The opening of the white truffle season in the Motovun Forest offers visitors an authentic experience of hunting for truffles alongside professional hunters and their trained dogs.
Interested visitors can spend a few hours in the Motovun Forest with experienced white truffle hunters and their dogs, and take part in an authentic white truffle hunting experience.
Truffle hunting and tasting
Truffle is a prized underground mushroom found in central Istria's clay soil, regarded as Istrian gold and the king of Istrian gastronomy. Three main types—white, black, and summer truffles—are hunted with trained dogs in the Motovun Forest region and featured prominently in traditional and modern Istrian cuisine.
Truffle hunting is a specialized practice requiring trained dogs, specific licenses, and careful extraction techniques to preserve the environment for future growth. The truffle hunter is often viewed as a legendary, secretive figure who relies on a deep bond with their dog to locate these culinary treasures.
Istria is a world-renowned destination for white truffles, which thrive in the region's unique climate and soil, celebrated through various autumn festivals and culinary events.
The Istrian peninsula is home to a rich variety of wild plants, with wild asparagus standing out as a prized seasonal delicacy celebrated in local cuisine and festivals.
A prized subterranean fungus from the Motovun Forest — one of the world's most sought-after delicacies.
In 1999, Giancarlo Zigante and his dog Diana discovered a massive 1.31-kilogram white truffle in Istria, which earned a place in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest ever found.