Alba thrives since centuries thanks to the initiative and the inventiveness of its inhabitants. Its brick towers bear witness to a medieval Alba which took pride in its charters and the freedoms which they bestowed on its citizens. Since earliest times, Alba was a union of town and country,  of the hills of the Langhe to the South and the hills of the Roero to the North, different landscapes which form a single and unique land.
Truffles and wine continue to define the local cuisine and remain a magnet for gourmets from around the world. They are best tasted in the joyful and relaxed atmosphere of a meal served in one of the town’s many restaurants and trattorias. Food – wine, truffles, sweets  - remains Alba’s and the region’s undisputable speciality with a wide range of products shipped to all corners of the world. It is probably no coincidence that the Slowfood movement, extolling the pleasures of a cuisine with strong bonds with the countryside and local products, was born here in the town of Bra, just 10 miles from Alba.
Besides being a gourmet stronghold, Alba is a cultural and artistic capital which was home to some of Italy’s most celebrated artists and writers; this aspect of the town’s rich past can be viewed through the exhibits of its Civic Museum “Federico Eusebio”.


Autumn is Alba’s season par excellence. The town drapes itself in the many colours of its Palio costumes and of the surrounding hills. The truffle smells intensely under the oak and chestnut trees, the grapes of dolcetto and nebbiolo become wine in the wine cellars and preparations for the town’s main festival, attracting travellers from Italy and abroad, are in full swing: it’s time for the National Truffle Fair at which all products of the Langhe and the Roero will be proudly exhibited.
The town of Alba has maintained its predominantly medieval face with Baroque and neoclassical interludes; the town’s colours are those of the surrounding Langhe hills.
Where the “forum” rose in Roman times, the Risorgimento Square with the town’s Cathedral and the town hall, built on Roman ruins, now stand. From here starts the town’s main street, the Via Maestra where townspeople stroll among boutiques, cafés, wine and gourmet shops. On Saturday mornings, Via Maestra turns into the town’s lively marketplace; this colourful bazaar was first mentioned in a document of 1171 and still remains an occasion to walk among the stalls and meet neighbours and strangers.
Alba, which has an international standing as the hometown of world famous products like Ferrero’s Nutella, entertains close relations with its two twin towns of Medford, Oregon and Banska Bystrica, Slovak Republic.