Imagine a wall long 3 km, snaking down from the altitude of 1800 m above the surface, situated in natural park, where whenever you look you will see mountains and valleys, juicy green of trees and if you are lucky even a predator circling on the sky. It’s how the biggest in Europe fortification – Forte di Fenestrelle (the Fort of Fenestrelle) – looks like. It’s located in a small town Fenestrelle, 74 km from Turin.
Ivrea – a small town in Piedmont, in the past the most import computing center in Italy, today it is looking for an idea to restore prosperity. Usually quite, rather sleepy place, explodes with emotions during the last days of carnival. Every year from Sunday to Fat Tuesday an unique battle of the oranges (battaglia delle arance) takes place.
Yesterday I went to Ivrea to see an amazing Battle of the oranges and a colorful parade – the most attractive part of the Carnival of Ivrea (Storico Carnevale di Ivrea). This unique event will take place till the “Fat Tuesday”. And soon you will find on my blog a review and its history! Below some of pictures for a good start.
Sometimes I’m wondering about the phenomenon of little towns in Langhe and Roero. Each of them, more or less popular, manages to organize a nice event practically from nothing, often even finding the reason to encourage the citizens to go out or attract tourists visiting surroundings. One of many events in Cherasco can be a good example: Mercato dei prodotti alimentari and Mercato del cioccolato d’autore.
Castles construction, witches serving mulled wine, monks offering food, competitions organized in a traditional way and omnipresent flavor of roasted meat (pigs rotating over the fire included). Alba immersed in Medieval time and all the city center changed completely the look. Event called il Baccanale del tartufo and il Borgo si rievoca – started on Saturday October 20th at night and finished on Sunday afternoon.
This time I will show you a little bit different face of Alba – Alba that not only feeds good, but also respects its own history and likes joking. 80 years have already passed since the first Palio degli Asini (the donkey race) was organized. Every year it takes place on the first Sunday of October, at the beginning of Alba International White Truffle Fair and certainly it’s one the most expected Piedmont (in Italy) touristic attractions.
On Sunday September 30th Alba city center turned into a huge wine bar under the sky. Tourists and Langhe and Roero (Piedmont, Italy) citizens took part in Festa del Vino event. Between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. you could taste different types of celebrated wines, choosing between ca 700 labels!
