Opera35 Boutique Hotel

Present-day Turin is perhaps better known for its industrial heritage, but a hotel like Opera 35 reaches a little bit further into the past, bringing modern boutique-hotel hospitality and design to a 19th-century Belle Époque setting. The building, a characteristic example of the era’s residential stock, has been carefully preserved; today its frescoes and stucco share space with contemporary Italian design furniture and modern fixtures and fittings. And the face it presents to the street is only part of Opera 35’s charm — the interior courtyard is an unusually tranquil outdoor space, located as it is within the center of a vibrant modern city.

The accommodations range from relatively conventional rooms and junior suites to more expansive and unique studio apartments, which add kitchens as well as space for up to four guests, making them a natural choice for extended stays or for travelers with kids. That kitchen will come in handy — like many small hotels in European city centers, Opera 35’s service is limited to breakfast, a light lunch, and aperitifs. Given the location, however, you’re hardly on your own, and the staff will help you choose among what must be a hundred restaurants within walking distance of the hotel.