San Baudolino Fair in Alessandria: guide to the Truffle Exhibition

In November Alessandria brings truffles and local flavors directly to the heart of the city. The San Baudolino Fair - Truffle Exhibition animates the historic center with stalls, tastings, typical products, wines, exhibitions and cultural events linked to the patron saint's day. It is a different event from the fairs that take place in the small villages of Monferrato: here the truffle meets a real city, with arcades, palaces, museums, shops and a strong commercial tradition.

The value of the day lies precisely in this combination. You can start by walking among the stalls in via Vochieri and the Corte del Gusto, stop at the Truffle Exhibition in the Chamber of Commerce headquarters, taste a focaccia or a De.Co. product, continue towards Palazzo del Monferrato and then dedicate the afternoon to the Borsalino Museum or the Cittadella. The fair thus becomes a gateway to Alessandria and the easternmost Monferrato.

The San Baudolino Fair takes place every year in the second weekend of November, close to the holiday of the patron saint of Alessandria. The regional fair part linked to the Truffle Exhibition is normally concentrated on Sunday, while the overall program often develops between Saturday and Sunday with markets, tastings, open shops, exhibitions and activities spread throughout the historic centre.

The second weekend of November, around the feast of San Baudolino, brings the flavors of the area to the center of Alessandria.

The San Baudolino Fair was born as a great showcase of the agri-food excellence of the province of Alessandria and nearby territories. Truffles, wine, mushrooms, cured meats, cheeses, fruit and vegetables, chocolate, honey, baked goods and other specialties occupy the streets of the center and the spaces of the Chamber of Commerce.

The event involves agricultural associations, artisans, traders, producers, consortia, promotion bodies and realities of the food and wine world. The result is a very varied city fair, where the truffle is the most awaited protagonist but not the only reason to come to Alessandria.

The Truffle Exhibition

The Truffle Exhibition is the most specialized heart of the event and has obtained recognition as a regional fair from the Piedmont Region. The main office is that of the Alessandria-Asti Chamber of Commerce in Via Vochieri, where the best specimens delivered by truffle hunters and hunters are presented, evaluated and rewarded.

During the exhibition you can see white and black truffles of different sizes and characteristics. The awarding of the best specimens allows us to understand which elements are considered by the experts and makes visible a work that normally takes place in the woods and countryside.

The prized white truffle is among the most sought after products of the autumn season, but the event can also present groups of black truffles. Observing both types helps to understand how different their scent, appearance, seasonality and use in the kitchen are.

One of the symbolic places of the fair is the courtyard of the Chamber of Commerce, transformed into the Corte del Gusto. Here there is a concentration of exhibitors, agri-food products and tasting moments that allow you to directly encounter the excellence of the area.

Bread, focaccia, biscuits, farinata, truffles and Alessandria specialties make this space particularly suitable for those who want to taste without immediately planning a complete lunch. It is also a useful point to gather information on producers and understand which territories of the Alessandria area to explore next.

Among the most curious proposals of recent editions was the breakfast with Moroccan and sweet focaccia by Alessandria. It is a combination that speaks well of the city dimension of the event: not only truffles and country products, but also bar, pastry shop and bakery traditions linked to the daily life of Alessandria.

If you find this tasting in the program of the edition you will visit, try it in the morning before fully getting into the rhythm of the fair. It is a simple way to start the day with two products very linked to the local identity.

The San Baudolino Fair also enhances the identity of the Alessandria area. Among the most characteristic ones are the Fraschetta cow salami, traditionally boiled and served with local side dishes, together with other products recognized or promoted as local specialities.

These preparations allow us to go beyond the more classic image of Monferrato made of wine and truffles. The Alessandria area has its own cuisine, born from the meeting between plains, hills and peasant traditions, and the fair is a good opportunity to discover it in an accessible context.

