no alt text

Travel bucket list idea:

Last updated: 24 June, 2023
Expert travel writer: Nicky Swallow

Of all the food and wine ingredients indigenous to Tuscany, the white truffle is probably the most highly-prized – yet it’s one of those things that you will either love or hate; it has a heady yet strange, earthy, musky aroma and a delicate flavour that lends itself particularly well to eggs and buttery tagliolini pasta

Different types of truffles grow year-round in Tuscany and in various areas, the most prolific of which are San Miniato, the Mugello and the Crete Senese. They are, however, elusive. White truffles will only thrive in just the right conditions, growing on the roots of trees and normally hidden by layers of damp leaves and earth.

A truffle hunt with an expert trifulau (truffle hunter) and his dog is a compelling way to discover how the truffle-hunting world works. The stakes are high – white truffles sell for huge amounts of money. In 2007, a 1.28kg tuber sold at auction in the US for an astonishing $330,000.

The most highly prized of Tuscany’s rich food harvest, the white truffle is also the most elusive. An expert-led truffle hunt is an ideal way to discover and taste these extraordinary tubers.

Recommendations

5

Cucina Giuseppina Cooking School

Certaldo, Tuscany, Italy

Cucina Giuseppina Cooking School

An excellent cooking school based in Certaldo (southwest of Florence) offering truffle-hunting experiences in the Chianti woods, followed by a truffle-based lunch or cooking lessons with truffles.

Adult price: £120

Best for ages 13+

Duration: 3-4 hours

Website >
More details >

Papaveri & Papere

San Miniato, Tuscany, Italy

Italian traditional pasta alla carbonara with truffles mushrooms on plate at restaurant in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.

In a lovely countryside setting just outside San Miniato, this mod-rustic restaurant serves up the dishes such as fresh tagliolini and poached eggs liberally scattered with truffle shavings.

Best for ages 18+

Website >
More details >

Pepenero

San Miniato, Tuscany, Italy

Fresh pappardelle pasta with porcini mushrooms and truffle scent. Traditional italian dish cooked in italian style and spices. Parmesan and mozzarella cheese sauce dressing.

Seasonal truffle dishes (beef carpaccio with white truffle shavings, porcini mushroom flan with a cheesy, truffle-infused sauce) in a contemporary setting by the cathedral in San Mianato.

Best for ages 18+

Website >
More details >

Truffle hunting at Savini Tartufi

Montanelli, Tuscany, Italy

Truffle hunting at Savini Tartufi

Four generations of the Savini family have hunted truffles, and their ‘Truffle Experience’ tours take guests into the woods to watch the highly-trained dogs at work before returning to feast on truffle-based specialities. Can also be combined with wine-tasting at the nearby Monterosola winery.

Adult price: £100

Best for ages 13+

Duration: 4 hours

Website >
More details >

White Truffle Festival

San Miniato, Tuscany, Italy

White Truffle Festival

Annual festival celebrating local white truffles in the ‘City of Truffles’; local trufflers supply restaurants, hotels and specialist shops all over Italy. The festival takes place over the last three weekends in November with tastings, markets and prizes for the biggest truffle.

Best for ages 13+

Duration: 3 weekends

When: November

Frequency: annually

Website >
More details >

Logistics

Price: Free
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 13+
When: All year around
Duration: -

Getting there & doing it

The whereabouts of these elusive tubers is a closely-guarded secret, even among truffle-hunters who guard their own patch jealously. It’s not something that visitors can do independently; you must sign up for a tour either with a group or individually.

Given that truffle hunts usually take place in the autumn and in woods, layers of clothing are advisable as well as good, robust walking shoes or boots. The woods can be muddy.

When to do it

The seasons are as follows: January to April (the marzuolo or spring truffle), June to November (scorzone or black summer truffle, and late September to December for the elusive, highly-prized white truffle or tartufo bianco.

Truffles are celebrated at the region’s seasonal festivals and markets where you can purchase and eat your fill. The most famous is in San Miniato (between Florence and Pisa) in the last three weekends of November. In the Mugello area north of Florence, a festival is held in Barberino on the last weekend of October, and in Scarperia the first two weekends in September.

In San Giovanni d’Asso (south of Siena), there are festivals on the second and third weekends of November.

Who to go with: organised tours

1

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

San Miniato Truffle Hunting Experience with Lunch

Florence

San Miniato Truffle Hunting Experience with Lunch
Francesca is a true truffle hunter and you will meet her in the family property to discover the magic of the truffle world.

Price: €185

Min age: 8

Rating 4.91 / 5 [330 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo

Destination guides

3

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Tuscany

Tuscany, Italy

Tuscany

The astonishingly beautiful region of Tuscany has it all: art cities and ancient hill towns, high mountains and long sandy beaches, alongside luxurious hotels and some of Italy’s best food and wine.

Florence

Tuscany, Italy

Florence

A heady mix of incomparable Renaissance art, gorgeous palazzos, Tuscan cuisine and home-grown haute couture.

Siena

Tuscany, Italy

Beautiful view of Dome and campanile of Siena Cathedral, Duomo di Siena, and Old Town of medieval city of Siena in the sunny day, Tuscany, Italy

Arguably the most perfect medieval city in the world, Siena is a glorious ensemble of red brick buildings and exquisite monuments, famous for its fan-shaped Campo and Il Palio horse race.