Discovering Alba Piedmont and the beautiful city of Turin
Piazza Risorgimento, Alba - Source: Winekeller
Visiting Piedmont Italy and its famous wine town, Alba, home to the famous Alba Truffle Festival and spending 2 days in Turin, one of the most beautiful Italian wine cities
If you’re planning to visit Piemonte - or Piedmont - one of the best wine regions in Italy and indeed one of the world’s most famous wine regions, then you absolutely need to spend time in the wine town of Alba, the heart of the region and the capital of the Langhe Piemonte region. The best time to visit the home of Italian Barolo wine is undoubtedly in the Autumn, when it’s truffle harvest season and in particular during the Alba International white truffle fair, in October and November.
We did just that and combined it with spending 2 days in Turin, the capital city of this Northern Italy wine region, Piemonte, discovering its incredible history and culture and home to the famous, beautiful Turin palaces, former residences of the Royal House of Savoy.
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About the Langhe Piemonte
Wine is produced around most of the Piedmont region in the northwest of Italy and it’s known for its famous Barolo and Barbaresco red wines - as well as its pungent truffles! It’s also known for its spectacular scenery.
There are 3 famous hill districts in Piedmont that were all listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2014 - Langhe, Roero and Monferrato.
The beautiful Langhe, Piemonte - Source: Winekeller
The Langhe hills are located in the south west of Piemonte around the famous wine town of Alba , forming waved hill crests, all pointing in the same direction, from southeast to northwest. Each hill has a steep side that holds up the next, gentle slope, generating a unique sun exposure, perfect for the cultivation of the Nebbiolo grape, which produces the famous Italian Barolo wine and Barbaresco wine. The Alps tower over the Langhe hills to the north and west. The Upper Langhe, (‘Alta Langa’) hills face south, toward the Apennine mountains. Here the landscape is dominated more by meadows and hazelnut groves.
The main centre of the Langhe region is the wine town of Alba.
Discover Alba Piedmont
Alba, Langhe hills, Piemonte
Alba is a very special wine town and capital of Langhe Piemonte, located some 50km from Turin in the province of Cuneo. With origins from pre-Roman times the modern town is based on the Roman town, Alba Pompeia and surrounded by the Langhe hills, it offers an excellent base for exploring the Barolo and Barbaresco wine regions.
Alba - the centre of Piemonte wines
Being in the heart of the world-famous Piemonte wine region, Alba is a very important centre for wine. The wines of Alba include the top DOCG wine regions - some of the best wine regions in the world - of Barbaresco, Barolo and Moscato, as well as the DOCs, Barbera, Dolcetto and Nebbiolo.
If you are looking to do some wine tasting in Piedmont Italy, then Alba offers lots of opportunities for sampling these world-famous Piemonte wines.
Alba - the centre of Italian wine AND food
As well as being the capital town of Piedmont’s Langhe region, Alba is acknowledged by UNESCO as a ‘Creative City for Gastronomy’, known for its fabulous Italian wine and food, especially for its truffles of course, but also chocolate and hazelnuts! It comes as no surprise therefore to find that Alba is the home of Ferrero Rocher and world-famous ‘Nutella’ and there is no shortage of shops where you can buy this fabulous confectionery!
We really enjoyed strolling through the beautiful streets and alleyways of Alba sampling the delicious foods and wines, enjoying the amazing shop window displays and browsing the stalls of the lively, bustling food market!
What to see and do in Alba
So if great Italian wine and food isn’t enough, then make sure you visit Alba for its beautiful attractions!
Known as the ‘town of a hundred towers’, a reference to its position as one of the most important cities in Piedmont in the Middle Ages, there is so much to discover here. Today there are very few towers left intact, the most important being Sineo Tower, Astesiano Tower and Bonino Tower, all located near the town’s main square, Piazza Risorgimento.
The historical, social and cultural centre of Alba is Piazza Risorgimento, a beautiful square framed by some wonderful historic and architecturally magnificent buildings, including the stand-out, pink-coloured Town Hall, with its balcony decorated with flags, its clock and its characteristic porticoes and inside, its prized collection of religious frescoes and paintings.
