As festival season hits full swing in Europe, techno lovers from across the globe are gathering in Turin for Kappa FuturFestival, and we’ve got you covered with an itinerary that will elevate your stay into a full-blown Italian adventure.
When the three-day event returns to Turin’s otherworldly Parco Dora for its 15th edition from July 3-5, the city is set to welcome over 120,000 ravers from more than 150 countries, drawn to the festival by an array of performances from powerhouse DJs such as Amelie Lens, Charlotte De Witte, Skrillex, and Four Tet, and other leading electronic artists whose sounds span the entire house and techno spectrum.
That said, one of Kappa FuturFestival’s biggest highlights is its location. Turin is a historic city surrounded by the Alps, in a country known for its food, rich history, and famed “discoteca” culture, making the festival an ideal experience for techno junkies and international adventurers alike. Read on to start exploring.
Afterparties
Music is king at Kappa FuturFestival. From Friday to Sunday, each day is packed with twelve hours of performances across seven stages at the main venue, followed by a full night of afterparties at several of Turin’s most iconic nightclubs. These afters, or “collateral events,” provide a great opportunity to explore a slice of local nightlife if you want to keep dancing after the official event concludes.
Each venue on the festival’s collateral events list offers a unique atmosphere. Indoor and outdoor spaces give visitors a chance to sample different sides of Turin’s urban culture. Among other venues, the Centralino Club transforms a classic Italian piazza into a dancefloor, while underground lovers can enjoy high-quality audio experiences in modern art-inspired venues like Bunker, Q35, and Notorious Club.
Turin by night
The city also provides plenty of additional nightlife destinations for those who want to venture beyond official festival events. The neighborhood of San Salvario is a popular spot for students and younger people to gather, thanks to the area’s eclectic wine and cocktail bars, indie coffee shops, and artsy vibe. Local favorites like La Drogheria, Smile Tree, and Just are great spots to enjoy an “aperitivo” while taking a break from dancing.
The Murazzi del Po neighborhood is another must-see spot for Turin’s local nightlife. Sitting on the Po River, the waterside locale is known for its boathouse bars and scenic walking routes. This is also a great area to cool off and recover from the festival chaos by relaxing next to the river or strolling along the area’s historic bridges. The neighborhood also offers a mix of casual and fine dining restaurants where ravers can fuel up.
Since Kappa FuturFestival is an urban festival, it’s a good idea to prepare for plenty of walking and using public transit, wherever your adventures take you.
Turin by day
Attendees arriving in the city early or staying longer can enhance their Italian adventure by exploring Turin’s daytime attractions. Unlike Italy’s other urban centers in Rome, Florence, and Venice, Turin remains a largely local city, so travelers can enjoy the city’s scenic parks, cathedrals, museums, and historic centers without having to compete with thousands of tourists. This is a huge advantage for attractions like the Porta Palazzo Market—one of Europe’s largest open-air markets—where you can taste the region’s famous cured meats, cheeses, fruits, and snacks at low cost. Charcuterie board lovers rejoice.
Like many places in Italy, Turin is known for its rich history, which extends back centuries. Kappa FuturFestival attendees can time-travel from the festival’s futuristic stages to the past by exploring historic centers like the Borgo Medievale (the “medieval borough”), which takes visitors on a journey through a recreation of the city during medieval times.
Visitors can also trace the steps of royalty in the Piazza Castello, a public square at the heart of the city that has served as an important social and cultural hub for centuries. After all that concrete and cobblestone, the Parco Valentino is a great park to find some peace among the greenery while munching on a Tramezzino—the city’s most famous “panino” sandwich.
Food
Speaking of panini, it wouldn’t be a proper Italian adventure without good food, and Kappa Futur Festival’s got that covered too.
As an add-on to their festival passes, attendees can indulge in a lavish Italian culinary experience inside the festival’s restaurant, Taverna Futurista. The restaurant features a variety of Italian cuisines, from Sicilian street food and regional dishes to sustainable cuisine and fine dining on a daily rotating menu. This is anything but your typical festival food—each meal is prepared by a highly rated Italian chef, with dishes for lunch and dinner each day.
If you prefer a more casual bite on the go, the festival also features many food stands where attendees can enjoy a taste of Italian and international street food in between stages.
Before we zip up our suitcases, it’s worth noting that, as with many festivals and urban centers, theft and pickpocketing are common around the festival and the surrounding city. It’s best to avoid wearing expensive jewelry, and valuables like phones and wallets should be secured at all times while inside the festival or traveling around the city.
For more information or to purchase tickets to Kappa FuturFestival, visit kappafuturfestival.it.
Featured image courtesy: Kappa FuturFestival. Credit: Claudio Caprai.
