The white truffle fair, eight weeks of autumn smelling of the woods.

The fair is the excuse, but truffle is everywhere in Alba during these weeks: on the menus, in the shops and in the air of the centre. If you want to buy, judges at the market will help you choose and look after you after the purchase too.

What it is and why go

The Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d'Alba has been held every autumn for almost a century and is the leading event for white truffle. Alba owes a good part of that fame to Giacomo Morra, a hotelier and restaurateur who in the 20th century turned the truffle into an international draw; in 1933 The Times called him the king of truffles.

The heart of the fair is the Mercato Mondiale del Tartufo Bianco d'Alba, right in the old town. There the trifolao, the truffle hunters, and the traders sell truffles fresh from the woods, with a quality commission overseeing sales. Around it, over eight weeks, there is a succession of wine tastings, cooking courses, dinners, markets and local festivities.

Who it suits

Anyone who enjoys food and wine, and anyone who wants to see up close a product that is almost never seen outside a plate. You don't need to buy truffle to enjoy the fair: the smell of the market, the shops and the restaurant menus are the experience in themselves.

For families, the fair has its own children's programme, Alba Truffle Bimbi. If you want some peace, a weekday is better: at weekends the centre fills up.

How to buy truffle without getting it wrong

White truffle is sold by weight and its price changes every week depending on the harvest. At the market, the judges from the National Centre for Truffle Studies are there to help you choose and to look after you after the purchase as well: don't be afraid to ask them. Ask to smell the piece and buy only what you will eat within a few days, because fresh truffle quickly loses its aroma. Carry it in a closed container: its smell permeates everything.

Dates and when to go

The 96th edition runs from 10 October to 6 December 2026, with most activities at weekends. The white truffle harvesting season runs from 1 October to 31 January, so there is fresh truffle throughout the fair.

November is the month with the fullest programme. Every autumn the world white truffle auction is also held at Grinzane Cavour Castle, a few kilometres from Alba; in 2026 it took place on 8 November. If you want fewer people, weekdays in October are the best option.

Getting there

Alba has a train from Turin. The reference airports are Turin Caselle and Milan Malpensa. To get around the Langhe and visit wineries or villages at the weekend, a car is almost essential.

What it costs

Strolling around Alba is free. The market has a paid entrance, bought online. The MUDET costs €5 and is free for under-10s. The tastings, courses and dinners in the programme are paid separately. And the truffle itself, if you buy, is what weighs most on the bill.

If it rains

The market and the museum are indoors, as are the workshops and tastings in the programme.