Cathedral San Lorenzo, Piazza Risorgimento, Alba - Source: Winekeller
Near to Piazza Risorgimento is the Roman Catholic Cathedral of San Lorenzo, an architectural masterpiece with a mixture of Romanesque and Gothic design and origins from the 12th century, restored in the 15th century. Its impressive exterior dominates the square, with its red walls, portico, three portals, central rose window and original bell tower (one of the one hundred towers of Alba). The interior is equally impressive, with a beautiful open space featuring a painted ceiling, made to look like a starry night and six side chapels, containing valuable works of sacred art. The church is also known for its wooden choir dating back to the 1500s.
Between the Town Hall and the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, you can visit the underground ancient Roman city of Alba Pompeia and marvel at the ancient remains and the ruins of some of the medieval towers.
Other notable monuments include several churches: the gothic San Domenico church which houses many of the town’s most sacred artworks; St John the Baptist (San Giovanni Battista) - a Baroque architecture church housing two famous works of art - Madonna of the Graces (1377) and Madonna with Saints (1508); Santa Maria Maddalena, a small late-Baroque church housing the relics of Blessed Margaret of Savoy.
There are also several excellent museums to visit in Alba.
Alba Truffle Festival
The world-famous Alba Truffle Festival- Source: Winekeller
If you visit Alba in October or November, you’re in for a treat (and we would highly recommend this is when you visit)! This is when the annual International white Alba truffle Fair (Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d’Alba) is held and the town is busy with visitors and locals alike, with lots of events and festivities to enjoy! The fair is a truffle show with many cooking demonstrations and displays, plus artistic and cultural events.
We spent a wonderful two days here during this time and loved experiencing the vibrant atmosphere, the culinary traditions and many attractions and festivities. We joined in with the wine tasting and truffle tasting, sampled some superb local, traditional dishes and watched some wonderful, traditional ceremonies and celebrations, including the amazing flag throwing!
A key event is held on the first Sunday in October, all around the Cathedral of San Lorenzo in Alba’s old town - the Donkey Palio - a race that sees local teams, all in traditional costume, competing for the prestigious flag!
The truffle is a precious underground mushroom, known for its intense scent and unique flavour, which when added to dishes such as soups and pastas, elevates them to something very special. Truffles are one of the most iconic symbols of Alba as well as one of the driving factors of Alba’s economy. The annual Alba Truffle Fair attracts food lovers from all over the world, eager to taste and purchase these famous delicacies.
Where to stay in Alba
Alba can offer a broader range of accommodation and transport options and it is also a beautiful town to explore and experience. We can highly recommend staying in the stunning Rivetto Suites, 4 elegant, spacious and contemporary apartments located in the heart of historic Alba, built where the original Rivetto winery used to stand! (See our article about visiting Rivetto in Serralunga d’Alba here).
We loved staying here so much we couldn’t be persuaded to go out for dinner (despite the incredible choice in Alba!) and ended up buying pasta and truffles to cook in!
Rivetto Suites apartments in the centre of Alba
Where to eat in Alba
With so much focus on Italian wine and food in Alba you shouldn’t be surprised to discover that there are several Michelin star restaurants and around the town, including Piazza Duomo (3 stars) in the centre of the city and Villa d’Amelia and the Enoteca in Canale, just 30 minutes drive away.
Other excellent restaurants in the centre of Alba include Caffè Umberto and La Libero.
Getting to Alba and Piedmont Langhe
We recommend travelling to Alba, from Turin. You can hire a car and it takes just 1 hour and 15 minutes to get to Alba or you can travel from Turin airport by train direct to Alba.
Combine with a visit to Turin
Beautiful Turin and the Piazza San Carlo - Source: Winekeller
If you visit Alba in Langhe Piemonte via Turin, then take the opportunity to visit this magical city, the capital of the Piedmont region. We stayed 2 nights in a lovely Airbnb in the centre of old Turin and it provided the perfect base for exploring!
Turin (Torino) is the capital of Piedmont, historically the first capital of a unified Italy and home to the Savoy kings and the famous Turin Palaces. It is a vibrant city, with beautiful Baroque squares and elegant shops and it is also the capital of ‘Slow Food’ and the cradle of Italian café culture, so expect superb cuisine, amazing wines, opulent coffee houses and lots of chocolate shops!
