“Do you know Turin?” asked Nietzsche. “It is a city after my own heart & a princely residence of the seventeenth century, which has only one taste giving commands to everything, the court and its nobility. Aristocratic calm is preserved in everything; there are no nasty suburbs.” Although Turin ’s traffic-choked streets are no longer calm, and its suburbs are as dreary as any in Italy, the city centre’s gracious Baroque thoroughfares, opulent palaces, sumptuous churches and splendid collections of Egyptian antiquities and northern European paintings are still there - a pleasant surprise to those who might have been expecting satanic factories and little else. Turin’s suburbs were built by a new dynasty, Fiat (Fabbrica Italiana di Automobili Torino), whose owner, Gianni Agnelli, is reckoned to be the most powerful man in Italy. Although the only sign of Agnelli’s power appears to be the number of Fiats that cram Turin’s streets (as they do those of every other Italian city), it’s worth remembering that Fiat owns Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Autobianchi and Ferrari too, accounting for more than sixty percent of the Italian car market. But there are other, more hidden branches of the Agnelli empire. Stop for a Cinzano in one of the city’s many fin de siècle cafés and you’re drinking an Agnelli vermouth; buy the La Stampa or Corriere della Sera newspapers and you’re reading newsprint produced by the Agnelli family. Support the Juventus football team and you’re supporting the Agnellis who own it; or go for a Club Med skiing holiday at the nearby resort of Sestriere and you’ll sleep in hotels built by Agnelli’s grandfather. Wielding such power, Agnelli and friends are seen as a political force in a country where governments are relatively transient. Foreign governments often take more notice of Agnelli than they do of Italy’s elected leaders: as Henry Kissinger once said, Gianni Agnelli “is the permanent establishment”. Terrorists too recognized where the roots of Italian power lay: the Red Brigade was founded on the factory floors of Fiat, and Fiat executives were as much targets as were politicians.

The grid street-plan of Turin’s Baroque centre makes it easy to find your way about. Via Roma is the central spine of the city, a grand affair lined with designer shops and ritzy cafés, although nowadays on the grubby side. It is punctuated by the city’s most elegant piazzas, most notably Piazza San Carlo , close to which are some of the most prestigious museums. Piazza Castello forms a fittingly grandiose, if hectic, conclusion to Via Roma, with its royal palaces awash in a sea of traffic. From here you can walk in a number of directions. To the west, Via Pietro Micca leads to a cluster of pedestrianized shopping streets, more relaxed than Via Roma and a good area to head to during the evening passeggiata in summer. North lies Piazza della Repubblica , a vast and rather shabby square given over to a daily market. To the southeast, the porticoes of Via Po forge down to the river, a short walk along which is the extensive Parco del Valentino , home to some of the city’s best nightlife. Beyond lies the engaging Museo dell’Automobile , while the hills across the river , which are peppered with the Art Deco villas of the richest Torinese, shelter the Basilica di Superga and the Stupingi Palace .

The Torinese are accustomed to absolutism. From 1574 Turin was the seat of the Savoy dukes, who persecuted Piemonte’s Protestants and Jews, censored the press and placed education of the nobles in the extreme hands of the Jesuits. The Savoys gained a royal title in 1713, and a few years later acquired Sardinia, which whetted their appetite for more territory. After more than a century of military and diplomatic wrangling with foreign powers, the second monarch, Carlo Emanuele III (who promised to “eat Italy like an artichoke”), teamed up with the liberal politician of the Risorgimento, Cavour, who used the royal family to lend credibility to the Unification movement. In 1860 Garibaldi handed over Sicily and southern Italy to Vittorio Emanuele, and though it was to take a further ten years for him to seize the heart of the artichoke - Rome - he was declared king of Italy.The capital was moved to Rome in 1870, leaving Turin in the hands of the Piemontese nobility. It became a provincial backwater where a tenth of the 200,000 population worked as domestic servants, with a centre decked out in elaborate finery, its cafés - decorated with chandeliers, carved wood, frescoes and gilt - only slightly less ostentatious than the rooms of the Savoy palaces. World War I brought plenty of work, but also brought food shortages and, in 1917, street riots which spread throughout the north, establishing Turin as a centre of labour activism. Gramsci led occupations of the Fiat factory here, going on to found the Communist Party.

By the Fifties Turin’s population had soared to 700,000, the increase mainly made up of migrant workers from the poor south, who were housed in shanty towns outside the city and shunned as peasants by the Torinese. Blocks of flats were eventually built for the workers - the bleak Mirafiori housing estates - and by the Sixties Fiat was employing 130,000 workers, with a further half million dependent on the company in some way. Not surprisingly, Turin became known as Fiatville. Today there are fewer people involved in the industry, and Fiat’s famous Lingotto factory has been turned into a conference centre and performance space, yet the gap left behind has been filled by some of the biggest names from other industries, especially those belonging to the worlds of textiles and fashion (Armani, Valentino, Cerruti and Ungaro), publishing (Einandi and UTET), and banking; the Banca Popolare di Novara is the most important co-operative bank in Europe.

