Alba's truffle season reaches full swing every weekend from 10 October to 6 December 2026, when the 96th Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d'Alba fills the Cortile della Maddalena with buyers, hunters and chefs. If you plan to buy a Tuber magnatum Pico this autumn, in Alba, Asti or anywhere across the Langhe, price, provenance and timing decide whether you get real value or a disappointing parcel. This guide sets out what the season actually costs, where to buy with confidence, and which dates matter most for a serious buyer.
When Alba's white truffle season actually runs
The fair itself does not cover the whole hunting period. The 96th edition of the Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d'Alba opens on 10 October 2026 and runs until 6 December. The Alba White Truffle World Market opens every Saturday and Sunday across that period, from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm, in the Cortile della Maddalena, with entrance from Piazza Falcone.
The trifolao, as local truffle hunters are called, work in the woods for much longer than the fair weekends. Harvesting takes place from October to January with the help of specially trained dogs. The practice itself carries official recognition: the harvest was classified as an intangible heritage of humanity by UNESCO in 2021.
Alba marks the opening of the hunting year with its own ceremony before the fair starts. It opens symbolically with the Capodanno del Tartufo, the "Truffle New Year" on the night of 30 September to 1 October, when Alba marks the start of the official harvesting season with an artistic moment at the Teatro Sociale, a procession of Trifolao with their dogs. For 2026, buyers also get a bonus stop included in the ticket price. For the first time, entry to the MUDET, Museo del Tartufo in Alba is included directly in the Fiera ticket. This single-subject museum opened on 14 October 2023 in the Cortile della Maddalena and covers 530 square metres of cultural history, biology and economic significance of the white truffle.
What a kilo of Alba white truffle costs this season
Prices move by the week, so treat any figure as a starting point rather than a fixed number. The White truffle market price 2025 ranged between €3,400 and €5,000 per kilo. At the 2025 Alba Truffle Fair, prices ranged from around €3,400 per kilo for smaller truffles up to €5,000 per kilo for larger ones.
Supply has tightened going into the current season. Italian production, historically centered in Piedmont, suffered from a dry summer followed by an excessively wet fall, reducing volumes by approximately 30 percent, while demand from top restaurants, particularly in Asia, has continued to grow. That squeeze is not a one-year blip. In the last three decades, the areas dedicated to white truffles in Italy have dropped by 30 percent, gradually giving way to more profitable vineyards, but also hazelnut groves.
Auction prices sit in a different universe from market prices, and buyers should not confuse the two. In 2024 the white truffle traded at a high price, reaching 4,500 euros per kilo at the International Alba White Truffle Fair. That same season, two "twin" white truffles, dug up by one hunter, weighing a total of 905 grams, were sold for 140,000 euros to a Hong Kong finance tycoon at the fair's charity auction. If you see a number in the six figures reported from Alba, it almost certainly refers to a charity auction lot, not the price you will pay at a market stall.
Where to buy: the Cortile della Maddalena market
For most visitors, the safest and most transparent place to buy is the fair's own market. The market itself is held inside the Cortile della Maddalena in the centre of Alba, a covered courtyard with around forty truffle vendors at tables. Visitors can walk through, smell, and buy directly. Entry to the market is a few euros and includes a tasting glass; the truffles themselves are weighed and priced at the table.
This setup matters for a buyer because it removes a layer of guesswork. You can smell a truffle before paying, compare two vendors side by side, and watch it weighed on the spot. The fair opening hours run Saturday and Sunday, 9:30 am to 7:30 pm, with last entry at 7:00 pm. Arrive earlier in the day if you want first choice of the best specimens, since weekend crowds build through the afternoon.
Around the truffle stalls, the same courtyard doubles as a wine showcase, which is worth knowing if you are planning a single trip for both. Around the market, dozens of producers from Barolo, Barbaresco, and the wider Langhe pour at temporary tasting stations. A short walk from the stalls, you can pair whatever you buy with a glass from the same hills.
Truffle hunting tours before you buy
Watching a trifolao and dog work the woods helps a buyer understand what they are paying for, and several operators run this near Alba. One well-reviewed option lets you discover the traditional techniques of truffle hunting with a professional Trifolao and his dog, lasting between 1.5 and 3.5 hours in a small group limited to 10 participants. Prices for this tour start from $93 per person.
Worth knowing before you book: the hunt does not guarantee you a free truffle. Truffles found during the hunt are not included in the price but they can be purchased from the hunter. This is standard practice across operators, so budget separately for anything you want to take home.
If you prefer a private outing, prices rise accordingly. A private truffle hunt from Alba with driver starts from €400 and includes a private simulated truffle hunt lasting about one and a half hours. Another operator offers a two-hour hunt with an English speaking guide and a truffle and cheese aperitivo starting at €200 per person, with a private tour option from €300 per person.
The tradition behind these tours has formal cultural standing, which is part of why operators mention it. Guests can learn about an activity listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. That status, combined with the 2021 UNESCO recognition of the harvest itself, is one reason the Langhe hills now market the hunt as an experience in its own right, not just a route to dinner.
What to book first, what can wait
Book your Alba dates and accommodation before anything else, since hotel rooms in the Langhe fill fast around peak weekends. The second and third weekends of November are historically the best for truffle quality, fragrance and programme, while October weekends are less crowded and easier to combine with winery visits. Decide which trade-off matters more to you: peak quality or an easier, quieter trip.
Hunting tours can wait until closer to your travel date. Most operators run daily departures and confirm within a day, so there is no need to lock in a slot months ahead unless you are travelling during the busiest November weekends. Leave the truffle purchase itself for last. Walk the Cortile della Maddalena market, compare two or three vendors, smell before you commit, and only then decide how many grams your budget and your kitchen actually need.
Learn more about truffle season
- International Alba White Truffle Fair – Official Website
- Alba White Truffle Fair – Official Site
- White Truffle of Alba Hunt: Experience a Unique Emotion
Oorspronkelijk gepubliceerd op EUwebzine.
