Friday October 14 was a mix of sun and cloud with a high of 21C. Today we just wandered around the city.
However, we first went to a bakery and fish store to get provisions. Most small food stores close between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 or 3:30 p.m. and then reopen to around 7:00 p.m.
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| Looking out from our balcony |
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| The store across the street |
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| Another view from the balcony |
We headed out to a bakery a few minutes away that was located in Piazza San Paolo. There was a very large building in the square - Tempio Di San Paolo (Saint Paul's Church). The Church was built by the Pauline Family, opened in 1928 and is among the buildings owned by the St. Paul Society. The facade was completed in 1964. There are six statues on the building that represent the Doctors of the Church.
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| Tempio di San Paolo |
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| Inside of the Church |
The Panificio Pasticceria La Madia was across the square.
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Signage
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| Lovely bakery-- took picture from outside (too much reflection), but lots of good focaccia and breads |
We continued into a neighbourhood outside of the historical centre to a fish store recommended by Frederica and others. We got some cod and salmon.
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| Pescheria del Molo--- great fish (pic from outside again) |
Then we stopped at Bottega Manera, which had wonderful meats, cheeses, pasta, wine etc. We got some pecorino cheese and some Piedmont hazelnuts.
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| Everything you might want |
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Cheeses
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We then brought the food back to the apartment. The store across the way was open. It is a very large store with men's clothes, wines, chocolates and other foods. A true concept store!
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| Marino Dellapiana (since 1991)- store across from our apartment |
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| The food part of the store |
After we dropped the food supplies, we headed out for a walk through the city. Piazza Michele Ferrero (formerly known as Piazza Savona) is just a few minutes from the apartment. There is a sculpture by Valerio Berruti entitled "Alba", 2022. Berutti was born in Alba in 1977. The sculpture is a three-dimensional translation of Berruti's distinctive pencil marks. The sculpture was donated to the city in memory of Michele Ferrero (1925-2015), an Italian billionaire businessman. He owned the chocolate manufacturer Ferrero SpA, Europe's second largest confectionary company (at the time of his death). He grew the business from his father's small bakery and café in Alba. His first big success was adding vegetable oil to the traditional
gianduja paste (hazelnuts and chocolate invented in Torino) to make Nutella!
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| "Alba" by Victorio Berruti |
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| Piazza Michele Ferrero (1925-2015) Imprenditore (Business Owner) |
We continued up Via Vittorio Emanuele II, the Main Street that runs through the centre of Alba.
Most of the stores on the street had wine bottles incorporated in their window displays. All part of a promotion for wines in the area.
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| Wines in the window displays |
We stepped inside the historic Bar Pasticceria Pettiti to check it out. It was also on the list of excellent coffee shops in Alba that have good pastries. This was also the bakery where the recipe for Nutella was created!
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| Outside of Bar Pasticceria Pettiti |
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| Inside |
We went into a courtyard where there was a very large tree.
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| Very tall tree! |
We stopped in at one of the stores selling truffles and regional specialties.
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| Tartufi-- truffles galore |
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| More wine bottles in the shoe store |
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| Poster for the World Truffle Market on Via Vittorio Emanuele II |
We walked down a small alley to find Monviso Italian Coffee Factory, which came highly recommended.
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| Sign at the beginning of the alley |
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| The entrance to the coffee shop |
There was a lot of choice of different types of coffee and both savoy and sweet treats. We had our coffee out in a small garden area. Alonso had a macchiato and I had my first coffee of the trip with non-dairy milk (almond, as they did not presently have any oat milk). I usually have espressos. We also shared a bruschetta with tomato and tuna (Italian tuna is so good).
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| Alonso in the back garden |
We had a nice chat with the barista. He told us that he wanted to visit Toronto and that a roaster from Florence had just opened a coffee shop in Toronto! We checked on Google and found that Ditta Artigianale has just opened at 608 Richmond Street West just east of Bathurst St. It is the roaster's first location outside of Florence, Italy. We will definitely check it out when we return home.
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Alonso with the barista and the beans
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| In vino veritas-- sign above an interesting looking restaurant |
Chiesa di San Guiseppe (St. Joseph's Church) was opposite the restaurant, which had some tables in front of the church. It was built starting in 1656.
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| Chiesa di San Giuseppe |
We walked over to the Cattedrale di San Lorenzo which is located in Piazza Risorgimento (also known as the Piazza Duomo ("Cathedral plaza). The front of the Church was covered with scaffolding and a curtain. We went around the back and took some pictures. The earliest structure was built on the site at the end of the 5th century. A Romanesque structure was built on its ruins. The current structure dates to the first half of the 12th century. It was reshaped in the form of late Gothic architecture between the 12th and 15th century. It was restored again in the 19th century. Restoration work is again underway.
Alba is also known as the "town of one-hundred towers" and was very prosperous during the 12th and 13th centuries. There are a number of towers, noble residences and medieval tower houses in the historic centre.
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| We stopped at Bianco Rosso Rosè to pick up some pasta |
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| Another store with lots of pasta and sauces |
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| We got some Piedmont sauce with mushrooms |
We stopped back at the Piazza Risorgimento. Palazzo Comunale is the Municipal Building, built on the area of the Roman Forum and right beside the Tourist Office.
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| City Hall |
The city is definitely getting ready for another weekend of the International White Truffle Festival. The festival just runs on weekends during October and November. We have tickets for Sunday.
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| Lots of activity in the square... not sure what the hay's about. |
We passed by a group of students enjoying their spritzes and coffee in the late afternoon sun.
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| The good life in Alba- friends, sun and a Spritz |
We returned to the apartment after our day of walking around Alba. Time for tea on the deck. Alonso had a rest and then made a fish dinner while I worked on the blog. Tomorrow, Saturday October 15, we are planning a morning visit to the big outdoor market in Alba and then a bus trip to Asti for the day.
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