Borgo Vittoria is a busy district to the northwest of Turin’s historic center. Spend an afternoon wandering around the streets here and you will get to take in another side of Turin beyond the main tourist area.

Join the many Turin locals who shop each day on the busier streets of Borgo Vittoria. These include Via Bibiana and Via Chiesa della Salute. Find both these streets lively after dark as well as during the day. They are home to a good selection of restaurants, cafés and bars.

Towards the southern end of Via Chiesa dell Salute is the church that gives the street its name, the Chiesa di Nostra Signora della Salute (Church of Our Lady of Health). Notice the variety in the styles of design that make this building’s exterior interesting. This varied design is due to the fact that, although the building was built in 1895 and many of these older elements still stand, significant reconstruction work was carried out on it after World War II. The building suffered great damage during bombardments.

One truly unusual attraction to look for in Borgo Vittoria is the Museolab del Fantastico e della Fantascienza di Torino, otherwise known as MUFANT. MUFANT prides itself on being “the first Italian museum-lab dedicated to fantasy imagery and science fiction.” Discover over 10,764 square feet (1,000 square meters) of exhibition space given over to displays on Star Trek, Mary Shelley and classic pulp science fiction magazines from the early 20th century.

Another nearby museum worth visiting is the MEF Ettore Fico Museum, dedicated to contemporary art. Find it just outside the boundaries of the neighborhood, to the east.

Reach Borgo Vittoria from central Turin in around half an hour by bus or tram. Come on a sunny day to enjoy the chance to lounge in the little Giardino Don Gnocchi, or in the much larger Parco Dora, which borders the neighborhood to the south.