Description
My name is Francesco and I have been a professional truffle hunter for more than 10 years. I am also a breeder of the Lagotto Romagnolo dog breed, an unsurpassed and irreplaceable companion for every truffle hunter.
This is an authentic private truffle hunt! You will not look for truffles in a truffle ground but it will be a real truffle hunting experience in the woods. Precisely because it is a real experience, there is no certainty of how many truffles we will be able to find, it could be 5 kg of white truffle or even none (don’t worry, it happens very rarely 😉 ). And this is precisely one of the most important reasons that makes this experience so exciting.
I will take you to the woods where I myself usually go looking for truffles in the company of my Lagotto Romagnolo dogs. During the truffle hunt I will explain to you how truffles are born, grow and how to find them and I will answer all your curiosities both about the Lagotto Romagnolo dog and about truffles.
There will be 2.5 hours of real truffle hunting in the woods, a truly unique experience: instructive, exciting and fun.
After the hunt I will take you to a restaurant in the area to eat a Tuscan menu with the truffle we found. In case we don’t find enough truffles for lunch, don’t worry, being a truffle hunter I always have truffles 🙂
DATES ARE VARIABLE. WAIT FOR CONFIRMATION AFTER BOOKING.
In case of heavy rain it will not be possible to carry out the truffle hunting activity
EXPERIENCE ORGANIZED BY:
Francesco – Truffle hunter
WHAT’S INCLUDED
MEETING POINT
Loc. Santa Maria 1, 53037 Ulignano, San Gimignano SI
BOOKING METHOD AND CANCELLATION TERMS
- Reservation required;
- On-site payment;
Sonia (verified owner) –
This is a truffle hunt adventure not to be missed! We lucked out with longtime, expert truffle hunter and truffle dog trainer, Francesco, and his adorable dogs, Sally, John Wick, and another (whose name I forget). We skirted a vineyard ripe with grapes, and plunged into a forest alongside a seasonal stream. As we hiked deeper into the forest with an occasional glade, the dogs ran excitedly hither and yon, smelling, smelling always for truffles. Before long, they quietly and furiously dug at the base of a tree, and together with Francesco, found a few truffles. Francesco let us smell the newly dug-up pungent truffles, which smelled divinely. We could hardly wait to find more. Francesco answered our many questions with aplomb, freely sharing his extensive knowledge about truffle hunting and raising dogs as truffle hunters, all leavened with humor and honesty. We ran into several truffle hunters, some professional and some amateur, and they all knew and wanted to chat with Francesco. After a full morning of truffle hunting, Francesco drove us to a farm to table restaurant amidst a beautiful setting of olive trees, a vegetable garden, and a vineyard. We ate al fresco beneath a large pergola, overlooking the beautiful Tuscan countryside. The chef kindly made me pasta senza glutine (gluten free), and the truffles were served in shavings atop the delicious pasta, lightly dressed in extra virgin olive oil (grown and pressed there). We also dined on Toscana, plates of yummy Italian cured meats and cheeses, all washed down with the homegrown red and white wine produced there. Truffle hunting with Francesco in the forests of Tuscany is an unforgettable experience, made the more wonderful by his sterling skills and extensive knowledge and expertise.
Alicia –
We had so much fun with Francesco! It was mid-March and we still found two handfuls of truffles and enjoyed a nice walk through the fields! Then, we visited the farm to see the beef cows, wine making and had a delicious and large lunch! It was something different that you can’t do in the States!
Melanie –
I cannot recommend truffle hunting with Francesco enough! We were a large group of 11 so he had his good friend Andrei assist. Both Francesco and Andrei were so kind and caring for everyone. Watching the dogs and their drive to find truffles was exciting, especially when they found truffles. After the hunt, we went to La Cantina dei Tartufi and it was hands down the best truffle food we had during our entire trip.
Laura –
Brilliant experience.
Morning spent in the forest hunting for truffles with the wonderful dogs.
Francesco is very humble and clearly very skilled in what he does.
We then had an amazing lunch using the truffles and accompanied by good wines.
A fantastic experience.
Thank you!
Gina –
We had the best time with Francesco! He offers an option with the truffle hunt and lunch, but we just did the truffle hunt. The dogs were so cute and sweet and gentle, and Francesco and his wife are such lovely people. One of the fundamentals of truffle hunting is the dogs and Francesco is an expert–he breeds the dogs and wins many awards for them. We found a bunch of truffles and took some home for later which was great! Francesco is also very helpful and flexible, if you have questions about anything he is very willing to give recommendations or make accomodations – just reach out to him and ask. He recommended us very nice wineries and accomodation for future trips. I would highly recommend it for anyone looking for a great experience truffle hunting!