Caffè Fiorio

Why go

Fiorio helps make the social history of Via Po tangible. Nobles first gathered here, and politicians and writers associated with the Risorgimento followed. It is a worthwhile point on a walk between Piazza Castello and the river even when a café visit cannot be confirmed.

What to look for

• The Via Po frontage marks a meeting place of Turin’s nineteenth-century political circles.
• Historic accounts describe red velvet seating and decorated interconnected rooms inside.

The full story

Opened in 1780 on what was then called Contrada di Po, Fiorio began as a gathering place for aristocrats and officers. Its conservative regulars gave it the nickname Caffè dei Codini. Over the nineteenth century, the clientele widened and the café became associated with figures of the Risorgimento, including Cavour, Rattazzi and D’Azeglio. Accounts of the rooms describe red velvet chairs, frescoes and sculpture added during a mid-century renovation; the premises later expanded beyond the original three connected rooms. The point of stopping here is to imagine Via Po as a social as well as a commercial street. Café tables were part of how people followed public affairs in the Savoy capital. Historical associations alone, however, do not establish that the rooms can be visited today.

Useful to know

• Check the current operator or Turismo Torino listing before making a café visit the purpose of your walk.
• Pair an exterior look with the arcades and historic university buildings of Via Po.

Your next visit

Estimated · Declared scenario and planning estimates; no live opening, weather, queue or booking service.