Moncalvo Truffle Fair: guide among truffles, flavors and cities of Monferrato

In the last Sundays of October Moncalvo changes pace. Piazza Carlo Alberto, overlooking the Monferrato hills, is filled with truffle hunters, producers, stalls, kitchens and visitors arriving for one of the most important gastronomic events of the Piedmontese autumn: the Moncalvo National Truffle Fair. Here the white truffle is not just a product to buy, but the center of a day that combines market, cuisine, competitions, crafts, walks, culture and discovery of the territory.

Moncalvo is often defined as the smallest city in Italy and during the fair this small size becomes an advantage. In a few steps you pass from the truffle stands to the bastions of the ancient castle, from the Civic Theater to the Church of San Francesco, from the porticoes of Piazza Carlo Alberto to the streets that descend towards the hills. The event therefore works very well also for those who don't just want to experience a food and wine event, but are looking for a concrete opportunity to get to know the Monferrato.

The Moncalvo National Truffle Fair takes place every year on the last two Sundays of October. In recent editions the program has also been extended to the Saturday preceding the second Sunday, with a real preview made up of gastronomy, events, music, visits and collateral activities.

The general structure is consolidated, but precise dates, times, markets, guided tours, menus and appointments change with each edition. The event program includes events to combine with the discovery of Moncalvo.

With more than seventy editions, this tradition makes Moncalvo a historic highlight of Piedmont’s truffle calendar.

The heart of the event is Piazza Carlo Alberto, a large urban space built on the remains of the ancient fortified system. During the fair it is occupied by exhibition structures, food stands, producers and truffle hunters, while the program extends to the streets and cultural places of the city.

The most awaited protagonist is the prized white truffle, Tuber magnatum Pico. The truffle hunters bring the specimens collected in the area to the fair and present them to the public and to expert commissions. Perfume, maturation, integrity and overall quality are the elements that make each truffle different from the other.

Seeing many specimens next to each other is useful even for those who are not experts. You can observe differences in shape, size and color, but above all you learn that quality is not measured only by weight. The scent remains the decisive element and tells of a product that is born underground in relation to trees, soil, humidity and climate.

If you want to buy, take your time. Compare several counters, ask about the origin, look at the surface and have them explain how to preserve the product. A fresh truffle should be consumed relatively quickly and should not be treated like a pantry product.

Avoid choosing only the largest specimen. A smaller but well-ripe and fragrant truffle can offer a much more interesting experience. The fair is the ideal place to ask questions directly to those looking for and marketing the product.

The competition and the Silver Zappino

One of the traditional moments of the Moncalvo Fair is the competition dedicated to the best truffles. The juries examine the specimens presented and assign awards to the categories foreseen by the event regulations.

Among the best known prizes is the Silver Zappino, a name that recalls one of the tools symbolically linked to truffle hunting. Following the work of the jury allows you to better understand what criteria are considered and adds a cultural dimension to the visit that goes beyond the simple market.

Behind every truffle there is the work of the trifolao and his dog. The search is not a casual walk in the woods, but a practice made of knowledge of the terrain, seasons, trees and environmental conditions. The relationship with the dog is central and requires training, patience and experience.

The culture of truffle hunting and extraction in Italy is recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage. Visiting a fair like that of Moncalvo is therefore also a way to get closer to knowledge that normally remains far from the squares and more superficial tourism.

The gastronomic part plays a fundamental role. Stands, restaurants and city activities offer local dishes and preparations that enhance the truffle without covering its scent. Eggs, fondue, tajarin, risotto, raw meat and other simple dishes are the most natural combinations.

The program changes every year and not all dishes are proposed in the same way. The advice is therefore to check the menus of the current edition and, if you want to sit in a highly sought-after restaurant, book in advance.

The white truffle is normally sliced raw on the hot plate just before serving. The heat released by the preparation helps to release the aroma, while actual cooking would risk reducing the aromatic intensity.

Moncalvo is located in an area of great wines and the fair is an excellent opportunity to combine truffles with a local tasting. Barbera, Grignolino, Freisa and Ruchè are some of the wines you can find in the surrounding area, along with labels produced in the hills between Asti and Casale Monferrato.

