11 a.m. Find yourself in the center of historyA panorama of Turin history unfolds around Piazza San Giovanni, a central square. To the north, see the Porta Palatina, a red-brick Roman-era gate to the city. To the east, and down some stairs, the ruins of a Roman amphitheater (free admission) hide in the shadow of the Galleria Sabauda (€15), a Neoclassical museum that houses art collected by the dukes and kings of the House of Savoy, a historic royal dynasty. Next to the museum, the tall bell tower of the Renaissance-era Cathedral of St. John the Baptist soars over the unattached main building, whose chapel holds the Shroud of Turin, a 14-foot cloth bearing the faint image of a bearded man that some believe to be Jesus Christ. The cloth is not displayed to the public, but the Museum of the Shroud (€8), a short walk away, explains its history and some of the scientific studies done to determine its origins.

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Persons: Piazza, of Savoy, John the, Jesus Christ Organizations: Piazza San Giovanni, of Locations: Turin, Piazza San, St, of Turin