Autumn mists, Barolo vineyards and the scent of “white gold” draw food lovers to Alba White Truffle Fair 2025 in Italy that runs every weekend from early October to early December. Within the medieval walls, truffle judges tap and weigh knobbly treasures that can fetch six-figure sums at the charity auction. Apart from these, you can check out street parades, donkey races and Michelin chef shows that spill through cobbled lanes. On the other hand, the World Truffle Market pairs each prized truffle tuber with local hazelnuts and ruby Barbaresco!
Ready to hunt, taste and bid for truffles? Read on for insider tips, wine matches and travel hacks that turn a weekend in Piedmont, Italy into culinary legend with an Italy Schengen Visa from UK.
Quick Summary – The Alba White Truffle Fair 2025, held every weekend from 11 October to 8 December in the Alba, Italy celebrates the rarest white truffles of the world. The event features the World Truffle Market, Michelin-star cooking shows, wine tastings and cultural highlights like the Palio delgi Asini donkey race. Visitors can also enjoy the truffle-hunting tours, interactive workshops and the charity auctions.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Dates of Alba White Truffle Fair | 11 October – 8 December 2025 |
| What is the Venue of Alba White Truffle Fair? | Cortile della Maddalena, historic centre of Alba, Piedmont |
| What are major attractions of Alba White Truffle Fair? | – World Truffle Market in Cortile della Maddalena – Chef masterclasses and live cooking shows – Medieval parades such as the Palio degli Asini – Charity truffle auction watched worldwide |
| Interesting facts about Alba White Truffle Fair | 1). 2025 marks the Alba White Truffle Fair’s 95th edition 2). The event welcomes over 600 000 visitors across the Langhe, Monferrato, Roero and from other parts of the world each year. 3). Certified white truffles on sale can cost between €4 and €10 per gram for smaller quantities. |
Alba’s white truffle, known as “white gold,” is actually a rare underground fungus (Tuber magnatum Pico). In fact, it grows only in the symbiosis with certain trees in the mineral-rich soils of the Piedmont, Italy. Harvested exclusively in the autumn season, these truffles emit an intense scent that blends the earthy, garlicky, and the musky notes. Their fleeting season, unique perfume, and the elusive growth conditions mean that their supply remains extremely limited. At auction, a single large truffle has fetched over €100,000, reflecting the global demand among the chefs and the collectors.
“Profondo Rispetto” (Deep Respect) is the theme for 2025 which you will notice across every corner of the fair. Organizers spotlight environmental care by limiting single-use plastics and funding projects that protect truffle-bearing oak and hazel groves. The World Truffle Charity Auction at Grinzane Cavour Castle returns with a target of topping last year’s €500 000 donation to children’s medical research, proving that indulgence can also nurture a wider good.
Every weekend from 11 October to 8 December 2025, the vaulted courtyard of Cortile della Maddalena hosts the World Truffle Market. In fact, it is the beating heart of the fair. Under one roof, expert judges certify each truffle, then hand it to vendors who display the knobbly gems alongside local hazelnuts, cheeses and Barolo for tasting.
Doors open 9:30–19:00, and the Grande Enoteca pours guided flights of Langhe wines so visitors can compare aromas before committing to a prized purchase. All you need to do is apply for Italy visa from UK to enjoy these amazing experiences!
MUDET, the fair’s brand-new Alba Truffle Museum, turns truffle lore into hands-on discovery. Start in the Aroma Gallery, where scent cones let you train your nose on twelve natural compounds that make Alba’s white truffle famous. Interactive screens overlay Langhe soil maps with rainfall data to show why one hillside smells sweeter than the next. Thirty-minute workshops run hourly from 10:00, cost €15 and cap attendance at twenty-five. So, reserve online as soon as slots open!
Michelin Star Cooking Shows at Alba White Truffle Fair 2025
Cooking fireworks ignite the Truffle Show inside the Beppe Fenoglio Hall. Star chef may open the 2025 cooking roster on 13 October at 10:30. These demonstrations may run every fair weekend at 11:00 and 18:00 and finish with a plated tasting matched to Langhe wines. Entry costs €50 and only fifty seats are released per session. So, book online as soon as sales go live. Pick the earlier slot for clearer views and shorter queues at the post-show wine counter!
Palio degli Asini Donkey Race at Alba Truffle Fair
On the first Sunday of October, Alba swaps horses for stubborn donkeys in the playful Palio degli Asini race. Nine city districts dress in velvet and armour, then parade through the old town behind trumpets and flag-throwers before lining up in Piazza Senatore Cagnasso for the short, chaotic donkey race. Riders cling to recalcitrant mounts while the crowd roars, vying for the hand-painted drappo banner. The spectacle lasts minutes yet showcases centuries of the rivalry, humour and the communal pride into a single race.
