Travel Italy: Vacation Packages, Tips, Tours of Italy

The “International White Truffle Fair of Alba” , held in Alba, Piedmont, kicked off October 4, enters the last week.
Some major events are scheduled for the last days.

Saturday November 8, is a day for wine and truffle-related produce exhibitions. “Langhe and Roero on show” (10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.) held in the historical centre of Alba and “AlbaQualità” (9.00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.) at “Palatartufo Giacomo Morra” — within of the “Alba White Truffle World Market“, are exhibitions of gourmet food and wine from Piedmont.

The “Alba White Truffle World Market” — week-ends from Oct 4 till Nov 9, brings together selected truffle hunters, truffle hounds, and traders. A Commission responsible for checking the truffles (”Commissione di controllo”) is actively present on the market to protect consumers about the quality of Tuber Magnatum Pico sold at the fair. The truffles examined and guaranteed by the National Centre for Truffle Studies upon purchase are wrapped and put in numbered bags that allow the truffle vendor to be uniquely identified.

A truffle auction — 10th Alba White Truffle World Auction, is scheduled Sunday November 9, at Grinzane Cavour Castle.

In November and December, Alba offer also seminars on “How to become a truffle taster”, the Truffle sensory analysis, a 4-hour course with interpreter, for max. 20 participants (for more info, Ph. +39.0173.362562 or visit www.fieradeltartufo.org).

For chocolate lovers who are visiting Piedmont this week, CioccolaTO’ is an event to not be missed.

From Friday, February 22 through Sunday, March 2, this annual chocolate festival held in Turin will feature endless tastings, laboratories with master pastry chefs of international renown, visits to chocolate factories, shows and also even chocolate classes.

CioccolaTÒ 2008 is not only a celebration of the palate, it is also many other activities, including design (Turin is World Design Capital for 2008), music, literature and theatrical presentations, all based on the theme of cocoa. Details of the event at http://www.cioccola-to.com/english/.
When: from February 22 to Sunday, March 2;
Where: Turin.

Among the many grape and wine festivals taking place in the wine-growing regions of Italy, in this late September, we suggest the followings (listed by region).

- Tuscany
“Festa dell’Uva” (grape feast) in Impruneta (Sept 30).

- Piedmont
“Festa del Vino e del Monferrato” (wine feast) in Casale Monferrato (Sept 21-23).
Wine Feast in Nichelino, surroundings of Turin, (Sept 19 through 23);

- Veneto and Friuli
“Festa dell’Uva” (”Grape Feast”) in Conegliano (September 23).
Gambellara Wine Festival, in Gambellara (September 21-23; info ph/fax: 0444/444183, stradadelrecioto@libero.it)

- Liguria
“Festa dell’uva e del vino” in Vezzano Ligure (September 22-23).
Sagra dell’Uva in Vernazza (Cinque Terre) (September 30)

- Aosta Valley
‘Feta di Resen’ in Chambave (September 23-30). Major event for tasting of mountain wines. (Details)

- Emilia-Romagna
Wine Feast in Castello di Gropparello (September 23 and 30). (Details)
“Sagra Provinciale dell’Uva” in Riolo Terme (September 20 through 23)

From September to December the truffle season is underway. A multitude of fairs and festivals take place across the country, especially in what are the most prominent areas for the truffle-hunting: Piedmont, Tuscany, Umbria, and Marches.

In Piedmont, in Alba – the most known area for white truffle, the big local truffle fair (77th Alba White Truffle International Festival) kicks off on the last weekend of September and is held every weekend throughout October.

However, if you are looking for less touristy places, villages throughout the Monferrato and Langhe areas in Piedmont, offer you smaller truffle fairs and festivals with their typical large variety of truffle dishes and delicacies, on weekends throughout October and November.
We’ll cover that in a lot more detail in the upcoming weeks.

- See Alba interactive map.

Friday, March 2 kicked off the 2007 edition of CioccolaTO’, in Turin.

This chocolate festival, which runs through March 11, features endless tastings, visits to chocolate factories, shows and also even chocolate classes for those willing to improve their knowledge on this theme.

Piazza Vittorio Veneto, the largest square in Europe, one of the most beautiful spots in the city and the historic cafes are the venues for the event. See the program