The Friday market in Murazzano

Murazzano, a small town in Alta Langa, where the eponymous PDO cheese is produced, isn’t a particularly interesting market and doesn’t have much to offer during the winter season, however with the onset of summer and the arrival of tourists, it turns into a lovely trade fair out in the open.

The Murazzano market is held on Friday morning, near the Cerrina and Umberto I° piazzas.

A few stalls in a lovely piazza

The cheese and cold cuts stand

There are usually 15 stalls and in the summer there are numerous farmers who sell cheese, eggs, farmyard animals, honey and vegetables.

The inviting smell from the grills/fryers fill the air just when it’s almost time for lunch. There are ready-made dishes, grilled chicken, sweat semolina, skewers, rolate and lasagna.

Nearby we find the refrigerated van with meats, cheeses and a fish stand with various types of fresh fish, both Italian and foreign, fish preserved in oil or salt and a wide range of Norwegian cod and anchovies.

There’s also a hardware truck from Pierantonio St. Albano Stura, full of do-it-yourself and gardening tools.

The well stocked fruit stands are quite a contrast to the small stand of a local farmer who, having sold all the products from his garden, gets ready to return home prematurely.

Mariangela’s creations made of pure sambucana wool

Artistic creations in  sambucana wool

Mariangela, an artist from Belvedere Langhe, exhibits handmade creations made of pure and certified sambucana wool.

The articles on display range from jewelry, handbags, scarves, capes and various other items stemming from her imagination and creativity, made with various materials such as wool, cotton, ribbons, raffia and copper wires.

“I work with crochet; I like to feel the texture of the yarns, the roughness of raw wool, the softness of  natural cotton, the dryness of raffia and strings as they take shape in my hands”, says Mariangela. 

Her creations, which she calls “her children”, are becoming increasingly popular, not just in Italy but also abroad.

In conclusion

Anyone finding themselves in the area will discover a corner of Langa that is still authentic and the pleasure of having a relaxing coffee or aperitif at the bar in the village square.

The outdoor patio, warmed by the rays of the morning sun, represents the meeting place of the villagers and a great place for tourists intent on observing the comings and goings of busy people during their early morning purchases.

Photo Credits: Federico Carpino