable tickets for the mountain museum or the Villa della Regina – you buy those on site. These tours link the city centre with the district or tell the legends surrounding the Gran Madre.
Three-hour e-bike tour in a small group (max. 8 people) through the centre and up to the viewpoint at Piazzale Monte dei Cappuccini, finishing in the Valentino Park. The motor helps on the climb. Language: English. Minimum age 14 and minimum height 155 cm.
from €39.00
Details & booking
Around 50 minutes on the small electric bus of the Turin Eco City Tour from Piazza Castello, including through traffic-calmed areas. Along the way you see the Po with its bridges, the Gran Madre and the Mole. Audio guide in Chinese, German, English, French, Italian, Russian and Spanish. The ride is cancelled if it rains.
from €15.00
Details & booking
The original tour of Turin's white and black magic, starting at Piazza Statuto. A stop at the Gran Madre is not mentioned in the description – the tour tells the background to the legends. Groups in Italian and English; German, French, Spanish and Japanese only as a private tour.
from €55.00
Details & bookingAccording to the providers, all three tours can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours in advance. You can find more walks among our city tours in Turin.
Tickets, Tap&Go and day tickets are explained on our page about public transport in Turin. You can find more places to visit in the city among the sights and in our itineraries for two days in Turin.
In gratitude for the return of the House of Savoy after the fall of Napoleon. The city council decided to build it in 1814, King Vittorio Emanuele I laid the foundation stone in 1818, and the church was consecrated in 1831. The inscription on the pediment commemorates the king's arrival.
That is what a legend says: the Grail is supposedly hidden between the statues Fede and Religione on the steps, and Fede holds a chalice. There is no evidence whatsoever for this. The story is one of the many legends about "magical Turin".
According to Turismo Torino, Monday to Saturday 8:00–19:00, with different hours on Sundays. The Gran Madre is a parish church. No admission prices are listed. Avoid sightseeing during services.
On foot: across the Vittorio Emanuele I bridge to the Gran Madre, then south along Corso Moncalieri and up to the piazzale. The climb is short. An easier option is the guided e-bike tour, which rides up to the viewpoint.
The square in front of the Santa Maria al Monte church is freely accessible. For the Vedetta Alpina, the mountain museum's terrace, you pay €3.00 (terrace only) or €10.00 with the museum. With the Torino + Piemonte Card, the museum is free.
Daily 10:00–18:00; the ticket office closes at 17:00. Standard admission costs €10.00, reduced €7.00, and children under 10 go free.
Yes, admission is free with the Torino + Piemonte Card and with the Royal Pass. On Sundays and public holidays you still have to book in advance.
Tuesday to Sunday 9:30–18:00, closed on Mondays. The ticket office closes an hour earlier. The villa and gardens cost €10.00 at the standard rate, the gardens only €5.00. Admission is free for under-18s.
In the late afternoon and at sunset: from the Monte dei Cappuccini you look west across the city, where the sun goes down. The Alps are best seen on clear, dry days. If you also want to visit the museum, arrive before 17:00.
For the bridge, the Gran Madre and the Monte dei Cappuccini with the view, half an afternoon is enough. With the mountain museum and the Villa della Regina, it becomes a full half-day. The villa is closed on Mondays.