Decadent, earthy and musky, an ounce of the most expensive truffles can cost more than a Michelin-starred meal that features them. Alongside their taste, what makes the most expensive truffles so coveted is their scarcity. Truffles are seasonal, extremely difficult to grow, and take many years to cultivate. They also have a short shelf life.
These delicious edible spores grow beneath the surface of the earth in just a few parts of the world. All highly desirable destinations, when combined with a trip out truffle hunting, and fine dining experiences savoring truffle infused dishes, the experience is simply unforgettable. Travel with Luxury Gold and you can enjoy truffle hunting excursions on both our Ultimate Italy and Croatia & The Dalmatian Coast small group journeys.
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Where do truffles grow?
One reason truffles are so expensive is that they don’t grow in every part of the world. Historically speaking, truffles were largely only found naturally in European countries like Italy, France, Spain and Slovenia. In recent years, some other countries in North America, South America and Asia have successfully started growing their own.
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How do truffles grow?
Truffles grow beneath trees in a symbiotic relationship by attaching their spores to the tree roots. The transfer of nutrients enables them both to grow. Most truffles grow beneath specific tree species, including hazelnut and poplar, which influence their taste and scent.
Why are truffles expensive?
Truffles are expensive because they’re so rare to harvest. Grown naturally only in a few European countries, truffle hunting is a centuries-old practice in which truffle hunters rarely share their hunting grounds with anyone else. The most expensive truffles are white truffles found in Italy’s Piedmont region. The International Alba White Truffle Fair is the preeminent truffle fair where you’ll find the largest, most expensive truffles for sale.
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Where can I hunt for truffles with truffle hunters?
Luxury Gold’s Croatia & the Dalmatian Coast tour is a two week itinerary filled with unforgettable activities, including hunting for truffles with a local farmer in Istria. You can also hunt for truffles on our Ultimate Italy tour in Florence. Keep in mind that the best time to harvest white truffles is typically between September and November, though peak season may alter based on the summer season’s temperatures, spring’s rainfall, and if the holes where the prior year’s truffles were found were filled properly. Black truffle harvest is between April and October in some areas like Slovenia, and their bounty is also impacted by seasonal climate fluctuations.
Read more about truffle hunting: A day in the life of one of Croatia’s top truffle hunters
Where can I taste a truffle?
Although only found in select countries, you can taste truffles at restaurants across the world. Casa di Langa, a hotel just outside of Alba, Italy, has a restaurant with a case of fresh truffles you can choose from. Restaurant Zigante in Livade, Croatia, is another fantastic dining destination where truffles are blended in delicious ways, including in truffle ice cream.
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Italy
Italy is the epicenter for truffles. When the most expensive truffles are up for auction, it’s likely that they were found in the Italian countryside. Truffle hunters stay silent about where they find these fungi in Le Marche, Tuscany, Piedmont, and Umbria, but the restaurants in these regions aren’t shy about featuring them in both fine and rustic dishes.
Truffle hunting on the Ultimate Italy tour is the ultimate way to find and taste fresh Italian truffles.
Croatia
Italy may stay in the limelight for having the most expensive truffles, but Croatia’s Istria region has a bounty of its own worthy of your attention. The truffle capital of Croatia wasn’t lauded as such pre-1999, until a hunter and his dog dug up what became the largest white truffle in the world. Now, the Istrian Peninsula is regarded as a popular destination for truffle hunting and sampling.
Get off the beaten path and uncover gems like fresh truffles on the Croatia & the Dalmatian Coast tour.
Spain
The majority of Spain’s truffles are black truffles and its black winter truffles are especially popular, but that wasn’t always the case. In fact, it was until the mid-1900s that truffle hunters from France started seeking out the black diamond truffles they knew in the hills of Spain. When Spanish farmers realized how valuable these truffles were, they seized the opportunity and have since become the world’s largest producer of black winter truffles.
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France
It should be no surprise that anything grown in French soil is delectable; that includes truffles. France produces nearly one-third of the world’s truffles. The “black diamond” is a popular truffle found in Provence and Southwest France. Also known as the Périgord truffle, black diamond truffles are known for their strong scent and distinctive taste.
Sample truffle-infused dishes as you explore the French countryside on our Ultimate Southern France tour.
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Slovenia
Slovenia shares a small piece of the Istrian Peninsula with Croatia. With Italy as its adjacent neighbor, one shouldn’t be shocked to learn that Slovenia is an underrated destination for truffle hunting and dining. One of the unique experiences you can have in Slovenia that you seldom can elsewhere is hunting for the rare spring white bianchetti truffle which is harvested around March each year.
With Exceptional Dining a hallmark of every Luxury Gold journey, see how you can enjoy a truffle-infused vacation, or other gastronomical pleasures with our worldwide collection of luxury tours.
