White truffles are highly esteemed and they are know for their exquisite taste. In Italian white truffles are called “trifola d’Alba Madonna”, because the countryside around Alba is the place where you’re the most likely to find the truffles.
The white truffle festival started in 1928, when it was a part of the grapes harvest festival. However, the truffle fair became an independent event, and in 2007 it adopted the status of an international festival. Annually it lasts for about one month, starting from the second weekend in October and finishing on the second weekend in November. This time is known as the harvesting time for white truffles.
During the festival Alba attracts the gourmets from all around the world who want to try real white truffles. Special markets, where you can buy certified white truffles, open every weekend. It’s really the place to see and smell. Apart from truffles other foods are also sold at the market: wine, cheese, pasta, cured meat, confectionery.
The festival is full of different events, that will be interesting for real gourmets as well as tourists who want to see the real Italy. Gourmets can participate in wine tasting, truffle sensory analysis and taste the meals cooked by best Italian chefs. Also the Truffle Bacchanal (a medieval feast) and Albaromatica (the well known spice and dried fruit market) will be open to visit.
One of the most outstanding festival events is the donkey race (the Donkey Palio). It started as a practical joke, but now it’s the highlight of the festival. The race is held between the districts of Alba, where locals compete (with great care for the donkeys’ health) for the Palio cloth and the procession prize. The race is preceded by a medieval parade, that goes through the city streets.
