When you need a break from sumptuous palaces and grand architecture or are looking for free things to do in Turin, stroll toward the river and into the long green Parco Valentino.

 Here, you'll find Turin's own "folly" — a complete "medieval" village, an imaginative view of what one might have looked like, complete with its own castle, artisans' studios, and shops.

 Built for an exhibition in 1884, the borgo became such a local favorite that it has been maintained as part of the park. 

Its lovely riverside setting so close to the historic and business center and its other attractions — the 1729 Botanic Gardens and the Savoys' fine Renaissance Castello del Valentino (1630-60) — make the park popular with locals and tourists.