Truffles are found mainly in the regions of Piedmont, Tuscany, Umbria, and Le Marche. During October and November there are many white truffle fairs held in these regions and fall dishes made with the white truffle, tartufo bianco, are plentiful in this part of Italy. What could be more romantic than feasting on a meal made with the sensuous truffle?
Going to a truffle fair is worthwhile even if you don't want to buy truffles. The scent of fresh truffles fills the air and there are locally made truffle dishes to try (usually for much less than you'd pay in a restaurant). There's often entertainment and concession stands sell local foods such as cheese, salami, honey, and wine.
Here's a sampling of Italy's best fall white truffle fairs:
- Piedmont - Alba's white truffle fair and market, one of the best in Italy, takes place on weekends from the end of September through mid-November. Besides the truffle market and fair, there'll be lots of entertainment. Events start with a night of concerts and gastronomic stands and end with the truffle world auction and a white truffle walk for tourists. There's even a donkey race. For more about the Alba Truffle Fair, see Alba White Truffle Fair web site or Alba and its Truffle Festival on Italian Cuisine. Piedmont Map
Moncalvo, in the Monferrato area of Piedmont, also has a white truffle fair the last two weekends of October. - Tuscany - San Miniato Truffle Fair, La Sagra del Tartufo Bianco, is held in the medieval hill town of San Miniato on the second, third and fourth weekends in November. 25% of Italy's white truffles are produced in this territory and November is the heart of truffle gathering season. There are food and craft stands and entertainment and restaurants will feature reasonably priced truffle menus. If you haven't had truffles, this is a great place to get an introduction. Take a look at Europe Travel's Illustrated Guide to the San Miniato Truffle Fair.
San Giovanni d'Asso, near Siena, has a good truffle festival the second and third weekends of November and a truffle museum open on weekends. Volterra holds its white truffle fair in late October and early November.
Tuscany Map - Le Marche - Acqualagna, the town that calls itself the "truffle capital" holds a white truffle fair on weekends starting at the end of October through mid-November. Sant'Angelo in Vado, near Urbania, has a truffle fair on weekends, mid-October through early November with music on Saturday nights.
- Umbria - Pietralunga holds its Mostra Mercato del Tartufo, Trade fair of Truffles, in mid-October. Citta di Castello holds the Truffle and Forest Products Fair on the weekend starting the first Friday of November. Umbria Map
- Emilia-Romagna - Savigno, in the hills southwest of Bologna, holds the Savigno Sagra del Tartufo (truffle) the first 3 Sundays in November. Sasso Marconi, in the province of Bologna, holds a truffle sagra the first weekend of November.
Find out more about White Truffles on Wandering Italy.
