There’s a question that comes up every September in Milan: what to do in the fall, when you really want to get out and about but the idea of yet another aperitif in the Navigli area has already lost its appeal? The first answer that usually comes to mind is a festival, but it often ends like this: a line for parking, a line for truffles, even a line for sausage—leaving you with the feeling that you’ve lived through the same day you’ve seen a thousand times on Instagram.
It doesn’t have to be that way. For every major classic that gets overrun every weekend, there are smaller towns where you can experience the same authenticity without the hassle of waiting: a palio featuring a real goose instead of flags, tunnels carved into the tuff that almost no one visits, an exhibition that’s been running for 119 editions without anyone outside the province even mentioning it.
We spent weeks selecting 20 events (plus 2 quintessentially fall activities) across Lombardy and Piedmont, deliberately mixing big-name destinations that still deserve their fame with nearly hidden gems—for those seeking a day trip that’s different from the usual weekend getaway outside Milan, as often seen on social media.
Grab your calendar: from now until December, finding a free weekend won’t be a problem.
Crotti Festival in Valchiavenna
Let’s start here, in the valleys and lakes of Lombardy, where among the most beloved festivals of September and October 2026, great food and wine classics coexist with fall village festivals that almost no one outside the province knows about yet. On September 5–6 and 12–13, 2026 (66th edition), Chiavenna opens its “crotti” to the public: natural rock caverns that have been used for centuries as wine cellars thanks to a draft that keeps the temperature constant year-round.
Walking or biking trails, tastings of bresaola and Alpine cheeses, and an atmosphere that feels more like an adventure than a fair.
Grape Harvest in the Oltrepò Pavese
If you prefer a more flexible day trip outside the city than a fixed-date event, the Oltrepò Pavese region offers grape-harvesting experiences that can be booked from mid-September through late October: picking grapes in the vineyard, barefoot grape-stomping (yes, really), and lunch with the winemaker. Prices start at around 60–75 € per person for a half-day. Perfect if you’re looking for something more hands-on than a simple wine tasting.
Taragna Festival in Stabello
Every year, between the second and third weeks of September, the hamlet of Stabello transforms into an open-air feast for two weekends: polenta taragna, wild boar, roe deer, and the “el pincia” skewer, invented by the town’s retirees. Admission is free.
Franciacorta in the Winery
From September 18 to 20, 2026, dozens of Franciacorta wineries will open their doors amid vineyards, castles, and monasteries for a weekend of guided tastings, picnics among the vines, and meetings with producers. Prices vary depending on the experience chosen (reservations are made directly with the winery), but basic tours are often free.
National Gorgonzola Festival
On September 19 and 20, 2026, just 40 minutes from Milan by metro (green line MM2, toward Gessate; get off at the Gorgonzola stop), the festival dedicated to the cheese that symbolizes the city bearing its name returns: from sandwiches to ice cream, and everything in between, including polenta. We covered this in depth in a dedicated article, which you can find here.
San Matteo Fair in Branzi
On September 26, the Upper Brembana Valley revives the tradition of transhumance: cows parade through the village of Branzi, a milking contest open to the public is held, and visitors can sample freshly made Formai de Mut DOP. It’s more of an authentic rural experience than a food festival, complete with workshops for children.
Sarnico Chestnut Festival
From September 25 to 27, 2026, the Castagna in Festa festival brings Piazza XX Settembre in Sarnico to life with the iconic “polenta clock” (sardines, sausage, stracchino, and gorgonzola) and a view of Lake Iseo that’s worth the evening all on its own. It’s perfect for those who want to combine the festival with a stroll along the lakefront.
Mortara Goose Salami Festival and Goose Race
On Sunday, September 27, 2026 (59th edition), Mortara becomes the court of Ludovico il Moro for a day: 400 participants in Renaissance costumes, flag-wavers, and above all, the Palio—a real-life game of the goose in which the six districts compete against each other with bows and arrows.
Admission is free; you only pay for your meal at the festival restaurant.
Brisaola Day in Chiavenna
On October 3 and 4, 2026 (13th edition), the spotlight will be on artisanal bresaola, known locally as “brisaola”: ten tasting stations in the courtyards of historic buildings in the city center, a tasting booklet available at the ticket booths (for just a few euros), Guggen bands, and workshops for kids.
Apple and Grape Festival in Villa di Tirano
For over 40 years, on the second weekend of October, Villa di Tirano has celebrated the two iconic fruits of Valtellina with e-bike tours, artisan markets, and even a helicopter ride to the mountain pastures for the more adventurous.
Free admission to the festival.
Sbrisolona Festival in Mantua
From October 16 to 18, 2026, Mantua’s historic center—between the Palazzo Ducale and Piazza Sordello—will be filled with the aroma of butter and almonds for the Sbrisolona and Italian Desserts Festival: cooking demonstrations, culinary challenges, and the city’s signature cake, alongside other regional desserts, from cannoli to tarts.
