Province AL
Valenza, AL
A town on the Po in the Alessandria province and the centre of Italian fine jewellery manufacturing, where several hundred workshops and firms work gold for major international brands. It is a working industrial town rather than a tourist one, with a compact historic centre above the river.
Sights
- Duomo di Santa Maria Maggiore, the principal church, on the central square
- Santuario di Nostra Signora della Pieta, the Marian sanctuary on Viale Santuario
- Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, with works and objects from the cathedral
- Villa Gropella, a historic villa outside the centre used for visits and events
- Fragments of the fortified walls and Palazzo Valentino on the central square
Things to do
- Approach the town through its trade: the goldsmithing schools, workshops and jewellery district are what Valenza actually is
- Walk or cycle in the Po riverside protected areas on the edge of town
- Look up the annual San Eligio award, given to a local goldsmith since 1988, as an indicator of who is working well
Annual events
July
Festa patronale di San Giacomo
Patronal festival with evening shows and communal eating.
September
La Fera dal Bunpat
Traditional street fair with town traders.
October
Valenza: oro, luce, meraviglia
Three days built around jewellery, design and craft, with workshops and school programmes.
When to visit
October, when the jewellery programme runs and the Po plain is at its most agreeable.
