Truffle Hunting in Umbria: Gubbio, Norcia & How to Book

The short version: Umbria is Italy’s black-truffle heartland, and hunts run here all year. Norcia is the famous town for prized winter black truffle and charcuterie, while most bookable hunts are around Gubbio and the hills nearby. A hunt means walking the woods with a hunter and his dog, then a truffle lunch. Because black truffle is in season across much of the year, Umbria is the most flexible region to visit. Here is how it works and how to book.

At a glance

Question	Answer
Main truffle	Black (winter black + summer scorzone); some white in autumn
Where	Gubbio and the hills; Norcia is the famous black-truffle town
Winter black	Prized, roughly December to March
Summer black	Scorzone, roughly May to August
A hunt	2 to 3.5 hours with a hunter and dog, usually with a truffle lunch

Where to hunt

The bookable hunts cluster around Gubbio, a handsome medieval town in northern Umbria, and the wooded hills nearby. Norcia, to the southeast, is the region’s most famous name for the prized winter black truffle and for its cured meats (the Italian word for a pork butcher, norcineria, comes from the town), though it is better known as a flavour capital than a hunting base. A hunt is led by a local hunter and his trained dog, and usually ends with a lunch of truffle over pasta.

When to go

Umbria works almost any time. The prized winter black truffle (tartufo nero pregiato) runs roughly December to March, while the milder summer black (scorzone) is found May to August. A little white truffle also turns up in autumn. That year-round calendar makes Umbria the easiest region to fit a truffle hunt into any trip.

What you taste

Black truffle is robust enough to carry a whole meal: shaved or warmed over strangozzi pasta, folded into eggs, spread as a paste on crostini, and paired with Umbrian cured meats and a glass of Sagrantino or Grechetto. Many hunts are run by family operations who cook the lunch themselves right after the walk.

Our pick: the Umbria Truffle Hunting in the Woods with Lunch is a small private hunt with a local and his dog, finishing with a truffle lunch.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the best truffle hunting in Umbria?

Most bookable hunts are around Gubbio and the hills of northern Umbria. Norcia is the region’s famous black-truffle and charcuterie town, better known as a flavour capital than a hunting base.

When is truffle season in Umbria?

Prized winter black truffle runs roughly December to March, summer black (scorzone) May to August, with a little white truffle in autumn, so hunts run almost year round.

What do you eat on an Umbria truffle hunt?

Usually black truffle shaved or warmed over pasta such as strangozzi, folded into eggs or spread on crostini, with Umbrian cured meats and local wine.