Season: October to December
Alba is the town of the white truffle. From October to December it hosts the International White Truffle Fair, while in the surrounding woods truffle hunters search with their dogs. You can reach Alba by direct train from Turin.
from€95.00per person
See the fair tour from Turin
Alba lies on the Tanaro River, southeast of Turin, among the wine hills of the Langhe and Roero. The town is famous for two things: the white truffle and the local wines, such as Barolo and Barbaresco. In 2017, Alba joined the Creative Cities Network as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy.
The white truffle, botanically Tuber magnatum Pico, is considered the most valuable truffle species – both in the kitchen and commercially. It grows underground and is found with dogs. That's why, in autumn, everything in Alba revolves around two experiences:
You can combine both in a day from Turin. Important for your planning: most truffle hunts don't start in Alba itself but at a meeting point in the hills. Without a car, you'll need a tour with transfer. Which offers start in Turin and which on site is shown for each tour below.
The Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d’Alba takes place for the 96th time in 2026: from 10 October to 6 December 2026. At its heart is the Mercato Mondiale del Tartufo Bianco d’Alba, the World White Truffle Market in the Cortile della Maddalena in the old town.
At the market, you buy truffles directly from truffle hunters and licensed dealers. A committee with inspectors from the Centro Nazionale Studi Tartufo checks the goods on sale and advises you before and after your purchase. That way you know the truffle is genuine and in good condition.
The fair sells tickets for the world market online through its ticket shop; groups of 30 or more book separately. When we checked, the fair had not published opening hours or ticket prices on its information pages – check fieradeltartufo.org before your visit.
The guided fair tour from Turin is more convenient: it includes skip-the-line entry, a guided tour on truffles and the old town, and train tickets if you choose that option.
Besides the world market, there are events on set days. The fair lists these dates for autumn 2026:
| Date | Event | Location in Alba |
|---|---|---|
| Sun, 4 October, 15:00 | Palio degli Asini (donkey race) with historical parade | Piazza Cagnasso |
| 10 October to 6 December | World White Truffle Market | Cortile della Maddalena |
| Sun, 11 October, 9:30–19:30 | Albaromatica (market) | Piazza Risorgimento |
| Sat/Sun, 17/18 October | Neighbourhood Baccanale (Sat 18:00–midnight, Sun 10:00–19:00) | whole town |
| Sun, 25 October, 15:00 | Flag festival | Piazza Risorgimento |
| Sat/Sun, 31 October/1 November | Langhe e Roero in Piazza (Sat 16:00–19:30, Sun 10:00–19:30) | Piazza Risorgimento |
| Sat/Sun, 7/8 November and 21/22 | Producers' village (Sat 16:00–19:30, Sun 10:00–19:30) | Piazza Risorgimento |
According to fieradeltartufo.org, as of 1 October 2026. Subject to change – current programme in the fair calendar.
These offers start in Turin, so you don't have to worry about trains or a car.
Guided visit to the truffle fair with skip-the-line entry and a walk through the medieval old town. The guide explains the history and characteristics of the white truffle. The option with train ticket includes the round trip from Turin; without the train ticket, you meet the group in Alba. Small group of no more than 15 people, tour in English. Truffle tastings are not included.
from €95.00
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Private day tour with a driver and a licensed wine guide. Departure in Turin from Porta Susa, Piazza Carlo Felice or your hotel. The programme includes two wineries in the Barbaresco and Barolo areas with tastings, plus a walking tour of Alba. Lunch in Alba at extra cost. The wineries need at least twelve hours' notice for reservations.
from €380.00
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Private tour with pickup from your accommodation in Turin. You visit Alba and La Morra, taste Barolo, Barbaresco, Nebbiolo, Roero and Barbera at a winery, and have lunch at a trattoria overlooking the Langhe hills.
from €575.00
Details & bookingFree cancellation up to 24 hours in advance according to the provider.
