Festival of White Truffle Hunting in Tuscany
November 5-8, 2026
November 12-15, 2026
When the oak woods turn copper and gold and the first fog rises from the valleys, something ancient happens in the hills around Montalcino. It is the season of the White Truffle, the most precious ingredient on Earth, and we want you to live it from the inside.
Our tour coincides with the famous White Truffle Festival of San Giovanni d’Asso, near Montalcino, heart of the Val d’Orcia. A rare chance to combine white truffle hunting in Tuscany with private Brunello di Montalcino tastings during the peak of truffle season in November.
This is the real hunt: you will walk into the forest with a local truffle hunter and his dogs and watch them dig the treasure out of the earth before your eyes.
Small groups, maximum 12 guests. Our team of local food and wine experts will be with you from start to finish. Come hunt the truffle with us. Come taste the season.
What to Expect: White Truffle Hunting and Brunello in Montalcino
Four days and three nights in Montalcino during the November White Truffle hunting season in Tuscany. A cooking class with fresh truffle, a private Brunello winery tasting, the grand comparative tasting with Alessandro on the first evening, and the hunt itself on the big day, followed by the legendary feast at the headquarters of the truffle hunters. Brunello is never far away, from the welcome dinner with a truffle menu to old vintages opened at the farewell dinner with the team. These are the moments that stay with you long after you leave.
Everything is taken care of. A private Mercedes vehicle and an English-speaking food and wine expert guide are with you throughout the tour. All lunches are included, the welcome and farewell dinners are included, and for the free evening your guide will recommend the best spots in town and make the reservation for you. You just need to arrive in Montalcino on Thursday and we handle the rest.
The tour runs on two fixed dates in November and is limited to a small group of twelve guests maximum, with a guaranteed departure from four participants. A seasonal experience of white truffle hunting in Tuscany tied to the actual truffle calendar, which makes it unique and unrepeatable. Once the season is over, the moment is gone. The truffle you taste today will never be found in the same spot again.
What's included
– Accommodation for 3 nights in an excellent boutique hotel with breakfast
– Private Mercedes Benz luxury vehicle
– English speaking food&wine expert guide-driver
– the truffle hunting experience with the hunter and his dogs- the cooking class
– the private visit and tasting at a Brunello vineyard
– the grand comparative Brunello tasting with Alessandro
– all the lunches with White Truffle (Friday lunch + Saturday truffle festival lunch)
– the welcome and farewell tasting dinners with us
– our consultancy and help before and during the tour
What's not included
– dinner on Day 2 (we will suggest a few options if interested)
– transfers to/from Montalcino (available on previous request)
Truffle Hunting Festival 2026
BENVENUTI A MONTALCINO!
Welcome to Montalcino, the hilltop medieval town that produces one of the greatest wines on Earth: Brunello di Montalcino. You arrive at your own pace and check in at our boutique hotel in the heart of the old town. The afternoon is yours to wander the narrow stone streets, peek into the ancient fortress, browse the small wine shops where locals pour you a glass without rush.
Take a walk along the town walls: from here you can see the entire valley, the last vineyards still holding their amber leaves, the rolling hills of Val d’Orcia stretching south towards Monte Amiata. November in Montalcino during the white truffle hunting in Tuscany has a quieter beauty than the famous summer – the light is softer, the air smells of woodsmoke and wet earth, and the town belongs to the locals again.
In the late afternoon we gather at Enoteca Pierangioli, Alessandro’s historic wine shop on the main street, for a grand comparative tasting of Brunello di Montalcino. Great wines from different soils, different micro-areas, different philosophies. North slope versus south slope. Clay versus galestro. Young producers versus historic estates. This is the tasting that will set the stage for everything you will drink and eat in the days to come.
Then we move together to Trattoria il Pozzo for our welcome dinner: a white truffle menu paired with great wines of Montalcino. The first shavings of truffle on your plate, the first sip of aged Brunello, the first stories shared around the table. This is where we get to know each other and start this adventure of white truffle hunting in Tuscany together.
FOUNDATIONS OF ITALIAN FOOD & WINE
This morning we drive a few minutes into the countryside to Locanda Demetra, Giovanni’s family farm surrounded by olive groves and vineyards with a wide view over the Val d’Orcia. His brother is waiting for us in the garden.
We start with a visit of the vegetable garden and the herb beds, learning about the raw materials and the flavors that define Tuscan cooking. Then we move to the kitchen for a hands-on cooking class focused on fresh pasta and truffle: you will make the dough with your hands, roll it, cut it, and learn how to prepare classic Italian dishes and the White Truffle the way they have been made here for generations.
Later we sit down for a long family lunch under the shed, with a view on the rolling hills that never gets old. Everything on the table comes from the farm and the land around us – and on top of it all, generous shavings of fresh white truffle on handmade pasta, on eggs, on warm crostini.
The perfume fills the table before the first bite. The wines of the estate do the rest. This is not a restaurant meal, this is like eating at someone’s home, the way Italians do on Sunday when the whole family gathers after a day of white truffle hunting in Tuscany.
In the afternoon we visit a Brunello winery for a private tasting of their best wines, a chance to go deeper into the world of Sangiovese after yesterday’s comparative tasting. By late afternoon we drive you back to the hotel for some rest.
The evening is free: Montalcino Old Town at night is a beautiful thing, quiet and softly lit, and we will suggest our favorite spots for dinner – all within a short walk from your hotel.
