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Some places are simply visited. Others leave something behind.
A fragrance that comes back years later. A landscape that suddenly returns to your mind. A feeling that is difficult to explain, yet impossible to forget.
This is what culture does.
It is one of the most precious forms of memory. It accompanies us on our journeys, transforms what we see into emotion, and turns every experience into part of our personal story.
Perhaps this is why Alba being named Italian Capital of Contemporary Art 2027 feels so natural. Because these hills are much more than one of Italy’s most celebrated food and wine destinations. They are increasingly becoming a vibrant cultural hub—a place where world-class wines, outstanding cuisine, UNESCO-listed vineyard landscapes and exceptional hospitality meet an ever-evolving contemporary art scene.
With the project “Le Fabbriche del Vento” (The Factories of the Wind), inspired by the visionary work of Pinot Gallizio, Alba shines a spotlight on a vocation that has long defined Langhe Monferrato Roero: transforming beauty into storytelling and landscapes into unforgettable experiences.
Learn more: Alba, Italian Capital of Contemporary Art 2027.
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A Landscape to See with New Eyes
First-time visitors are captivated by the rolling hills. Those who return often discover something else.
A brightly coloured chapel emerging among the vineyards.
A sculpture in dialogue with the horizon.
A winery that looks like a masterpiece of contemporary architecture.
An open-air museum hidden among the vines.
Here, contemporary art is not an element imposed upon the landscape.
It does not interrupt it. It interprets it. It helps tell its story.
As many of the artistic projects scattered across the region suggest, each artwork becomes a new lens through which to observe the landscape, inviting visitors to pause, shift their perspective and experience these hills with fresh eyes.
An Open-Air Museum Across Langhe, Monferrato and Roero
It only takes a few kilometres to realise that contemporary art here is not confined within museum walls. It inhabits the hills, engages with the vineyards and appears unexpectedly along scenic roads or in the heart of historic villages.
In Alba, one of the most recognisable faces of contemporary art is Valerio Berruti, the internationally acclaimed artist who has maintained a deep connection with his hometown. His monumental sculpture Alba, installed in the heart of the historic centre, has become a symbol of the city and of its ability to combine memory, identity and a forward-looking vision. Through his essential yet deeply poetic figures, Berruti explores universal themes such as childhood, time and growth, making contemporary art a natural part of everyday life in Alba and throughout the Langhe.
Also in Alba, Samuel Di Blasi‘s Porta di Luce (“Gateway of Light”) welcomes residents and visitors with an artwork that transforms a place of passage into a space for encounter and reflection, demonstrating how art can become part of everyday life. His creations engage with the region and its most authentic symbols, as seen in La Nocciola (“The Hazelnut”), the large-scale sculpture dedicated to one of the Langhe’s greatest agricultural treasures. Installed in Grinzane Cavour at Il Belvedere di PePÈ, it is a striking example of how art, design and local identity can come together to create a contemporary narrative that both speaks to visitors and celebrates the true spirit of these hills.
Among the vineyards of La Morra, the iconic Barolo Chapel, created by Sol LeWitt and David Tremlett in 1999, has become an internationally recognised landmark. (Please note: the Barolo Chapel is currently closed for restoration works and is expected to reopen in autumn 2026.) Nearby, in Neviglie, Jean-Marie Appriou‘s monumental sculpture The Traveler seems to watch over the rolling hills, inviting visitors to look beyond the horizon.
In the Asti area of Monferrato, Coazzolo is one of the places where the dialogue between art and landscape is at its most powerful. La Vigna dei Pastelli (“The Vineyard of Pastels”) brings vibrant colours into the vineyards, while the nearby Chapel of Beata Maria Vergine del Carmine, also known as the Moscato Chapel, demonstrates how a modest rural building can be transformed into a work of art through David Tremlett’s intervention. Its bold geometric patterns and colours blend harmoniously with the surrounding vineyards and hills. (Please note: the chapel is currently closed for restoration works.)
In Castelnuovo Calcea, Art Park La Court offers an artistic trail through breathtaking landscapes within the vineyards of Michele Chiarlo Winery. Here, the rows of vines become an open-air museum where art and wine tell the same story.
In Roero, the Sandretto Re Rebaudengo Foundation Art Park in Guarene is one of Italy’s leading destinations for contemporary art, set within an extraordinary landscape.
Yet these are only a few highlights of a much broader cultural journey. Designer wineries, murals, permanent installations, art foundations and land art projects form a widespread cultural mosaic that stretches across villages and hillsides. A heritage that encourages visitors to slow down, pause and discover the landscape from a fresh perspective.
Because here, art is not simply another attraction to visit.
It is a different way of experiencing the land.
More Than a Food and Wine Destination
The region’s great wines remain at the heart of the experience. As do the white truffle, outstanding cuisine, local traditions and the warm hospitality that have made these hills famous around the world.
But today, a journey here can become something even richer.
A wine tasting can become an encounter with contemporary architecture.
A scenic drive can turn into an artistic itinerary.
A weekend among the hills can become an immersion in culture.
Because every stay can become an experience.
And every experience can become a memory that lasts.
Towards Alba, Italian Capital of Contemporary Art 2027
The journey towards 2027 has only just begun.
But the path is already clear.
These hills are proving that a region deeply rooted in its traditions can also embrace innovation, experimentation and artistic research.
Here, tradition is not preserved behind glass.
It continues to evolve.
The landscape is not simply something to admire.
It is something to experience.
Season after season, the dialogue between colours, aromas, flavours and art continues to inspire new emotions.
More than enough reason to come back – time and time again.
Ready to Start Your Journey? Contact Us!
Langhe Monferrato Roero awaits you with breathtaking landscapes, unforgettable flavours and endless opportunities to explore.
Choose the itinerary that inspires you most and get ready for an unforgettable experience.
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