On a truffle hunt, you join a truffle hunter and his dog in the woods. The dog sniffs out the truffles, and the trifolao carefully digs them up. Along the way, you learn which types of truffle there are, where they grow and how to recognise good quality.
Truffle hunting is regulated by law in Piedmont. White truffles may be hunted from 1 October to 31 January. In 2024, the region moved the start of the season from late September to 1 October to protect the white truffle in the face of climate change.
For these tours, you get there on your own. By car, the meeting points are easy to reach. Taking the train to Alba only works if the meeting point is in Alba and you don't need your own car – and that isn't guaranteed for any of these tours.
Two hours with a licensed trifolao and his dogs in private woods. The tour is available in English, German and Italian. The meeting point is near La Morra; the exact location is confirmed the day before and, depending on conditions, may be up to 30–40 km away. Book at least two days in advance. Food and drinks are not included, and you can rent hunting boots.
from €180.00
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The meeting point is in Alba or a nearby village, depending on the truffle hunter. From there you follow in your own car for a few minutes; no transfer is included. Rubber boots and a rain poncho are provided. Choose between the short hunt and the longer version with wine tasting. Truffles found belong to the hunter, but you can buy them from him.
from €80.00
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A day all about truffles in the Monferrato near Cocconato (province of Asti), not in the Langhe: about three hours of off-trail hunting with truffle hunters and dogs, followed by a Piedmontese lunch with local wines. If the group finds truffles, they go into the meal. The meeting point is in Cocconato, and the tour is offered in several languages, including German. Small group of no more than ten people.
from €180.00
Details & bookingFree cancellation up to 24 hours in advance according to the provider. Travel to the meeting point not included.
The price of white truffles varies widely with the weather, the size of the harvest and the size of the truffle. A good guide is the weekly price listing of the Centro Nazionale Studi Tartufo in Alba. In the 2025 season, it was between €400 and €500 per 100 grams – for medium-sized pieces of 15 to 20 grams.
For a plate of tajarin or a risotto, a small amount shaved fresh over the dish is enough. At the world market, you can also buy individual small truffles.
Entirely different sums are fetched at the World Auction at the Castello di Grinzane Cavour: in 2009 a 750-gram truffle sold for €100,000, and in 2010, 13 truffles fetched €307,200 together. A large share of the proceeds goes to charity.
These offers take place in Alba itself, so they work well if you arrive by train.
Two hours all about truffles in a truffle shop on Piazza Garibaldi: a tasting of truffle products with fresh truffle, paired with wines. You learn about the types of truffle, how they are hunted and the traditions behind them. In Italian and English.
from €65.00
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An hour and a half on foot through the old town with a local guide: churches, bell towers, arcades and traces of the Romans. The meeting point is Piazza Risorgimento. Tour in Italian and English.
from €13.00
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You go to the market with a chef, shop, and then cook a three-course meal that you eat together. Transportation is included, and you get the recipe booklet as a PDF. In Alba, the market is held on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays; on other days it takes place in nearby towns. Truffles and alcoholic drinks are not included, but you can buy them on top.
from €195.00
Details & bookingFree cancellation up to 24 hours in advance according to the provider.
Alba's old town is compact and easy to explore on foot. It stands on the site of the Roman town of Alba Pompeia. At its centre is Piazza Risorgimento with the Cathedral of San Lorenzo; this is also where the Langhe, Monferrato and Roero tourist office is located.
During the fair, it's worth visiting the MUDET, Alba's truffle museum. It takes you from the myths surrounding the truffle to the latest research. There are entrances at Piazza Falcone 1 and Via Vittorio Emanuele II 19.
Museum tickets are available online through the City of Alba ticket shop or at the museum café.
Alba is an easy day trip from Turin. You have three options:
Note, construction work: until 18 October 2026, SFM4 times are shifted because of work between Carmagnola and Bra. Check your connection before you travel.
More on tickets and train stations in Turin on our page about public transportation in Turin.
