[Treno dei Lettori] The Tuscan Readers’ Train to the Turin Book Fair

Is there anything better than sleeping in on a Saturday? Yes! Waking up early to board a special train, the Tuscan Readers’ Train, heading to the Turin Book Fair. At 7:00 AM sharp, I was at Florence’s main train station, Firenze Santa Maria Novella, ready to board Trenitalia’s high-speed train, chartered by the Tuscany Region, to take 500 book lovers from Tuscany to the Turin Book Fair. In this article, I’ll share my experience.

What is the Tuscan Readers’ Train?

Imagine a train where only book enthusiasts are allowed. A train where, besides announcing the next stops, passengers can listen to live readings of literary works and cultural news.

This creates a unique and stimulating atmosphere, giving many people the opportunity to visit the Turin Book Fair for the first time, one of the largest publishing events in Italy.

The meeting was scheduled for 7:00 AM at Florence’s Santa Maria Novella station, in front of platform 10, where a Frecciarossa 1000 FR 99334, the most modern train in the Trenitalia fleet, was waiting for us.

The Tuscany team greeted us with smiles, ready for a day full of adventures.

This was the first time Tuscany organized a free charter train service for its citizens to attend the International Turin Book Fair. The trip was funded by the Regional Council and Government as part of the initiatives linked to the Book Fair, where Tuscany, as every year, had its own stand.

“Treno dei Lettori” Onboard Experience

The idea was born from projects supporting reading and the book production chain, initiated within the framework of the General States of Culture, in collaboration with the Culture Commission, the Council, and the Government.

On the train, there were initiatives to delve into the Tuscan literary scene.

A Tuscan readers’ radio was set up: authors and protagonists spoke about events, fairs, and experiences related to the book production chain in the region.

The entertainment program was organized by the association Wimbledon Aps. The social cooperative Dieci documented the trip with videos, photos, and interviews, published on the social channels of the Regional Council and Government.

Arrival in Turin

We arrived at Torino Lingotto station around 10:30 AM, greeted by a beautiful spring Saturday.

Next to the station was the entrance to the D pavilion, leading directly to one of the Turin Book Fair’s pavilions, the Padigione Oval.

The fair is immense, with four pavilions covering 137,000 square meters of exhibition space, over 800 stands, 51 rooms, and 180 workshops.

Just at Lingotto, there were over 2,000 events scheduled, plus 650 in the territory with Salone Off.

Exploring the Turin Book Fair

I had a list of events I wanted to attend at the Salone Internazionale del Libro Torino, but upon arrival, I had to completely reschedule my visit.

The fair was a huge success, with crowds making it difficult to walk through some pavilions and long lines for events, checkouts, and even to enter some stands. Can you believe that 220,000 people attended the fair over the five days? According to official figures, the most visited day after Saturday was Friday.

Special Guests and Highlights

Italian singer Gianni Morandi was one of the celebrities present, participating in a conversation led by TV icon Luciana Littizzetto about Marcello Marchesi, a prolific Italian writer known for his versatility and creativity in journalism, screenwriting, film, and theater.

Brazilian Presence at the Fair

Brazil was present in various ways at the Turin Book Fair. I found many books about Ayrton Senna and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, as well as a large collection of Paulo Coelho’s works in Italian. I discovered that Brazilian author Tatiane Paiva, who wrote “Follow the Stars,” was there to promote her book, though at a different time from my visit. Another touching story was by Italian Mariella Groppi, about adopting two Brazilian children, in her book “Incontro di Acque – Storia di Azione – Due bambini in viaggio dal Brasile all’Italia.”

Tennis at the Book Fair

An open space between the pavilions featured a mini tennis court with instructors available to introduce the sport to beginners and promote the Nitto ATP Finals, happening from November 10 to 17 in Turin.

The event is highly significant, featuring the top eight players in the ATP rankings.

Additional Highlights

Fans of Chris Anderson could find his latest book, “Generosità Contagiosa – L’idea che vale assolutamene la Pena diffondere.”

The Tuscany stand showcased books on Dante Alighieri and promoted the exhibition of Italo-Brazilian Alfredo Volpi at Pecci di Prato.

I was delighted by the Nuinui stand and realized that I had already read several books from this publisher to my daughters. When they were younger, they especially loved “Il Muro” and “Puntino”.

I left with a book about Japanese cuisine, as the publisher offers many books on the subject. Purchasers received a 5% discount, along with a beautiful tote bag, a coaster, and stickers featuring quotes from another of the publisher’s Japanese poetry books.

Returning Home

Around 5:30 PM, we regrouped at Torino Lingotto station and boarded the Tuscan Readers’ Train back to Florence, arriving at Santa Maria Novella around 8:30 PM.

Exhausted but content, it was undoubtedly worth visiting one of Italy’s largest literary events. The next Turin Book Fair is already scheduled: mark your calendar for May 15-19, 2025!