In recent editions Slow Food Alessandria and Colline Nicesi participated with dishes dedicated to local productions. Chickpea soup, cow salami, stewed cabbage and local wines are examples of concrete cuisine, linked to seasonality and traditional recipes.

The gastronomic program invites you to discover the proposals of producers and local cuisine. If your goal is to taste multiple specialties, choose small portions and divide the day between the fair, city tour and tastings.

Palazzo del Monferrato often hosts an important part of the program dedicated to wines. Guided tastings, tasting tables and masterclasses allow you to learn about labels from the provinces of Alessandria and Asti and to connect the city fair with the hills from which the bottles come.

The building, in Via San Lorenzo, is an exhibition space of the Chamber of Commerce and also houses the Alessandria Città delle Biciclette museum. If the year's program includes tastings or activities here, it is also worth entering to learn about the building and its role in the cultural life of the city.

The masterclasses change theme with each edition. They can be dedicated to Piedmontese denominations, classic method sparkling wines, cheeses or other combinations. If there is a meeting that interests you, book as soon as registration opens because places may be limited.

One of the best features of San Baudolino is its diffusion in the central streets. The stalls mix with the shops, porticoes and city buildings, creating a natural path between Via Vochieri, Via San Lorenzo, Piazzetta della Lega and the other streets affected by the event.

This makes it easy to alternate shopping, tasting and walking. Even those who are not interested in truffles can accompany the group and still experience a pleasant day of shopping, museums and clubs in the centre.

Piazzetta della Lega is one of the nodes of the historic center and during city events it becomes a very lively point of passage. From here you can continue towards Corso Roma, Via San Lorenzo and Piazza della Libertà without using the car.

The pedestrian itinerary is simple and almost completely urban. For this reason, the San Baudolino Fair is also suitable for those who want to spend a day in the city without organizing complex journeys between one stage and another.

Monferrato Palace

Palazzo del Monferrato is one of the places most linked to the event. Designed by the architect Giovanni Chevalley, it was the seat of the Chamber of Commerce and today it is a multifunctional exhibition center used for exhibitions, conferences and cultural initiatives.

It also permanently hosts the ACdB Museum – Alessandria City of Bicycles. If the fair includes activities within it, take the opportunity to discover a building that tells of a lesser-known side of the city.

Borsalino Museum

The Borsalino Museum is one of the most interesting visits to combine with the San Baudolino Fair. It is located in the former factory in Corso Cento Cannoni and tells the story of the hat brand born in Alessandria in 1857, combining business, craftsmanship, fashion, cinema and design.

The route features over two thousand hats, multimedia installations and sections dedicated to production. It is a very different museum from the classic civic collections and allows us to understand how Alessandria had an industrial and international dimension that often escapes those who know the city only in passing.

The museum is normally open from Thursday to Sunday, so the San Baudolino weekend is particularly suitable. The museum website collects timetables, tickets and reservations for the visit.

The Citadel of Alessandria

If time permits, dedicate part of the day to the Citadel of Alessandria, a large eighteenth-century fortress built on the left bank of the Tanaro. The complex is one of the most recognizable elements of the city and its bastioned geometry is particularly evident in views from above.

The Citadel is connected to the center by the Meier Bridge and represents an ideal break after the crowded streets of the fair. The spaces are large, open and very different from the urban fabric of the historic center.

The Meier Bridge connects the city to the Citadel with a large white arch structure. Crossing it on foot allows you to see the Tanaro and perceive the relationship between the contemporary center and the historic fortress.

If you have time and the weather is favorable, you can use this stretch as a simple digestive walk after lunch or tasting. In autumn the light on the river and the ramparts can also be very interesting for those who love photography.

Piazza della Libertà is the large civic space of Alessandria and represents one of the natural points to include in the route. Nearby is the nineteenth-century Duomo with its tall bell tower, one of the most evident elements in the city skyline.

From here you can easily reach the streets of the fair and build a circular itinerary without always returning to the same points. It is also the area where the Tourist Information and Reception Office is located, useful for updates on openings and visits.