Turin’s nightlife is more sedate than that of, say, Milan, but there is a reasonably varied mix of clubs and bars here, with the most lively spots down on the embankment bordered by the Parco del Valentino, known locally as the Murazzi - the best advice is just to wander down there and see what takes your fancy. Problems with drugs and theft have given the place a bit of a reputation and there’s often quite a heavy police/carabinieri presence - so watch your wallet and take it easy. The area is especially popular on summer weekends when a big crowd spills out of the bars and onto the riverfront jetties. For a more tranquil alternative try the medieval area around Piazza Emanuele Filiberto and Via Santa Chiara.Getting down to the business of drinking , you’ll find that birrerias, extremely popular in the 1980s, have been supplemented by new vinerias - wine bars - where you can also order up a substantial snack (known locally as a marenda sinoira ). Note that some clubs require membership cards, which cost between L12,000/¬6.20 and L15,000/¬7.75, but your first drink is usually included in this. After that, although drink prices can be inflated, the measures are relatively generous - bar staff usually keep pouring until they think it looks big enough (often until it’s about the equivalent of a triple).

The city has an impressive agenda of live music in July and September, with many well-publicized open-air performances, some of them free. The season kicks off with jazz in the second week of July courtesy of the JVC Jazz Festival (tel 011.561.3926 ) at the Piazzetta and Giardini Reale, which attracts international names such as Tito Puente and João Gilberto. For rock fans, the Pellerossa Festival (tel 011.434.3333 ) in the third and fourth weeks of July offers an eclectic mix of Italian and foreign bands - previous headliners have included Bob Dylan and Sonic Youth - with affordable tickets. However, the festival takes place outside town at the Certosa Reale and the Parco dalla Chiesa, and you’ll need a car to get there. For most of September a major festival called, appropriately enough, Settembre Musica mixes jazz , world music , classical music and performance art (tel 011.442.4777 ) at various venues around town. Check the Web site www.comune.torino.it and links for listings.

Turin is also the home of the prestigious RAI National Symphony Orchestra , which performs in, among other places, the Lingotto centre, the former Fiat factory converted to a conference centre and performance space by architect Renzo Piano in 1995. Turin’s opera house, the Teatro Regio (tel 011.881.5241 ), is one of the best in the country and is recognizable from its pod-like Seventies architecture.

The city’s Il Teatro Stabile (tel 011.517.6246 ), one of Italy’s principal publicly funded theatre companies, is acclaimed for its productions of major works by nineteenth- and twentieth-century European writers; they normally perform at the Casignano Theatre on Piazza Carignano. For new writers and experimental work, look out for shows by the Gruppo della Rocca, the Teatro dell’Angolo, the Teatro Juvarra and the Laboratorio Teatro Settimo. There are also four international film festivals held in Turin each year, among them a women’s film festival in March and a “cinema of homosexual themes” in April; contact the tourist office for details.

For what’s on listings , opening hours and so on, check the pages of the Turin daily, La Stampa , particularly its Tuesday and Friday supplements, or the weekly News Spettacolo . There’s also a free monthly bilingual publication available in hotels and bars, Un Ospite a/A guest in Torino , which has a list of events and exhibitions as well as suggestions for itineraries; the Web site address is www.ospite.it . Failing that you can get information on events, exhibitions, festivals and the like from either the Informacittà office, on Piazza Palazzo di Città (Mon-Fri 8.30am-4pm; tel 011.442.3602 ), or the Vetrina per Torino office, Piazza San Carlo 159 (Mon 3-7pm, Tues-Sat 9am-1pm; tel 011.442.4740 ); the latter also sells tickets for most events.

AEIOU , Via Spanzotti 3 (tel 011.385.8580 ). Off Corso Francia, this is a large, modern club in a former warehouse, with a wide selection of cocktails - and music. A good place to go if you just want to dance.Centralino , Via delle Rosine 16 (tel 011.837.500). Jazz concerts and avant-garde productions; membership card required.

La Contea , Corso Quintino Sella 132. Birreria situated across the river that features live jazz and other styles under a trompe l’oeil fresco of a square. Food, too, is served on the terrace under a pergola in summer. Closed Sun.

Doctor Sax , Murazzi di Lungo Po Cadorna 4. African rhythms and exhibitions of contemporary art. Closed Mon.

Hiroshima Mon Amour , Via Bossoli 83 (tel 011.317.6636 ). Live music, avant-garde performances, alternative theatre and cabaret in a converted school.

Jumping Jester , Via Mazzini 2. Old-style wooden interior with huge TV screen on which football matches are shown live. Serves a top pint of cold Caffreys or Tennants.

Lucky Nugget Saloon , Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 40. Open late and popular with an eclectic bunch of customers - you can have just a drink or choose from a full range of Mexican food. There are three floors: chill out upstairs or downstairs, or if you’re pining to dance on a few tables, head straight for the central section. Closed Mon.

