The short version: for the full experience, book the family hunt above Motovun with a three-course truffle meal; for a quick hunt from the coast, the ninety-minute walk from Livade; on Viator, the small-group family hunt with lunch that has never had a bad review. Below is when to come, what a hunt actually involves, and the tours we would not book.
The Motovun forest in the Mirna valley is one of a handful of places in the world where white truffles grow, and the families who hunt it have done so for generations. Truffle experiences in Istria are almost all run by those families, at their own farms, with their own dogs, which is why the reviews are so consistently good. The differences are in length, in whether a meal is included, and in whether you need a car.
At a glance
| Experience | Best for | Meal | Time | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family truffle hunt with three-course tasting menu, Paladini | The full experience | Yes, with wine | 3 h | ~$139 |
| Motovun forest hunting walk from Livade | A quick hunt, tight budget | Optional add-on | 1.5 h | ~$58 |
| Small-group truffle hunt with lunch (Viator) | Families, Viator bookers | Yes, with drinks | 3 h | ~€120 |
| Istria day tour from Rovinj with truffle tasting | No car, wants the hill towns too | Tasting, no hunt | 8 h | ~$127 |
When to come
White truffles, the expensive ones, are found from roughly September to January, with October and November the peak; Livade holds its truffle days in autumn. Black truffles are found for most of the rest of the year, so hunts run in every season and summer visitors still see the dogs work. The forest is at its best in October. Our Istria season calendar has the month-by-month detail.
1. Family hunt with three-course tasting menu above Motovun
A third-generation family, a welcome rakija, a walk through their black-truffle plantation and into old forest with two or three dogs, and then the meal: eggs scrambled with fresh truffle in front of you, truffle pasta and a dessert, with the house wine poured without limit. About three hours. It is the experience we recommend to anyone who asks where to start in Istria. Check dates on GetYourGuide.
2. Ninety-minute hunt in the Motovun forest from Livade
Livade is the village at the foot of the forest that put Istrian truffles on the map. This walk is the straightforward option: boots and rain gear supplied, a well-known local hunter and his dogs, an hour and a half in the woods, and a tasting of what is found. A three-course truffle lunch can be added for a modest supplement, or you can eat in one of Livade’s truffle restaurants afterwards. Eight guests maximum. Check dates on GetYourGuide.
3. Small-group family hunt with lunch on Viator
Viator’s best-rated Istrian experience: a hunting family near Motovun, a short introduction to the dogs, an hour in the forest, and a three-course truffle meal with wine and rakija. Hundreds of reviews without a bad one, and children are treated as part of the group. Check dates on Viator.
4. Without a car: a day tour from Rovinj
Every hunt above assumes you can reach a farm in the interior. If you cannot, the full-day tour from Rovinj visits Poreč, Grožnjan and Motovun with a truffle tasting in Motovun, but no hunt. It is a good day; it is not a truffle hunt. Rent a car for a day if the hunt matters. Check dates on GetYourGuide.
What we left out
Private hunts priced above 300 euros: the family hunts above give you the same forest and the same dogs for a fraction. Restaurant “truffle experiences” without a walk in the woods. Tours that promise white truffles in July; they are lying, or the dogs will find black ones.
Beyond the hunt, see what to eat in Istria, and our explainer on white truffle vs black truffle.
Frequently asked questions
Will we actually find truffles?
Almost always something, because the dogs are good and the families know their ground. White truffles in season are never guaranteed, which is part of the appeal.
Do I get to keep what is found?
No; the truffles belong to the hunter and are usually cooked into your meal. You can buy truffles and truffle products at the farm.
What should I wear?
Closed shoes and long trousers; the forest is muddy after rain. Livade supplies boots; the others expect you to bring your own.
Where should I stay for truffle hunting?
Motovun, Livade or Oprtalj in the interior for an early start; Poreč or Novigrad on the coast are 30 to 40 minutes away by car.
Is Istria or Alba better for truffles?
Alba has the fame and the prices; Istria has the same white truffle, family hunts at a third of the cost, and Malvazija and Teran to drink with it.
See all options on our truffle hunting in Istria page, or the Istria hub for wine and olive oil.