Saturday is ideal for experiencing the commercial and gastronomic area spread across the streets of the centre. Arrive in the morning, browse the stalls without haste and use your lunch break to taste an Alexandrian specialty. In the afternoon dedicate time to the Borsalino Museum or Palazzo del Monferrato.

If the program includes masterclasses, tastings or evening events, you can stay until dinner. Sleeping in the city allows you to arrive early on Sunday, when the Truffle Exhibition comes to life.

Start from the Chamber of Commerce in Via Vochieri. The morning is the best time to observe the specimens on display, talk to the operators and move around the Corte del Gusto before the greatest turnout.

Continue along the streets of the center and take a second tour among the exhibitors. If you want to buy truffles or fresh products, do so after comparing several proposals and asking for information on origin and conservation.

Choose between the event stands and the restaurants in the centre. On fair days the activities can fill up quickly, so for a lunch served at the table it is advisable to book.

In the afternoon, move away from the market and spend time exploring the city. You can visit the Borsalino Museum, reach the Citadel or stop at Palazzo del Monferrato if tastings or exhibitions are scheduled.

San Baudolino can become the starting point for a longer weekend. Alessandria is located between plains and hills and allows you to quickly reach very different areas: the Casale Monferrato, the Ovada area, the Tortonesi Hills, Acqui Terme and the hills towards Asti.

If you have a second day, choose only one direction. A winery, a village and a short walk are enough to go from the city to the countryside without turning the journey into a race.

The presence of the Strada dei Vini e dei Sapori del Gran Monferrato within the fair's initiatives highlights the link between Alessandria and the surrounding territories. The products you encounter on the stalls come from towns, farms and hills that can become the next day's stops.

Take note of the names of the manufacturers you are interested in. It is one of the simplest ways to transform a city event into a personal itinerary between farms, wineries and small towns.

The San Baudolino Fair is also suitable for families because it takes place in an urban center with services, bars, shops and museums within easy reach. However, weekend crowds can be intense, especially in the central hours.

Alternating stalls and cultural spaces helps make the day less tiring. The Borsalino Museum, the Citadel and the walks along the center allow you to build a varied program even for those who don't want to always stay among the stands.

The fair offers many subjects: truffles under glass bells, producers' hands, cured meats, cheeses, colorful stalls and crowds in the streets. The most effective images are those that also show the city context, including porticoes, buildings and urban signs.

For a complete story add a second part dedicated to the city. The facade of the Borsalino Museum, the Meier Bridge and the Citadel allow us to explain that the visit is not limited to a gastronomic fair, but takes place in a city with a strong and recognizable identity.

The event involves the historic center of Alessandria. The Truffle Exhibition has as its reference the headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce of Alessandria-Asti in Via Vochieri 58; other initiatives are distributed in the central streets and at Palazzo del Monferrato in Via San Lorenzo 21.

Alessandria is easily accessible by train and car. The train station is close to the center and represents a particularly convenient solution for an event that takes place almost entirely on foot.

If you arrive by car, check the temporary changes to the road system and the parking spaces recommended by the Municipality. During the weekends of the event, some central streets may be closed or affected by markets and displays.

During San Baudolino cultural openings or special initiatives are often proposed, but they should not be considered automatic. Combine the fair with the Borsalino Museum, Palazzo del Monferrato and the Cittadella, choosing the visits from the cultural program.

The San Baudolino Fair has a particular character: it brings the Monferrato and the excellences of the Alessandria area into a lowland city. The truffle comes from the woods, the wines from the hills, the products from the farms and everything comes together for a weekend in the streets of the centre.

Come for the market and the Truffle Exhibition, but use the day to also learn about Alessandria. Stop at Palazzo del Monferrato, enter the Borsalino Museum, cross the Meier Bridge and look at the Citadel. The journey can then continue the next day, following one of the products tasted towards the hills from which it comes.

Source: official reference of the event.