Under the ramparts of Piazza Carlo Alberto there is also the Bottega del Vino, inserted within the ancient fortified spaces. When open, it can become a natural complement to a visit to the fair: a few thoughtful tastings are more useful than too extensive a tasting.

Piazza Carlo Alberto: the heart of the fair

Piazza Carlo Alberto is one of the most recognizable places in Moncalvo. The porticoes, open spaces and the remains of the ancient castle create a very particular scenography for the event. During the days of the fair, the square completely changes its face, but continues to maintain a strong relationship with the surrounding landscape.

Before or after visiting the market, walk along the arcades and reach the panoramic points on the ramparts. It is enough to move a few meters from the most crowded part to regain the view of the Monferrato hills.

The ramparts and the Belvedere Bonaventura

The bastions are what remains of the ancient fortified castle of the Marquises of Monferrato. Today they represent one of the most beautiful panoramic points of the city and explain why Moncalvo is often called the balcony of Monferrato.

The Belvedere Bonaventura allows you to observe a large stretch of the surrounding hills. In autumn the panorama is particularly evocative: vineyards, fields and woods take on different colors and, on the clearest days, the horizon opens far beyond the city.

Overlooking Piazza Carlo Alberto is the façade of the ancient Synagogue, also recognizable for its Hebrew inscriptions. The location directly on a main square is unusual and testifies to the importance that the Jewish community had in the history of the city.

The original furnishings are no longer present in the building, but the place remains an important stage for understanding the historical complexity of Moncalvo. Even the Jewish cemetery, located outside the centre, recalls the presence of a community rooted in the territory.

Piazza Garibaldi, practically connected to Piazza Carlo Alberto, houses the nineteenth-century Civic Theatre. It is one of the buildings that best express the cultural ambition of a small city which, despite its size, preserves a surprisingly rich historical heritage.

During the Truffle Fair, theater and cultural spaces can be included in the program of shows, meetings or collateral initiatives.

The Church of San Francesco and Guglielmo Caccia

The Church of San Francesco is one of the most important cultural stops in Moncalvo. Inside are preserved numerous works by Guglielmo Caccia, known as Moncalvo, one of the main Piedmontese painters between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and a figure deeply linked to the city.

Entering San Francesco allows you to add a completely different dimension to your day. After the noise of the fair, the church offers a quiet space in which to observe altars, canvases and decorations and understand why the name of Moncalvo is linked not only to the truffle, but also to the history of Piedmontese art.

The Civic Museum of Moncalvo occupies spaces of the ancient Ursuline convent and houses the Montanari collection, with twentieth-century works, African art, Japanese art and works by Orsola Maddalena Caccia. It's an astonishing collection for such a small city.

The museum may be affected by periods of closure for works, maintenance or rearrangements. The Municipality and the Tourist Office are the contacts for organizing the visit.

The Moncalvo Tourist Office organizes guided tours to the panoramic, historical and architectural points of the city. On the occasion of the Truffle Fair, cultural itineraries and extraordinary openings are also proposed which allow you to discover churches, works of art and places that are normally less obvious.

If it is your first visit, a guided tour of about an hour is a good investment of time. Moncalvo is small, but its history is not immediately readable when walking around without information.

For those who want to combine the fair and the walk there is an official hiking itinerary dedicated specifically to truffles. The Truffle Trail starts from the center of Moncalvo and crosses panoramic roads, crops and stretches of bushland before returning towards the city.

The route offers a useful perspective for understanding the relationship between the urban center and the countryside. After seeing the truffles on the stalls, walking through cultivated land and woods allows you to connect the product to the landscape in which it was born.

Choose shoes suitable for the surface and bring the route map with you. In October, rain and mud can quickly change the practicability of the dirt sections. Shoes with good grip are preferable even for routes that are not technically difficult.

Recent editions have also included walks and simulated truffle hunting demonstrations alongside the market. They are particularly interesting activities because they shift attention from the final product to the territory and the work necessary to find it.

Programme, routes and participation methods change every year. If you want to participate, check the time, meeting point, length and reservation requirements in advance.

In recent years Moncalvo has expanded the calendar with a preview day on the Saturday before the second Sunday of the fair. This formula, often called the Party before the Party, brings gastronomy, shows, music and new meeting opportunities to the city.

