*this post was originally planned for Sept. 2015 but got lost in the shuffle. now that spring has arrived my review of city gardens will start up again.

What was supposed to be a quest for a super secret playground turned out to be just another picnic at the playground. I had heard about a fun play area from a friend but when we arrived it was closed. Turns out it was no longer an “open” area but one that had a schedule.

So, we turned the corner and had our lunch at the nearest spot. This was actually a nice location because it was surrounded lots of tree which was much welcomed on this hot September day. One thing I noticed was that it had bucket swings which is perfect for little babies (or even toddlers who are scared of normal swings).

One thing I look for in playground equipment is safety. I prefer to take the girls somewhere that I know they can easily run up the steps and not fall.

This is a nice area and there were tons of kids playing. We had a picnic lunch so by noon it had cleared out and we were left to ourselves.

As usual, there is a water fountain just outside of the fence and it’s conveniently located near several pastry and gelato shops.

The Giardino Via Re is located just off Corso Francia and the Pozzo Strada Metro stop.  If you’re in the area, there’s a lovely little Monastery nearby as well as the beautiful Parco della Tesoreria where rumor has it, the oldest tree in Torino is found!

*The city tries its best to upkeep these play areas. They’re cleaned once a week and checked for broken and damaged structures. They’ll often place a sticker on the equipment (usually the swings) with the date and time they controlled everything. There is also small plaque indicating the recommended age for use. While most of these playgrounds are gated some may not be completely closed off and most are located near very busy streets.