How do you get up to Superga with children?
The Sassi–Superga rack tramway is already half the outing. It leaves from Sassi station, in piazza Modena, and climbs 3.1 kilometres at gradients of up to 21% to Superga station, at 650 metres: a quarter of an hour of woodland sliding past the window at an angle. Hourly departures, closed on Wednesdays; return ticket €6 on weekdays and €9 at weekends and on holidays, free for children under 6 (one per paying adult). At weekends arrive a little early: seats run out and the next run is an hour later. Current timetables and fares on gtt.to.it.
By car from Pino Torinese it is ten minutes along the ridge road; the car park by the Basilica fills early on sunny weekends.
What to do at the Basilica with children?
The dome. The 131 steps lead to the panoramic balcony: Turin below, the Po, the Alps in a half circle with Monviso and Monte Rosa. For a child of 6 and up it is a small feat and a big reward (under-6s are not allowed up); the ticket costs €4, free under 12, and the climb stays closed in rain, fog or snow.
The Sun of the Planet Trail. On the forecourt stands a steel sphere one metre sixty across: it is the Sun to scale, and a few steps away are Mercury, Venus, the Earth and Mars, small as marbles. The panels explain the scale so that even the youngest understand why the Earth is so close and Neptune so far.
The Grande Torino memorial. Behind the basilica, the plaque to the players who died in 1949: for children who follow football it is a story that stays.
The Royal Tombs and the Royal Apartment are visited with a guide; with small children the church and the forecourt are the better choice, with room to run and a bar for a snack.
The Planet Trail: how much of it can children do?
The full trail runs from the Basilica forecourt to the Pino Torinese Planetarium: 8.6 kilometres, about three hours, gentle gradients but no pushchair access. With children of 7–8 and up you can do the whole thing, guessing where the next planet will be; with younger ones it is better to stop at Jupiter (just under a kilometre from the Sun) or at ringed Saturn, the most photographed stop, and walk back to the forecourt. Bring water and snacks: there are picnic areas, but bars only at Superga.
The Turin Planetarium and the Observatory
In Pino Torinese, next to the INAF astrophysical observatory, Infini.To is the Museum of Astronomy and Space with the Planetarium: the visit includes the interactive museum, the dome show on the season's sky and, weather permitting, observation from the terrace with telescopes. Entry is at fixed times (at weekends usually in the afternoon, with slots around 2.30pm, 4pm and 5.30pm), tickets are sold online and the weekend guided tours are recommended from age 6. Free parking; by bus 30 get off at the Osservatorio stop and walk up for about twenty minutes. Hours and prices change with the season: check planetarioditorino.it.
The adventure park in the trees
Along the ridge road (via dei Colli) between Pino and Superga, Parco Avventura Tre Querce is the hill's adventure park: nine tree-top courses with zip lines and rope bridges graded by age band, from age 3 up to adults, plus a bouldering wall, a picnic area and a playground. It opens in the warm season, usually at weekends, and is booked online (p3q.it): check the calendar before planning the day. On the Turin side, in the Reaglie valley, Salgari Campus offers archery, survival and woodland activities for families and groups, also by booking.
How to plan the weekend?
Saturday: rack tram from Sassi in the morning, dome and forecourt, lunch at Superga, tram back down and an afternoon in central Turin. Sunday: the Planet Trail in reverse, from the B&B in Pino towards the Basilica for as far as the children last, or the Planetarium in the afternoon and the adventure park in the morning. Distances are tiny: from the Pino Torinese hill the Basilica, the Planetarium and Tre Querce are all within ten minutes by car.
Where to stay at Superga with the family?
Paradise – Nature & Wellness in Pino Torinese is a family-run B&B inside the Superga Hill Park. Mansarda Paradise has two bedrooms and an open-plan living area under the beams, with a hot tub, and sleeps up to eight: the answer for a large family or two families together. The Green Space, ninety square metres at garden level with an equipped kitchen, table football and a private courtyard, sleeps up to six and is pet friendly, for those travelling with the dog too. Breakfast and parking included, a garden to run in, and the woods starting behind the house. For availability and advice on timings, write to Lidia on WhatsApp: +39 338 993 03 39.
Réservation directe sur WhatsApp, petit-déjeuner et parking inclus.