For the fair and a truffle hunt, a date between 10 October and 6 December 2026, is ideal. On weekends there are also cooking shows and the festivals from the fair calendar.
Fair and old town only: by train or on the fair tour from Turin. Truffle hunt in the countryside: by car or on a tour with transfer.
Some tours need at least two days' notice. Plan the hunt in the morning and Alba in the afternoon – or the other way around.
The world market in the Cortile della Maddalena, MUDET, the Cathedral of San Lorenzo and Piazza Risorgimento are all in the old town.
If you're travelling by car, add a wine tasting in the Langhe – Barolo and La Morra are nearby.
The vineyard landscapes of Langhe-Roero and Monferrato have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2014. The World Heritage Site also includes the Castello di Grinzane Cavour, where the World White Truffle Auction is held. These wine tastings take place right at the winery, and you arrange your own travel.
The meeting point is the Sobrero winery in Castiglione Falletto, in the heart of the Barolo area. After a tour of the vineyard and cellar, you taste seven wines and two liqueurs, along with olive oil, cured meats, cheese and bread.
from €49.00
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In Monforte d’Alba, you visit the vineyard and cellar of Podere Gagliassi and taste four Langhe wines. Then you walk to a trattoria for a Piedmontese dinner.
from €65.00
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An hour in the panoramic hot tub of the Agriturismo La Torricella with a spumante aperitivo, followed by a short cellar tour and two glasses of wine with salami and cheese. Private group.
from €69.30
Details & bookingFree cancellation up to 24 hours in advance according to the provider. Travel to the winery not included. You'll find more excursions in Piedmont on our page Day trips from Turin.
The Torino + Piemonte Card doesn't cover anything in Alba. The Royal Pass, on the other hand, also includes two Savoy residences in the area: the Castello e Agenzia di Pollenzo near Bra, which is on the SFM4 line, and the Castello di Govone in the Roero. The pass pays off if you also visit the residences in Turin.
Want more Piedmontese food? In Turin, you can try the city's specialties on a guided food tour.
The 96th Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d’Alba runs from 10 October to 6 December 2026. The World White Truffle Market is in the Cortile della Maddalena in the old town.
The fair sells tickets for the world market online through its ticket shop. When we checked on 1 October 2026, the fair had not stated an official price on its information pages. The guided fair tour from Turin on this page includes skip-the-line entry.
In Piedmont, white truffles may be hunted from 1 October to 31 January. The best time to visit is during the fair, from mid-October to early December.
The easiest way is the SFM4 suburban rail line, which runs hourly with no changes from Torino Porta Susa and Lingotto to Alba. Until 18 October 2026, times are shifted because of construction work. Alternatively, go by car or on a tour from Turin.
It's tricky. Truffle hunts usually start at meeting points in the countryside, and on some you follow the truffle hunter in your own car. Without a car, your options are tours with transfer or experiences in Alba itself, such as the truffle tasting or the fair.
Yes. According to the provider, the truffle hunt near La Morra is offered in English, German and Italian. The truffle hunt with lunch in the Monferrato is also available in several languages. The languages for each tour are also shown in the overview on this page.
Usually not. On the truffle hunt in the Langhe, the finds belong to the truffle hunter, but you can buy them from him. On the tour with lunch, any truffles found are used in the meal. The rule is stated in each product description.
It depends on the season and size. In the 2025 season, the Centro Nazionale Studi Tartufo listing was between €400 and €500 per 100 grams for pieces of 15 to 20 grams.
At the world market of the truffle fair. There, a committee with inspectors from the Centro Nazionale Studi Tartufo checks the goods and advises you before and after your purchase.
No, nothing in Alba is included in the Torino + Piemonte Card. In the area, the Royal Pass covers the Castello di Pollenzo near Bra and the Castello di Govone.
Yes. You can visit the old town and the Langhe wineries all year round. White truffles and the fair, however, are only in autumn: hunting is allowed from 1 October to 31 January.