FAVORITES from Alba, Italy

Random favorites from my day in Alba, Italy.

cheese and truffles - Alba, Italy

I met up with my friend, Robert, for lunch in Alba... he had finished inside the tent for the truffle festival and I was just getting back from a walk. Robert has worked at ASM for about 10 years now! He is the one whose house I went to a few weeks back and there was a little jam session in the living room.   : )  Him and his wife also had me and a couple other new teachers over for dinner last weekend... and it was seriously one of my favorite meals since being here.

Robert and I went down a side street or two and came upon a little restaurant. It was really nice!

We shared a cheese plate and pasta with white truffle. Both were delicious!

After lunch and a bit more walking around, it was time to head back to the bus for the ride home to Milan. The trip each way was between 1.5 and 2 hours. Not bad! I finished my book during the ride.  : )

Some of the scenery during the ride:

a walk among the trees - Alba, Italy

While others were at the truffle festival, I had a nice time walking through the town of Alba and then found a sign for a walking / biking path... the path was among the trees and parts overlooked the hills in the distance with homes on them. Very pretty and peaceful.

It was the perfect time of year to go on such a walk! The temperature was great and the leaves on the trees are gorgeous colors...

walking through Alba, Italy

Most everyone went to the truffle festival's tent... you paid a bit to get in and were given a couple tickets for glasses of wine. There were cases of truffles... as well as small meals with truffles available to buy.

I skipped the actual festival and enjoyed a leisurely walk through the town instead...

I loved this church. I like how the brick is exposed on the outside and left raw... yet there was still details made into the styling with the same bricks.

A sign in front of the church said that construction began in 1700.

Alba's main square

Alba is a cute little town and I really enjoyed walking around the cobblestoned streets. Below are some views of the church in the main square, as well as the main square itself.

There was a busy market in the morning when we first arrived. It closed up early afternoon... the market was in the main square (shown below), as well as along two of the major streets. It made for crowded sidewalks... 

The back of the church in the main square.

A nice view of the main square in Alba...

See the lady peeking out of the window next to the balcony?! Haha... cute.

looking like tourists in Alba, Italy

...Well, I suppose we WERE tourists in Alba! (The last couple photos below show that we played the part successfully...)

Leaving my apartment in the morning was... FOGGY!

I have read and heard a lot about Milan's fog... and Opera's fog is supposed to be even worse. The picture below is the view across the street from my apartment... but this isn't as bad as it's sad to get. I don't hate it (yet)... so far I find the fog very interesting... and, thankfully, the day cleared up and was beautiful in Alba!

First arriving in Alba for the Truffle Festival, I walked into town with Danielle, Sean, and Robert... we found a tourist office and were able to get a map to take a quick look... and then we were on our way! The town is actually pretty small and very walkable, which was really nice.

Looking like tourists   : )

going to Alba's Truffle Festival

School and its Orientation Committee for new teachers is pretty awesome... they have set up for us to take a day-trip to Alba... a town a couple hours from Milan. Alba is supposed to be famous for its white truffle... and, of course, its wine. Each year there is a truffle festival in Alba... and it's going on now!

Rather than for the actual truffle festival, I'm excited to go and see another area of Italy. It will be nice to have a mini trip.

Below are some Google Map screenshots of where Alba is in reference to Milan and some other places...

The red marker is Milan.

The yellow marker is Alba.