Getting Ready for Turin

Tomorrow night, I'm flying to Italy for a nearly two-week trip. I'm starting off in Torino - one of my favorite Italian cities. I spent nearly three weeks there for the 2006 Winter Olympics and I think this is my fourth visit in total. Turin is just the perfect mix of beautiful architecture (love the covered walkways), interesting museums, fantastic food, charming cafes. Its proximity to the Alps and to France gives it a special flavor. In short, I'm just crazy about the place.



The reason I'm visiting this time is to go to Slow Food's Salone del Gusto - an international conference devoted to food, wine and culinary preservation, held only every other year. The travel section of The New York Times revisited Turin this past Sunday, concluding that the Olympic glow hasn't faded and this city is as vibrant as ever. The article mentions Eataly, which opened last year, and claims to be the world's largest food and wine story. That's a must-visit on my trip.

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