From late September through January, Alba, a picturesque town in Piedmont region plays host to gastro tourists from around the world who flock to the UNESCO World Heritage site for the flavour of the hunderground : that earthy, garlicky perfume of white truffles.
Truffles are hypogean mushrooms that grow and live underground, from few centimetres to a meter under the level of the ground, living in symbiosis with roots of trees and plants; their favourite place is the root of oaks, lindens, hazels and poplars from which they catch the organic compounds. The white truffle, Alba, is expensive, far more expensive than the black. They are sold by weight. On restaurant menus for Piemont truffles, you will be told the price and the truffle will be weighed before and after being shaved. The highest-paid truffle in the world, was a white truffle of 900 grams and was purchased by a chef from Hong Kong for 100,000 €.

Piedmont is steeped in culinary culture :Alba is the hometown of everybody’s favourite chocolate–hazelnut spread, Nutella ; a quick drive away you can find the most beloved wine regions: Barolo and Barbaresco and in this region there is the highest concentrations of Michelin-starred restaurants in Italy.

Every Saturday and Sunday in October and November, take place the White Truffle Alba World Market. The fair takes place in the Cortile della Maddalena just off Alba’s main street, Via Vittorio Emanuele II . As you enter the market, the perfume of truffles fills the air. Truffle sellers take centre stage with their stalls in the centre of the hall. Here you can see, touch, smell truffles of all shapes and sizes. During this event. there are a lot of activities like a Show Cooking with the great chefs, the Truffle Sensory Analysis, the Wine Tasting Experience, twinnings with territories of food and wine excellence in the hills of Langhe, Roero and Monferrato together with guests, meetings and debates.

What you shouldn’t miss: Donkey Palio and historical parade!

At the end of the first weekend of the International Alba White Truffle Fair, a great historical parade takes place with over a thousand participants belonging to the villages of Alba. Each parade walks through the streets of the city and reaches the Palio arena, where a qualified jury awards the prize for the best performance. From 3 pm in Piazza Cagnasso, the funny Donkey Palio is scheduled, with the nine Alba boroughs competing for the much desired prestigious prize.