White Truffle Season Opens in Alba

If your nose is twitching in anticipation of white truffle season, prepare to close your eyes and inhale deeply, for the heady scented tubers are back!

From 6 October to 25 November 2018 the biggest event devoted to celebrating the famous and highly-prized White Truffle of Alba, returns to Piedmont in northern Italy.

In fact, the elegant Piedmontese town (60km from Turin and 150km from Milan) will be overrun with over 600,000 truffle loving fan throughout the season seeking out all the exhibitions, folklore activities, routes, show cooking related to the exclusive tuber as part of the 88th edition festivities of the International White Truffle Fair of Alba.

Photo: Davide Carletti 

Traditionally, the heart of the fair is dedicated to the World Market of White Truffle of Alba, open every weekend from 6 October to 25 November (as well as extra openings on 1 and 2 November). This is the heart of the truffle scene, where you can get to meet the truffle hunters and pick up your own certified, and carefully weighed and checked white truffle.

If you want to go all out on the precious white jewel, check out the Ultimate Truffle Dinner held on 25 October and November 22nd in which the White Truffle of Alba will be combined with other precious elements of the world cuisine such as Kobe beef and oysters. The proceeds of both evenings will be donated to charity. There will also be the world auction of the white truffle on 11 November, when some jaw-dropping prices are sure to be commanded in the international bidding auction.

There'll be plenty of cultural activities on offer too celebrating art and literature through the lens of the beloved prize of the festival.

Most events are open access, while the entry to the World Market of the White Truffle of Alba and the AlbaQualità review costs 3.50 euros (tastings excluded). Free admission up to 15 years.

Photo: Davide Carletti

Where: Cortile della Maddalena (via Vittorio Emanuele 19) + Various Locations - Alba (CN)