Torino is the Italian city with largest amount of public park areas: positioned at the foot of the hillside and encircled by the course of the River Po and its tributaries, with 320km of tree-lined avenues and numerous parks in and out of town, the city forms a wonderful whole with the surrounding areas.
A very extensive network of trails and paths meanders within the Protected Areas of the Po Valley and the Torino Hills (Biosphere Reserve UNESCO), dedicated to bikers, joggers or simply walkers. It is relaxing to walk, cycle or even just to rest on the grass of Valentino Park and in the Royal Gardens, while Ruffini Park has all the facilities for sports lovers. Dora Park, created where at one time there were heavy industry factories, is an area of 450,000m2 of green dedicated to sport and relaxing. On the River Po it is possible to row a canoe, trying to keep up with the professionals during training or just admiring the city from an unusual viewpoint, or to take one of the tourist ferries.
Just a few kilometres from the centre you can take a carriage ride in La Mandria Nature Park where numerous species of wild animals freely roam through the extensive glades, ancient trees, flowery meadows and golf courses where the most prestigious international tournaments are held. Boulevards and parks, and also the city, can all be discovered by bike and on the fun segway, readily available thanks to the hire services.
The Olympic Winter Games of 2006 have left a legacy of groundbreaking sports and entertainment facilities. The Palavela, built in 1961 for the centenary of the Unification of Italia, was renovated and reinterpreted by the architect Gae Aulenti and is now the "paradise of ice". Inalpi Arena, designed by the Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, acquires different configurations of positioning depending on requirements, while the Oval Lingotto, a single, large and flexible area with an entirely suspended roof, is now used for exhibitions and fairs. The Olympic Stadium Grande Torino is "home" for Torino Football Club, successors to the invincible football team of the 1940s. The other half of the city, wearing the black & white jersey, cheers Italy’s most successful soccer team: Juventus, that has the highest number of supporters in the new Allianz Stadium, open to visitors with special guided tours.