WHITE TRUFFLE HUNTING IN TUSCANY: THE FESTIVAL 2026
This is the day you came for! Today is also the day of the White Truffle Festival of San Giovanni d’Asso, and the whole area is alive with the excitement of truffle season at its peak. But before the crowds and the market stalls, we have something special for you.
Early in the morning we pick you up and drive into the woods. The truffle hunter is waiting for us with his dogs at the edge of the forest, where the oaks grow thick and the air is damp and cold. After a short briefing he lets the dogs loose and we follow them into the undergrowth, walking along crystal clear little creeks, through carpets of fallen leaves, deeper into a world that feels like it has not changed in centuries.
The dogs work fast, nose to the ground, suddenly stopping, digging with their paws. The hunter kneels beside them, pulls out a small blade, and carefully extracts the truffle from the earth. The smell hits you immediately: intense, earthy, intoxicating. You understand in that moment why people have been obsessed with this tuber for thousands of years.
By noon we arrive at the headquarters of the truffle hunters for the feast. Their wives have been cooking since morning: the long table is set with the famous recipes of the White Truffle tradition, handmade pappardelle, fried eggs, crostini, fonduta, every dish generous with fresh shavings.
We open many great bottles of wine and sit together for a lunch that is loud, warm, generous, and unforgettable. This is not a refined restaurant experience – this is a celebration among friends in the heart of truffle country.
We drive you back to the hotel in the afternoon for some rest. In the evening we gather one last time for our farewell dinner. Chiara, Giovanni and Alessandro welcome you at a local restaurant where the chef has prepared a special menu for us. We open old vintages of Rosso and Brunello di Montalcino, bottles with stories to tell, and we toast to these days together. It is a dinner you will remember for a very long time.
ARRIVEDERCI TO THE NEXT WHITE TRUFFLE HUNTING FESTIVAL IN TUSCANY !
After these intense days together you will leave Montalcino with the scent of truffle still on your hands, a full heart and a new understanding of what this corner of Tuscany truly is. Not just wine and food, but a place, a community, a rhythm of life tied to the seasons.
After check-out we can help you with transfers to your next destination – whether it is Florence, Rome, the coast or another corner of Italy. Or perhaps you will want to stay a little longer… Montalcino has a way of not letting you go.
FAQ
When is the White Truffle Festival in San Giovanni d’Asso?
The “Mostra Mercato del Tartufo Bianco delle Crete Senesi” takes place over two weekends in mid-November in San Giovanni d’Asso, a small village just 15 minutes from Montalcino. Our tour dates (November 5–8 and November 12–15, 2026) are timed to coincide with the festival so you can experience the hunt, the feast, and the market all in the same trip.
How is this different from a day-trip truffle hunt from Florence?
Most truffle hunting experiences in Tuscany are half-day excursions departing from Florence, typically around San Miniato. Our tour is a 4-day immersion based in Montalcino, where the truffle is part of a deeper story that includes Brunello di Montalcino, the Val d’Orcia landscape, a cooking class at Locanda Demetra, and private winery visits. You are not a day-tripper you live it with us as we local do.
What should I wear for the truffle hunt?
Comfortable walking shoes with a good grip are essential: you will be walking through forest trails on uneven terrain. Dress in layers: mornings in the woods can be cold and misty. We recommend a waterproof jacket too.
Do I need any prior experience or fitness level?
No experience is needed. The walk through the forest is moderate, about one to two hours at an easy pace on natural paths. The truffle hunter sets the rhythm and stops frequently. If you can walk on an unpaved trail, you will be fine.
Will we actually find truffles?
The truffle hunter knows his territory intimately, these are the same woods his family has hunted for generations. While nature never guarantees anything, our hunters have an excellent track record. The dogs do the real work, and watching them locate and dig is the most thrilling part of the experience.
What kind of truffles will we hunt?
In November we hunt the prized White Truffle (Tuber Magnatum Pico), the rarest and most aromatic variety, the same that commands extraordinary prices. This is the peak of white truffle season in Tuscany.
Is the tour suitable for non-wine-drinkers or families with teenagers?
Absolutely. While Brunello is woven into the experience, the tour is really about Tuscan food culture, the landscape, and the people. The cooking class, the truffle hunt, the festival itself, and the beauty of Montalcino in autumn are all compelling even without a glass in hand. We have hosted teenagers who loved it.
What wines will we taste?
Brunello di Montalcino is the heart of the wine program. On the first evening, Alessandro leads a grand comparative tasting of Brunello from different producers, soils, and micro-areas. During the trip you will also taste Rosso di Montalcino and older vintages at the farewell dinner. This is wine country: the truffle just happens to be its perfect partner in November.
How do I get to Montalcino?
Most guests arrive by car or private transfer from Florence (about 2 hours), Rome (about 3 hours), or Siena (about 45 minutes). There is no direct train to Montalcino, but we can arrange transfers from any major city or airport. Just let us know your travel plans and we will help you sort it out.
Where will I stay?
You will stay in a boutique hotel in the historic center of Montalcino, within walking distance of restaurants, wine shops, and the medieval fortress. Breakfast is included. The boutique hotel Locanda Franci is small, charming, and chosen specifically because it feels like Montalcino, not like a chain.
Is this a private or group tour?
This is a small group tour, limited to a maximum of 12 guests. The intimate size means you get personal attention from our guides while also meeting fellow food and wine lovers. If you prefer a fully private truffle experience on different dates, we also offer a private truffle hunting tour year-round.
