Last Updated on March 24, 2024 by Michela
Want to step back in time to an Italy where kings and opulence ruled? Then there is no better place to go than Turin. Italy’s first capital, Turin is home to some of the most luxurious palaces that once belonged to Italy’s ruling royal family, the House of Savoy. The most famous and arguably the most beautiful? The Reggia di Venaria.
Plan the perfect visit with this insider guide to the renowned royal residence.
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Why You Should Visit the Palace of Venaria
Reggia di Venaria, La Venaria Reale, the Palace of Venaria: these names are all of the same majestic royal residency on the outskirts of Turin, Italy. You’ll find me use them interchangeably throughout this guide.
The Palace of Venaria first caught my eye from where I get a lot of my next destination inspiration: an Instagram Reel.
I saw this beautiful milky white room with this soft yet intricate stone ceiling, amazingly tall windows letting in so much light and this retro tile-esque floor. I knew I had to go there.
And so that’s how I ended up visiting and falling in love with the Reggia di Venaria. Learning about its history made it even more magical!
The palace, today an UNESCO World Heritage Site, was one of the former royal residences of the Savoy family. The royal House of Savoy were the kings of Italy from 1861 to 1846, but had held power in the region of Piedmont and beyond for over a thousand years.
Visiting the palace and museum is all about understanding the Savoy family and how they lived.
The palace was built in 1675 by Amedeo di Castellamonte, commissioned by Duke of Savoy Charles Emmanuel II and originally designed to be a hunting lodge. This was called the Palace of Diana and the exterior is covered in white plaster.
It was later enlarged to become the luxury residence of the royal family and a masterpiece of Baroque architecture. You can note the later 18th-century addition because the exterior is finished with exposed brickwork.
So, why should you visit? You get to experience the opulence and history of Italy’s monarch age in one of the country’s most beautiful buildings.
Planning Your Visit
Admission
A visit to the palace requires an entry fee, whereas the gardens only are always free to visit. Here are your options for admission.
Torino + Piemonte Card
I usually find city passes to not be worth the money. Some may give you free entry to attractions or only give you discounts, so you end up paying more for both the card and the ticket.
That’s not the case with the Torino + Piemonte card. I found it to be a great value, so that is what I used during my 2 days in Turin to see all the major attractions in the city and in the Piedmont region.
For €39 per person for a two-day pass, you got free entry to almost all the museums and attractions, including the Palace of Venaria.
Pro Tip: The one day Torino + Piemonte card only gives you admission to maximum three locations, so I found the two-day card for only €10 more and no entry limit had way more value.
With the card, you can either walk up to the attraction or book your spot ahead of time online. For La Venaria Reale, a booking is usually recommended just in case spots sell out early.
So to reserve your visit with the card, here’s what you need to do:
- Step 1: Buy your Torino + Piemonte card.
- Step 2: Go to the official website of La Venaria Reale and select the kind of ticket you want.
- Step 3: Add the tickets from the category Torino + Piemonte card.
- Step 4: Finish the checkout process and you’ll be emailed your tickets for the palace.
- Step 5: When you arrive at the palace, you will show your Torino + Piemonte card plus the tickets you reserved online for your entry!
Other Ticket Options
If you don’t want to get the Torino + Piemonte card, you can also simply book your admission online direct from the website.
Here you can find all the different ticket options. The All in a palace ticket offers a visit to the palace plus whatever exhibitions are ongoing at the time, whereas the classic The Reggia ticket gets you access to all that you would really want to see.
Then there are also some combined tickets to other royal attractions.
Some tour operators also offer a skip-the-line ticket option, but I didn’t find a line to be a problem when I visited on a weekend in March. I can imagine that in the summer months the area might be more trafficked by tourists, so it’s possible that a skip-the-line ticket could be worth it then.
You can also buy tickets in person at the ticket office located on the main street leading up to the palace entrance, the Piazza della Repubblica.
Guided Tours
If you’re a history buff or you enjoy having more structure to your travel experiences, then you should consider a guided tour of the Reggia di Venaria.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit the Palace of Venaria is late spring, when the gardens are abloom, the skies have a good chance of being clear and there aren’t yet the peak season crowds.
As for what time of day to visit the Venaria, I recommend you try to enter at the first entry time. This is what I did and it is like I got the whole museum and palace to myself – a lovely surprise!