Magazzino di Gilgamesh , Piazza Moncenisio 13b. Birreria and coffee shop with music, plus an international restaurant on the third floor, and cabaret and country music. Closed Sun.

Nuev Caval Brons , Piazza San Carlo 157. Bar (and restaurant) with a help-yourself canapé selection that Henry VIII would have been proud of. Closed Sat lunch & all day Sun.

Roar Roads , Via Carlo Alberta 3. Despite the dubious name, a very passable pub just off Via Po that pulls in locals and foreigners. Closed Sun.

The Shamrock Inn , Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 34. The place for an authentic pint of Irish stout, frequented from about 10.30pm onwards by Torinese and a smattering of Brits, Australians and Scandinavians. Good-value sandwiches for around L5000/¬2.58. Closed Sun.

Tre Galli , Via Sant’Agostino 25. Busy vineria with a long wine list of local and Italian wines by the bottle or glass (for the latter, ask for a mescita a calice ) and plates of cheeses, ham, salumi and homemade grissini . Laid-back atmosphere and tables outside on the piazza in summer. Open until 2am. Closed Sun.

Books and newspapers Libreria Luxembourg, Via C. Battisti 7, has an excellent range of British and American paperbacks. English-language newspapers and magazines can be bought from the newsagents in Porta Nuova station and Libreria Internazionale de La Stampa, Via Roma 80.Car parks The Porta Nuova car park (daily 7am-10pm; L1500/0.78 per 30min) is the most central place to leave your vehicle.

Car rental Avis, Corso Turati 15 (tel 011.501.107); Europcar, Via Madama Cristina 272 (tel 011.650.3603 ); Hertz, Via Magellano 12 (tel 011.502.080). All these companies also have desks at Porta Nuova station and the airport.

Chocolate Turin is a major centre for chocolate production, its most famous product being the hazelnut chocolate Gianduiotto , which dates back to the nineteenth century. Some even claim that it was the Torinese who introduced chocolate to France when chocolate making for export began in 1678. Peyrano at Corso Moncalieri 47 and Croci Bruno at Via Principessa Clotilde 61a both have an excellent selection; the latter is slightly less expensive.

Closing days Some shops are closed on Monday morning. Be prepared for the summer shutdown (First Mon-last Sat of Aug), when there’s only a limited public transport service, and many restaurants, food shops and other businesses are closed.

Exchange Outside normal banking hours you can exchange money at Porta Nuova station (daily 7.10am-1.40pm & 2.10-8.30pm).

Football Turin’s two teams, Juventus ( www.juventus.it ) and Torino (www.toroclub.it ), play on Saturday and Sunday afternoons at the Stadio dell’ Alpi, Strada Altessano 131, Continassa, Venaria Reale (tel 011.738.0081 ), although it’s rumoured that Torino may soon be moving to a new stadium. Stadio dell’ Alpi is reachable by tram #9 only when there’s a game on; at other times (to see the high-tech architecture of the stadium, for example) take bus #72. Although Juventus is the most popular team in Italy (a recent poll found that one-third of all Italians support them), most of the locals support the underdogs, Torino.

Hospital Ospedale Molinette, Corso Bramante 88-90 (tel 011.633.1633 ); for 24hr emergency medical attention call 5747.

Internet access @h! , Via Montebello 13 (Mon-Fri 10am-1pm & 2-7pm; tel 011.815.4058 , www .ahto2000.com ; L10,000/5.17 per hour).

Laundries Alba, Via San Secondo 1; Lava Aschiuga, Via Berthollet 18, with other branches at Via de Nanni 84 and Piazza della Repubblica 5.

Markets In addition to the Porta Palazzo on Piazza della Repubblica, and the weekly Balôn and monthly Gran Balôn markets behind Porta Palazzo , there’s often some heavily discounted designer fashion (the genuine thing, from end-of-line clearances) at the Crocetta market around Via Cassini and Via Marco Polo (Tues-Fri morning & all day Sat) - not exactly street market prices, but still much cheaper than in the shops.

Pharmacist Boniscontro, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 66 (tel 011.538.271) is an all-night chemist.

Police tel 113. City police station at Corso XI Febbraio 22 (tel 011.460.6060 ). Dial 112 for Carabinieri.

Post office The central post office is at Via Alfieri 10 (Mon-Fri 8.30am-2.30pm, Sat 8.30am-1pm).

Shopping Via Roma is good for designer labels, and there is trendier, less expensive fare in the pedestrianized streets bordered by Via Pietro Micca, Via Monte Pietá, Via dei Mercanti and Via San Francesco d’Assisi. Sellers of secondhand clothes and costume jewellery, book binders, tailors and dress makers cluster in the narrow streets around Via Barbaroux, Via San Tommaso and Via Monte di Pieta, off Via Garibaldi.

Telephones There are Telecom Italia offices at Via Roma 18 and at the Porta Nuova and Porta Susa stations (daily 7am-10pm).