In Turin's historic centre you can feel the history of the city, from its Roman origins to the Savoy era. Wander through the arcaded streets and through its majestic squares - notably the Piazza Castello and Piazza San Carlo and visit its prestigious monuments and museums, such as the Mole Antonelliana - a 19th-century tower housing the interactive National Cinema Museum (Museo del Cinema) - the Egyptian Museum (Museo Egizio), the Royal Palace and the Shroud Chapel.
Turin is also a beautiful green city, with lots of parks and tree-lined avenues to enjoy and you are never far from the beautiful River Po running through the city. The backdrop of the Piedmont hills and the majestic Alps give Turin that extra special quality that makes a visit here so special.
Our recommendations for spending 2 days in Turin
Of course it’s always preferable to stay longer to discover more about a city, but if you only have a couple of days, it’s more than enough to explore and to appreciate this noble, elegant city. Of all of the Northern Italian cities to visit, Turin - or Torino - should definitely be on your list!
Day 1:
Start at the impressive Porta Nuova railway station, located on the busy main road encircling the historic city centre - Corso Vittorio Emanuelle. Construction started in 1861 and it really is an impressive building and great introduction to the city.
Continue from here along the Via Roma and into the city centre and the huge, stunning Piazza San Carlo. Take time to explore this beautiful square. Marvel at the beautiful monument dedicated to Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy on his bronze horse - and continue on into the next incredible square, Piazza Castello. From here you can visit the beautiful Palazzo Madama which houses the Civic Museum of Turin.
If you still have energy for visiting another museum, take time out to visit the Egyptian Museum - second only to the museum in Cairo, it houses over 3000 precious artefacts
Day 2:
Start your day by enjoying wandering through the elegant streets and squares, perhaps stop for a coffee or some shopping and head over to the Mole Antonelliana - visit the impressive National Cinema Museum and take the lift up to the top of this beautiful, 85 metre high building to admire the superb views over the city and the Alps.
Then head over to the Royal Palace and enjoy a stroll around the Royal Gardens and the Royal Museums - an exhibition area of thirty thousand square metres which includes the Royal Palace, the Royal Gardens, the Royal Library and Armoury, the Sabauda Gallery, the Archaeological Museum, the Chiablese Rooms and the Chapel of the Holy Shroud.
Where to eat in Turin
In a city such as Turin, known for its Italian wine and food and its culture, there is no shortage of great cafés and restaurants! However a specific recommendation is to visit the outdoor market Porta Palazzo and food hall Mercato Centrale, both located in the Piazza Repubblica, close to the Royal Palace.
We enjoyed a fabulous meal here and of course some top wine to accompany it!
For more information about visiting Turin see here.
Visiting the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy
For centuries, Turin was the core of the political power of the House of savoy and the heart of the dynasty. The group of Residences of the House of Savoy - homes to the Italian royal family from 1562 to the 18th century - was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. They are known collectively as ‘Crown of Delights of the House of Savoy’.
Palazzo Reale
La Venaria Reale is located just outside Turin, conveniently on the way from Turin airport. The complex dates back to the mid-17th century and the estate consists of an 80,000 sq.metre palace, 60 hectares of gardens, 3,000 hectares of fenced and protected parkland (the Park of La Mandria) and the adjoining Old Town. Together they make up a single architectural and environmental continuum that offers a shiny example of European Baroque.
We visited just the gardens and were blown away - we would highly recommend visiting!
For more about visiting Piedmont Italy and the Barolo wine region, see here.
For more about the wines of Barolo and the village of Serralunga d’Alba, see here.
Conclusion and personal highlights
We had such a lovely time exploring the famous wine town of Alba - it really is unmissable and you should always plan to visit in October/November. We loved the food, the wines, the festivities - it really is ‘La dolce vita’! Turin was also spectacular. We had long wanted to spend time here and found that 2 days was enough to discover its beauty, its history and its elegance.
Interested in exploring Piemonte and the famous wine town of Alba?
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