Barolo En Primeur Barrel Tasting
From 20 to 26 October 2025 local wineries open their cellars for small-group previews of Nebbiolo still maturing in oak. Guests sample the 2024 vintage straight from barrique while winemakers explain how altitude and aspect shape each lot’s perfume and tannin. The experience leads into the charity auction on 24 October at Grinzane Cavour Castle, where Christie’s sells selected barrels to raise funds for regional cultural and medical projects. So, when are you booking Italy Schengen visa appointment from UK? Italy awaits your arrival!
Sunrise Truffle Hunt in Alba
Rise before the sun and follow a licensed trifolao and his keen-nosed dog through quiet oak and hazel groves on the UNESCO-listed hills outside Alba. A typical hunt lasts about two hours. It also covers roughly three kilometres of soft woodland paths and costs from €90 per person. This includes a farmhouse breakfast and loan of rubber boots.
Ethical guidelines keep the experience low-impact on the environment: dogs work off lead only in permitted zones; spades must be narrow enough to avoid damaging roots; every site is refilled to protect future harvests. Any truffles found belong to the hunter, though small pieces are often sliced for tasting on the spot.
Each weekend of the fair, the vaulted tasting room inside Cortile della Maddalena turns into a living classroom for the Wine Tasting Experience. Guided by local oenologists, the sessions trace the Langhe hills in a glass, letting you compare terroirs without leaving your seat.
Saturdays and Sundays from 11 October to 6 December at 15:00 and 17:00, neatly timed to follow lunch or precede dinner plans.
A rotating flight of the four wines: Roero Arneis, Barbera d’Alba, Nebbiolo Langhe and the young Barolo. Each of them is poured while the short videos showcase the vineyard that produced it.
Sommeliers explain the vintage differences, food matches and the ageing tips, answering questions in real time so no one leaves the festival puzzled.
Places are limited to forty guests and often sell out a fortnight ahead, so book online the moment your travel dates are fixed.
Yes—if you want to step inside the World Truffle Market, the fair’s aromatic hub, you must pre-book or purchase a day ticket on arrival. Many other experiences remain open-air and free, so your wallet only works when you choose to deepen the adventure.
Online adult ticket €5, onsite €6. Children under 15, disabled visitors and their carers enter free. Groups of thirty or more pay €4 online. Every pass includes access to the Grande Enoteca wine area and a certified truffle-buying zone.
A wine-tasting coupon costs €9 online and grants two pours plus a souvenir glass, handy when sampling Barolo and Arneis between stalls. Also, make sure to get your Italy tourist visa from UK in advance for a smooth travel experience!
Live cooking shows—tajarin twirling and all—are separate events. Seats cost €50 and include a plated tasting, so they sell out weeks ahead.
Street parades, the Palio degli Asini donkey race and medieval pageantry unfold in the old town at no charge, perfect for soaking up the atmosphere on a spontaneous stroll.
Book tickets online as soon as your travel dates are set. Weekend slots and holiday Mondays fill fast, and digital confirmation spares you from queuing on Alba’s narrow lanes at dawn.
Direct Ryanair and British Airways flights from the UK reach Turin in just under two hours from London’s Stansted, Gatwick or Heathrow. On the other hand, easyJet and Wizz link the capital to both Milan Malpensa and Bergamo in roughly the same time. Turin Airport lies 16 km from the city centre (venue). So, hop on the 25-minute shuttle, then join a Milan-bound high-speed rail link if you fancy a city break before truffle country.
1). Train to Alba from Turin & Milan for Truffle Fair
2). Hire car to Reach White Truffle Fair 2025 in Italy
Conclusion
Nine autumn weekends, countless aromas and a single quest for “white gold” await in Alba White Truffle Fair 2025. Wander the vaulted market aisles, toast new vintages, cheer donkey racers and follow a faithful dog through misty oak groves during the event. In fact, each moment weaves into a story that lingers long after the truffle shaver is packed away.
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So, secure tickets, book a seat on a flight to Turin and let Piedmont’s most fragrant truffle festival claim a space on your calendar!
From 11 October to 8 December 2025 the market opens every Saturday and Sunday, plus Monday 8 December, 09:30–19:00 in the Cortile della Maddalena courtyard
Wrap each truffle in the kitchen paper, place it in an airtight glass jar and refrigerate at about 2–5 °C. Change the paper daily and use the truffle within a week to enjoy the maximum aroma before volatile compounds of the truffle dissipate.
Absolutely. Guided hunts led by the licensed trifolao and trained dogs are available daily. You will also get to explore the scenic woods and may even find your own truffle to enjoy.
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