Alessandria & the Pittaluga Competition: a guitarist's travel guide
Michele Pittaluga International Guitar Competition · Alessandria, Italy
In the Piedmont town of Alessandria, the Michele Pittaluga competition has been a fixture of the guitar world since 1968, when Andrés Segovia agreed to serve as its first honorary president. It is the oldest active international guitar competition in Italy and a member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions, and it sits in gentle wine country between Turin and Genoa.
Getting there
Alessandria is a Piedmont rail crossroads, roughly an hour from Turin, an hour from Genoa and under two from Milan, so it is easy to reach by train from almost anywhere in the northwest. The handiest airports are Genoa (GOA), Turin (TRN) and Milan Malpensa (MXP).
Compare trains, buses & flights to Alessandria on Omio →
Where to stay
The compact old town is an easy base, close to the competition halls and to good places to eat. Alessandria makes a calm, affordable spot from which to explore the Monferrato hills, with the coast and the big cities all within reach.
An interactive map of hotels, apartments and B&Bs across Booking, Expedia, Airbnb and more, centred on Alessandria.
See stays in Alessandria →What you'll hear
The competition runs through public rounds to a final played with orchestra or string quartet, so listeners get a proper ensemble finale rather than another solo recital. Open to players under thirty-three, it commissions a new work each year and its winners' list is a roll-call of the instrument, from Kazuhito Yamashita to Marcin Dylla and Marko Topchii. The autumn dates come with winners' concerts around the town.
If you play as well as listen, explore Mauro Giuliani, the great Italian guitar composer on Sheet Music Plus →
Where to eat
This is Piedmont, so eat well: agnolotti, the little stuffed pasta of the Alessandria and Asti country, dressed simply in its roasting juices, followed by the region's hazelnuts and cheeses. The local Monferrato wines are the natural accompaniment.
While you're there
The medieval wine town of Gavi lies a short drive south, and the Roman thermal baths of Acqui Terme make an easy day out. Alessandria itself has a striking star-shaped citadel to explore. A rental car makes the day trips simple, and GetYourGuide lists guided tours and tickets across the region.
Enter the pieces you play, and GuitarComp shows how your programme maps to this competition's rounds and which other events you qualify for.
See full competition details →Competition dates, deadlines and the current compulsory work change each edition, so always confirm at the official site: pittaluga.org.