My kind of town: Turin

Tim Jepson, author of several books on Italy, loves Turin for the art, architecture, culture and especially the food.

• I drove through the suburbs years ago and thought it drab in the extreme, and there aren't many Italian cities you can call drab. And sure enough, after returning to write a book, I realised it wasn't drab at all – it just didn't have the immediate, sunny charms of a Rome or Naples. But all the Italian staples are here – the art (ancient, medieval and modern), the architecture (there's nowhere better for baroque), the shopping (lots of this), the culture and the food (especially the food).

• The historic cafés. Italy isn't exactly short of these, but Turin's wonderfully old-fashioned – and little-known – traditional bars are the best I know. Turin these days also has a tremendous sense of renewal and dynamism, not something you could say of any of Italy's more fossilised historic cities. These days, those who still think of the city as greyly industrial are way off the mark.

• In winter, I hunker down with a hot chocolate somewhere cosy and then take a turn around the Galleria Sabauda, the city's main art gallery (Botticelli, Mantegna, Fra Angelico, Rembrandt and many others). In summer, it's out on to the streets for all the usual Italian pleasures, plus a walk along the pretty banks of the River Po and a trip to the basilica at Superga, a baroque masterpiece in a bucolic setting in the hills above the city.

• The four-star Sitea (0039 011 517 0171; www.thi.it; doubles from £90) is perfectly placed for the central sights. The less expensive three-star, 15-room Chelsea (011 436 0100; www.hotelchelsea.it); from £67) is also centrally located a block from the main Piazza Castello. The latter is also well-placed for the revitalised Quadrilatero Romano district, the best area for funky shops, restaurants and nightlife. For one of Europe's most remarkable modern hotels, go for the Le Méridien Turin Art + Tech (011 664 2000; www.starwoodhotels.com; from £100), part of a vast former Fiat factory an easy15 minutes by taxi from the centre.

• The civilised taking of aperitifs – never mind coffee – is a big deal in Turin. There's a wide choice of venue, and most bars offer a vast array of free nibbles. Two classics are the Caffè San Carlo (Piazza San Carlo 156), in business since 1822, with white-liveried waiters, a gorgeous interior and 28 types of coffee; and Caffè Torino (Piazza San Carlo 204), all velvet, mirrors, chandeliers and grand, fur-clad old ladies. My favourite, though, is the tiny Al Bicerin (Piazza della Consolata 5), founded in 1763 and celebrated for its bicerin, a decadent, bittersweet mixture of coffee, chocolate and cream.

• The above cafés offer good snacks, as do the historic Baratti & Milano (Piazza Castello 27) and Stratta (Piazza San Carlo 191, above centre). Mood Libri (Via Cesare Battisti 3e) is a sleek and modern bookshop-cum-café, with good light meals.

• Turin is the capital of Piedmont, which has fabulous wines (Barolo, Barbaresco and more) and sublime food, even by Italian standards (the Slow Food movement was founded here). Del Cambio (Piazza Carignano 2; 011 739 2011), founded in 1757, is the classic choice; Tre Galline (Via Bellezia 37; 011 436 6553) is also an excellent bet for traditional regional cooking.

• The Museo Nazionale del Cinema is world class: great fun, even if you're not much of a movie buff. The Palazzo Reale, former home of the Savoy dynasty, Piedmont princes for almost 1,000 years (and Italy's first kings), is sumptuous in the extreme.

• Thinking they will be able to see the Turin Shroud – it's not on public view until 2025.

• Walk in the old centre. Taxis are cheap.

• The city is not dangerous, but take the usual precautions.

• Food and wine from shops in Via Lagrange, notably De Filippis (no. 39), for all types of pasta, and La Baita del Formaggio (no. 36), which has a vast array of cheese.

• Can I have two? Steffanone (Via Maria Vittoria 2) for gastronomic treats of all descriptions and Gertosio (Via Lagrange 34) for amazing chocolates, including over 50 types of praline.