A nationally renowned event—and it’s free.
Bitto di Morbegno Fair
On October 17 and 18, 2026 (the 119th edition, one of the longest-running festivals in all of Lombardy), Morbegno celebrates Bitto DOP with a competition featuring the finest wheels produced in the mountain pastures, as well as guided tastings in the frescoed halls of Palazzo Malacrida and in the cellars of the Convent of Sant’Antonio. The city tour is free to attend, while the guided tastings require a fee.
Douja d’Or in Asti
Piedmont, it must be said, has the home-field advantage when it comes to fall events: with wine, truffles, hazelnuts, and chestnuts, this is the season when the region is at its best. From September 11 to 20, 2026 (the 60th edition, this year with a focus on the 80th-anniversary celebrations of the Barbera d’Asti Consortium), Asti’s historic center becomes an open-air wine bar: courtyards, historic buildings, and squares come alive with tastings of Barolo, Barbaresco, and Asti Spumante.
Free admission to the streets; tasting booths require a fee.
Mushroom Festival in Giaveno
From October 1 to 11, 2026 (this year promoted for the first time as a National Fair), Giaveno becomes the Italian capital of porcini mushrooms, featuring guided walks through the woods, cooking demonstrations, and a market of freshly harvested mushrooms. The highlight is October 11.
Free admission.
Sanfrè Rice Festival
From October 2 to 12, 2026, Sanfrè, in the heart of the Roero region, will dedicate ten days to the rice grown in its countryside: themed indoor dinners, cooking demonstrations with local chefs, the Palio dei Borghi in traditional costume, and even the election of Miss and Mister Rice Festival.
Free admission to the festival area; dinners require payment.
Castellero Hazelnut Fair
On the second weekend of October, this small village in Monferrato celebrates the Piedmont Trilobata Hazelnut with the “Resa della Nocciola” (a competition among growers), a multimedia museum with 3D headsets, and an exhibition of vintage tractors.
Free admission.
Alba International White Truffle Fair
From October 10 to December 6, 2026 (96th edition, theme “Authentic Relationships”), Alba remains one of the world’s most important gastronomic events, featuring over 40 chefs, many of whom are Michelin-starred. Please note: the World Truffle Market is open only on Saturdays and Sundays (9:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m.); however, truffle-themed shops and restaurants remain open the rest of the week.
Market admission: about €5. Local vendors confirm that weekdays are much more peaceful.
Truffle Hunting with a Trifulau in the Langhe and Monferrato
October marks the start of white truffle season, and in addition to attending the many truffle festivals held in Piedmont—such as the one in Moncalvo (AT) on October 18, 24, and 25; the one in San Damiano d’Asti (AT) on November 1 and 2; or the one in Canelli (AT) on November 8—you can book a real truffle hunt: a truffle hunter and his trained dog will take you into the woods between the Langhe and Monferrato regions, sharing stories of a craft passed down through generations, and the experience will conclude with a tasting.
Prices start at around €70 per person (up to €140–170 for the most comprehensive experiences), and this activity is available on weekends from October through December 2026.
Cuneo Chestnut Fair
From October 16 to 18, 2026 (27th edition), the historic center of Cuneo fills with roasted chestnuts, chestnut-based desserts, and food stands from all over Italy and Europe, in what is considered one of the country’s most important food and wine festivals.
Free admission.
Fuori di Zucca and the Foliage Train in Val Vigezzo
The most photogenic weekend on the list: on the third weekend of October 2026, Santa Maria Maggiore turns orange with “Fuori di Zucca, ” and you can get there on the Foliage Train, running from October 10 to November 15, 2026, on the historic Domodossola-Locarno line (€36 to €51 depending on the day). No cars, forests that change color at every turn.
National Truffle Fair and San Martin Fair in Canelli
Beneath Canelli lie 20 kilometers of tunnels carved into the tuff between the 16th and 19th centuries, where sparkling wines are still aged today: the Underground Cathedrals, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, open year-round by reservation (from €55 per person). Buton November 8, 2026, the city will also host the National Truffle Fair and the San Martin Fair, featuring over 100 stalls offering a variety of goods, a concert by the town band, exhibitions, and a rich selection of culinary delights, including “Busecca” (tripe soup), leeks, and potatoes; tajarin with black truffles; friciule; and farinata baked in traditional wood-fired ovens.
No lines, a unique atmosphere.
Cold Snail Festival in Borgo San Dalmazzo
Held from November 15 to December 5 (the patron saint’s day, with surrounding dates to be confirmed for 2026), this is likely the oldest festival on this list: over 450 editions dedicated to the Helix Pomatia Alpina, the Alpine snail, featuring a national market, cooking demonstrations, and a curious ritual involving a nail used to extract them from their shells.
No ticket required.
