Umbria Truffle Hunting
Umbria digs Italy’s finest black truffles, and a hunt here means walking the oak woods around Norcia, Spoleto or Gubbio with a trifolau and his dogs, then tasting the find over pasta, eggs and local wine. Compare the top-rated truffle experiences below, then read our notes.
Truffle hunts and tastings in Umbria
Formats: one- to two-hour truffle hunts with a hunter and trained dogs; hunts followed by a truffle lunch or tasting; combined truffle-and-wine days; family-friendly farm hunts.
What you get: the walk and the dogs finding the truffle, an explanation of the seasons and the woods, then a tasting – truffle over scrambled eggs, pasta or crostini, with Umbrian wine.
Price and time: roughly 55 to 90 dollars for a hunt with tasting, one and a half to three hours; more with a full lunch.
How a hunt works
You meet a trifolau, a truffle hunter, and his dogs – usually Lagotto Romagnolo, the curly Italian truffle breed – and walk the oak and hazel woods while the dogs scent and dig. The hunter shows you how the truffle grows at the tree’s roots, how the seasons work, and how the find is cleaned and graded. It is genuinely hands-on and good for families, and you keep the drama of the dog suddenly digging.
The seasons
Umbria has truffles year-round, which is why hunts run in every season. The prized black winter truffle (tuber melanosporum) is dug roughly November to March; the summer black (scorzone) from May; and the pungent black autumn truffle in between. The rarer white truffle appears in autumn around Gubbio and Città di Castello. Whatever the month, there is something to find, and the guide will tell you what is in season.
The tasting
The point of the hunt is the eating. Most experiences end with the truffle you found shaved over simple things that show it off – scrambled eggs, tagliatelle or strangozzi pasta, crostini – with a glass of Umbrian wine. Pair the hunt with a cellar visit on our Umbria wine tours, or a food day around Perugia and the hill towns.
How we choose
We list only experiences with a strong rating over a meaningful number of reviews and free cancellation where available, and we favour small-group and family-run hosts. FindEatLocal earns a commission when you book through GetYourGuide or Viator links on this page; it doesn’t change the price you pay. More about how we choose.
FAQ about Umbria Truffle Hunting
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to go truffle hunting in Umbria?
Any season works, since Umbria has truffles year-round; the prized black winter truffle is roughly November to March, the summer scorzone from May.
Is truffle hunting suitable for children?
Yes; the walk is short, the dogs are the stars, and most hunts are family-friendly with a tasting to finish.
Do I get to eat the truffle?
Yes; hunts end with a tasting - the truffle shaved over eggs, pasta or crostini with local wine.