Torino has a population of 1.790.000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area, a GDP of 55.000 millions of Euros - which is 4.5% of the national GDP.

Founded by the Romans in 28 b.c, Torino became in 1563 Capital of the Savoy Kingdom and in 1861 it was the First Capital of Italy. After a century of strong development, based on manufacturing and car industry, during the ’80s’ Torino experienced a deep crisis related to the demographic and industrial decline. It then started a new positive deal. Actually, since the 1990’s Torino has been following a path that has transformed it from an industrial capital - a sector which continues to play a fundamental role – into a pole of innovation, culture and improved quality of life.
 

The approval of the Town Master Plan in 1995 was a determining factor in initiating the phase of urban transformation, which is still going further: new infrastructures (railway link, subway, new tram lines for a total investment of 7 billions of Euro in the last 15 years), industrial areas recovery; improving environment and upgrading the suburbs; restoration of the city historical centre. Torino started also a process of territorial marketing aiming at attracting new investments and at being designated as hosting city of events at national and international level.

In the year 2000 the first metropolitan strategic plan was approved. In 2006 Torino hosted the XX Winter Olympics Games. On the occasion of the Olympics an investment of 600 millions of Euros has been done on the city whereas an investment of 1200 millions of Euros has been done on the whole area involved. The second strategic plan followed in 2006, focusing on knowledge and innovation. Indeed the economic system has been deeply diversified and innovated in the last years.

A rich calendar of international events followed after the Olympics: UNESCO Word Book Capital (2006), Chess Olympiads and Fencing World Championships (2006), Winter Universiade (2007) World Design Capital (2008), XXIII UIA World Congress of Architecture (2008) ESOF – the Euroscience Open Forum (2010), the celebration and exposition of the Holy Shroud (2010), the 150° of the unification of Italy (2011).

Torino is also becoming more and more livable and with a high quality of life (culture, social, etc) and it is enhancing is capability to attract a qualified human capital (student, researchers, qualified workers, and also tourists). In this framework the City is working for the improvement of culture offer (over 50 museums, 14 Royal Savoy Kingdom residences and a strong contemporary arts system) and to promote the extraordinary food and wine tradition, which is an important cultural resource.

Among other peculiarities of Torino there is, without doubt, the large number of urban markets. The most important of these is the market of Porta Palazzo, the true heart of the historic part of the town that has always been the place of the melting pot of Torino. In addition to this, other 46 markets, large and small, provide daily delivery of over 60% of the fruit and vegetables and, of course, to all other food and extra food.

Particularly, in recent years, the city of Torino has become the place of gastronomic excellence, with the rediscovery of the traditions and the collaboration with organizations, institutions and individuals: among all Slow Food, the new center EATALY, the exhibition of Terra Madre with the Salone del Gusto and the Torino Food Market Festival 2008.