You may also want to check out if there are any special events or closures in order to time your visit right.
How to get to the Reggia di Venaria
The easiest way to arrive to the palace is by car. There is paid street parking very close to the palace (download EasyPark for stress-free parking payment).
La Venaria Reale is just a 30 minute drive from the Turin city center.
If you’re not renting a car, no problem! Luckily the city has the Venaria Express. You can find detailed information about the bus route and ticket prices on the official website. The bus ride takes about an hour.
Highlights of the Palace
Entrance Hall
While the entire museum inside the castle recounts the story of the House of Savoy, the first room gives you an impressive introduction.
You see the faces of the main Savoy family members welcoming you into the royal residence, a beautifully haunting way to start off your exploring!
Grand Gallery
The most famous room by far at the palace is the Grand Gallery.
The soft, delicate ceiling against the stark, almost optical illusion-like flooring creates this amazing larger-than-life effect.
I was so lucky that by entering the palace at the earliest time (9:30 am) I pretty much got the room to myself for a bit. So I’d recommend you try and do the same for such an amazing experience!
Cappella di Sant’Umberto
The Savoy didn’t have to go far to really do anything: the Reggia di Venaria has its own full-blown cathedral.
The Church of Saint Umberto is a beautiful basilica of pastel colors and with soft light coming through its windows.
It is near the end of the palace visit and can easily be missed if you aren’t paying attention because you have to go down a set of stairs that aren’t too obvious. Be on the lookout: there should be an attendant waiting down the stairs, so you know that there is something to see.
Juvarra Stables
The famous architect Filippo Juvarra is responsible for the palace’s beautiful interiors, including the Galleria Grande and the church.
He also designed the Juvarrian stables (so you can see where the name comes from). The stables once held 200 horses, and today are one of the most fascinating parts of the palace visit.
You can see the old carriages the royal family would use and how their stewards would dress.
There are also insights on the daily life of those who worked for the royal family, including how many held what job position and what their salaries were.
Royal Gardens
The sprawling palace gardens can be enjoyed for free or as part of a palace visit.
I visited in March and the gardens weren’t yet in full bloom, so I recommend waiting until late spring or summer to really be able to enjoy the outdoor space.
Nonetheless, it was impressive to see just how big the gardens are. You can’t miss Neptune’s fountains, the kitchen gardens and the remains of the Temple of Diana.
Venaria Reale Travel Tips
- Wear comfortable shoes. You don’t realize it, but you walk a lot just because of how big the palace is – not to mention how big the gardens are. So wear comfy shoes you don’t mind walking in.
- No flash photography – and don’t shoot too much inside. You can photograph inside the palace but only without flash. The other thing I experienced was that I couldn’t shoot too many photos, especially in the Grand Gallery room.
The SGTD Take
The Reggia di Venaria is a spectacular place to relive a chapter in Italy’s history.
If you are in the area of Turin, it is a can’t miss excursion. If instead you are looking for a day trip to add to your northern Italy itinerary, then I highly recommend pairing a visit to Reggia di Venaria with another activity in the area, like a visit to Lake Maggiore or Turin city center.
Have any questions about planning the perfect visit? Ask me in the comments!
Italy Trip Planning Resources
- Accommodation: For Italy, I mainly use Booking.com to search and book places to stay.
- Booking flights: I like to search for flights through Skyscanner, but I also book direct depending on the airline.
- Activities & experiences: For things to do that require a ticket, and for more unique trip activities, I use Musement.
- Road trip: For renting a car, I get the best prices by comparing companies with AutoEurope. I then use ViaMichelin to estimate road trip costs and Autostrade.it to find gas stations/have live updates on traffic.
- Transportation: Traveling by public transportation is a great way to see Italy. I use Trenitalia or Trainline to book tickets for trains and Flixbus for long-haul bus trips.
- Accessories: I always travel with this portable charger to stay connected and with a universal adapter to accommodate Italy’s plug types.
- Need help planning an itinerary? Fill out my form for a custom itinerary request!
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I hope that with this info you now feel confident about planning the perfect visit to the magnificent Reggia di Venaria.
Safe travels,
Michela
Michela is a travel writer and photographer living in northern Italy. She is passionate about helping people make the most of their travels by sharing advice gained from her personal experiences, off-the-beaten-path destinations and time-saving quick itineraries. Browse her top articles or have her help you plan your itinerary to your dream destination!
