Nearby Attractions
From the Roman Age to the Middle Age and up until now, Alba was and keeps being an outstanding reference point for its territory, under many points of view: art, culture and, of course, gastronomy.
Cattedrale di San Lorenzo
The Cathedral is a Romanesque building located in the Piazza del Risorgimento, better known as Piazza Duomo ("cathedral plaza"), amidst charming cobbled streets.
It dates to the first half of the 12th century, and it was probably built over holy edifices of Roman age.
Between the 12th and 15th centuries the cathedral was reshaped in the form of late Gothic architecture, gaining an aspect close to the one that it has today.
La città delle 100 torri
Sadly, the towers in Alba were never actually one hundred, but there were about thirty back in the day, which is a lot for such a small town, and we can still see a few of them.
The towers are a legacy of Alba's municipal age, which starts roughly around 1170, when the town starts a period of self-government. During this time, the consuls were the people who held the power, which was above all a military power, portrayed by the towers. They also had a difensive purpose, of course, and, alongside with the houses that they defended, they form the so called "casetorri", where the consul's families lived.
The reason why there were so many towers is that in Alba's municipal age there never was one consul who took over the others, but there were lots of them who ruled the town, in a city council, so every one of them had their own tower.
Langhe, patrimonio UNESCO
Langhe is a beautiful territory famous for its wines, cheeses, and truffles—particularly right here in Alba.
On 22 June 2014, a part of the Langhe was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage list for its cultural landscapes, outstanding living testimony to winegrowing and winemaking traditions that stem from a long history, and that have been continuously improved and adapted up to the present day.
Its vineyards constitute an outstanding example of man’s interaction with his natural environment with a multitude of harmonious built elements.
The landscape also expresses great aesthetic qualities, making it into an archetype of European vineyards.
Castelli Medievali
There are a lot of medieval and sabaudian castles all around Langhe. Though not all of them are open to the public, they're all worth a stop! The most beautiful ones are in the centre of a few lovely towns: Serralunga, Castiglione Falletto, Grinzane Cavour, Roddi, Barolo, where you can also find WIMU, the Wine Museum.
Some of these castles even have very fine restaurants inside.
Torino
You can reach Turin both by train and by car, in less than a couple of hours!
Turin was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865 and birthplace of individuals who contributed to the Risorgimento, which is why is sometimes referred to as "the cradle of Italian liberty".
The city has rich culture and history: Many of Turin's public squares, castles, gardens and elegant palazzi such as the Palazzo Madama, were built between the 16th and 18th centuries. A part of the historical center of Turin was inscribed in the World Heritage List under the name Residences of the Royal House of Savoy. In addition, the city is home to museums such as the Museo Egizio and the Mole Antonelliana, with its very own Museo del Cinema.