For those who want to stay for an entire weekend it is probably the ideal time. Saturday allows you to experience Moncalvo with a different rhythm, while Sunday maintains the more traditional character of the great national fair.

Arrive early and start from Piazza Carlo Alberto. In the early hours it is easier to observe the truffles, compare the stalls and watch the stages of the competition without the maximum turnout in the middle of the day.

After the market, walk along the ramparts, reach Piazza Garibaldi and continue towards San Francesco. Even a one-hour walk allows you to see an important part of the city without leaving the fair.

Book lunch if you have chosen a specific restaurant. Alternatively, use the food stands and the proposals of the event. Eat calmly and consider that the center remains lively throughout the afternoon.

In the afternoon, choose between guided tours and cultural events on the program. Before leaving Moncalvo you can return to the market to purchase products after having calmly compared the different proposals.

The second weekend normally offers a broader formula thanks to the events on Saturday and the second Sunday of the fair. If you want to experience the city without cramming everything into a few hours, arrive on Saturday afternoon, take part in the evening activities and sleep in the area.

On Sunday morning you can reach the fair early, leaving the afternoon for an excursion, a winery or a nearby village. It is a particularly suitable solution for those who come from further away and want to transform the event into a real weekend in Monferrato.

Moncalvo is an ideal base for exploring the northern part of the Asti area and the hills towards Casale. A short distance away is the Sacro Monte di Crea, included in the system of Sacred Mountains recognized by the UNESCO and surrounded by a natural park with paths and panoramic points.

You can also reach Montiglio Monferrato, Grazzano Badoglio, Calliano Monferrato, Ponzano Monferrato and other small towns without traveling long distances. In autumn the landscape changes rapidly and a simple hill road can become a central part of the journey.

The hills around Moncalvo are located in a transition position between different wine-growing areas. Grignolino, Barbera and Ruchè represent three very different interpretations of Monferrato wine and allow you to build an extremely varied day of tastings.

If during the fair you taste a label that strikes you, ask where the cellar is located and consider a visit the next day. It is one of the simplest ways to transform a glass drunk in the square into a true territorial experience.

Moncalvo is compact and this makes the day manageable even with children, but in the central hours the square can be very crowded. Arriving early and alternating the market with walks on the ramparts or a break in the greenery helps to maintain a more peaceful pace.

The collateral activities change every year and can include shows, music, walks and initiatives also suitable for families. Choose the events most suited to the age of the children in the programme.

The fair offers many photographic possibilities. The truffles on display, the hands of the jury, the hunters, the dishes, the stalls and the crowd tell the story of the event; the bastions, the theatre, San Francesco and the panorama instead tell the story of the city.

To build more interesting images, look for the relationship between the two dimensions. A truffle stand with the arcades in the background, the market seen from the top of the ramparts or the white tents inserted into the urban fabric explain much better where the fair takes place than a simple close-up of the product.

The center of the National Truffle Fair is Piazza Carlo Alberto at Moncalvo. Stands, activities and collateral initiatives can also extend into nearby squares and streets.

Moncalvo is located along the road axis between Asti and Casale Monferrato. The car is the most practical way to explore the surroundings. During the fair, traffic is managed with temporary changes to the road system and parking areas outside the centre.

In recent editions, a free shuttle bus service has been provided from the car parks to the fair area. The organisation's directions help you reach the fair and choose parking.

You can choose between food stands at the event and restaurants in the city. On fair days the most popular businesses can fill up quickly, so booking is advisable especially if you want a truffle menu served at the table.

The center has different climbs, descents and floors. Comfortable shoes are essential, while for any walking, footwear with good grip is preferable. At the end of October temperatures can be cool and changeable: dress in layers and bring a waterproof jacket.

Moncalvo manages to do one thing very well: use the truffle to bring people to the square and then show them everything that is around. You can arrive thinking only of a lunch or a purchase and find yourself, a few hours later, on the ramparts looking at the hills or inside San Francesco in front of the works of Guglielmo Caccia.

This is the best way to experience the National Truffle Fair. Taste, ask questions, follow the work of the truffle hunters and then continue walking. The true value of the day lies not only in the scent of the truffle, but in the territory that that scent invites you to explore.

Source: official reference of the event.