FINDING TRUFFLES: IS IT REALLY SO TOUGH?
An incredible and authentic truffle experience in Tuscany!Truffle hunting with a skilled truffle hunter like Daniele in the beautiful woods of Volterra can be a unique and memorable adventure. Daniele’s expertise, along with his trained truffle dog, adds an authentic touch to the experience. Following the truffle hunt, indulging in a delicious lunch based on truffles at Daniele’s shop in Volterra is the perfect way to savor the fruits of the day!
Make sure to capture the memories and flavors of this unique adventure in Volterra!
The walk in the wood around Volterra
Our tour is a journey into the captivating culture of truffle hunting. Accompanied by our knowledgeable guide, you’ll venture to the enchanting region of Volterra and have the opportunity to meet Daniele, a renowned local truffle hunter. The experience begins with an insightful introduction to the world of truffles. Following that, we’ll head to a nearby forest just outside the walls of Volterra in search of seasonal truffles. Join Daniele and his dog Ciro for a fun and educational truffle-hunting adventure. Observing the strong connection between the dogs and their owner adds an extra layer of enjoyment to the experience
A delicious lunch at Daniele’s shop
After the hunting, we will move to the center of Volterra, where we will meet Stefania, Daniele's wife, at their truffle shop in the main road of the town. Here she will prepare for us a delicious truffle tasting and truffle based lunch using many of the truffle products they produce.
Black truffle menu:
Truffle based bruschettas, salami and cheese
Pecorino cheese fondue with truffle
Fried egg with truffle or chianina beef carpaccio with truffle
2 glasses of local wine, water
White truffle menu:
Truffle based bruschettas
Beef tartare with truffle or an alternative dish
Fried quail egg with truffle
2 glasses of local wine, water
Extras: find out three ideas to make your day memorable
1) Add More Truffle to Your Lunch
During lunch, each dish already has some fresh truffle shaved on top. With this option, you can choose to add more truffle and make your meal even richer.
You will see different types of truffles and choose the one you like.
You decide how much extra truffle is shaved on each dish.
The truffle is weighed, and you pay according to the truffle price of that day.
Truffle prices change every day. We will tell you the exact price on the day of the tour.
2) Choose a different location for your Lunch: Daniele's private home
Daniele and Stefania live and work in Volterra. Their truffle shop is on the town's main street, and their home is just a few steps away. Located on the edge of town, the house overlooks the beautiful valley.
For guests who book the truffle hunting experience, they open their home and their garden for a more relaxed and personal atmosphere. Lunch at their home includes a richer menu than the one served at the shop, and it gives you the chance to spend more time with Daniele and Stefania, sharing stories, food, and genuine hospitality. Lunch or dinner is served in their beautiful garden, surrounded by the ancient city walls, with views of the Tuscan hills.
Only from beginning of May to the end of September.
3) A wonderful opportunity to explore Volterra!
Following a delightful lunch, you have the option to extend your day by discovering on your own the enchanting town of Volterra. If you would like a more in-depth exploration with a guided tour, feel free to inquire about the available options and request a personalized estimate.
This is a list of specialties that you are likely to sample as part of the program of this tour. Please, note that the specialties of the tasting session and/or lunch may vary according to the season and the availability of the products in the day of the tour.
A rich plate with several cold meats, cheese, bruschettas with assorted sauces and other Tuscan specialties, all finely flavored by black or white truffles of local production. It is a mixed appetizer typically served as part of our truffle-based lunch during the truffle experience tours we arrange in Tuscany.
A very tasty delicacy served in our truffle hunting tours. Black truffles need very delicate foods to pair with. Thinly sliced dried meat, like beef carpaccio, is ideal with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, some black pepper and shaved black truffles Scorzone.
One of the best recipes to enjoy fresh truffles is on fried eggs. Truffles have a limited range of foods to be paired with and certainly eggs are among the best matchings for this rare underground mushroom. The ideal serving is on top of bruschetta bread fried in truffle butter.
Pecorino cheese fondue with truffle is a rich and creamy dish made from melted Pecorino cheese, enhanced with the intense aroma of the fresh black or white truffle shaved on top. Its rich flavor and creamy texture make it a comforting and elegant dish, perfect for sharing or as a starter.
The best extra virgin olive oil is made with fresh Tuscan olives immediately squeezed after the harvest at an oil mill. The most common olives for Tuscan olive oil are frantoio, leccino, frantoio and madremignola. EVOO is produced every year in October and November.
The Tuscan soil provides a wide variety of red wines, from easy-to-drink young table wines to full-body and robust riservas. Tuscan red wines are often based on Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo or Colorino grapes and sometimes on international grapes like Merlot, Cabernet or Syrah. The most curious experiements are recently involving Alicante and Tempranillo!
The most common coffee ordered at Italian bars is espresso. Its quantity is very small and it is supposed to be nicely creamy on the top. Many Italians sip it quickly while standing at a bar, so not sitting or longly debating around it.
Tuscan white wines are often based on a typical grape called Vermentino, which provides strong minerality and freshness to the wines made with it. The area of San Gimignano provides the one and only white wine DOCG in Tuscany: Vernaccia. Other very common grapes for white wines in Tuscany are Trebbiano and Malvasia.
In our tour we like showing you places off the beaten track and introducing you to Tuscan people with their personal stories, careers and characters. You will have one of our guides with your party during the whole tour. Please, see below all the guides who can be with you. During this experience you can also meet some of the Tuscan friends involved in the events. Please, see below which friends you are likely to encounter.
Alessandro
guide
Alessandro
Tour leader at Arianna & Friends'
Buongiorno! My name is Alessandro. I was born and raised in a charming village near San Miniato, and I’ve spent my life immersed in the beauty of Tuscany. After traveling to England and Spain, I returned home to share my passion for my region. With years of experience in the hospitality industry, including roles in restaurants, hotels, and pubs, I’ve honed my skills in providing exceptional guest experiences. My sommelier training has deepened my knowledge of Tuscan wines and cuisine.
I am a thoughtful and patient person, always ready to solve problems and ensure every guest feels cared for and well looked after. Now, as a proud member of the Arianna & Friends team, I’m thrilled to share the stories and traditions of my homeland with visitors from around the world. Join me on a journey through the heart of Tuscany, where history, culture, and breathtaking landscapes come together.
Cristiano
guide
Cristiano
Tour leader at Arianna & Friends'
My name is Cristiano, and I live just outside the walls of Pisa, not far from the Leaning Tower. When I was a child, I lived in Mexico with my family, where I attended an international school in English. I graduated from a linguistic high school and speak English, Spanish, and French. I also worked for many years as a travel agent and managed tourist reception activities in Morocco.
Since 2024, I have been part of the Arianna & Friends team. Passionate about traveling the world, I love meeting new people and exchanging experiences and stories with them. I’ve been told I am a very charming and fun person, and many of the cooking classes where I act as the story-teller end with me singing traditional Italian songs alongside the chef, and sometimes even with our guests! I’m energetic, love sharing entertaining stories, and enjoy laughing with our guests while introducing them to Tuscan recipes, culture, and lifestyle.
My role here also includes being a tour leader for e-bike and Vespa tours, and my favorite activity to lead, beyond cooking classes, is the hands-on cheese-making experience
In my free time, I play tennis, love traveling to Asia, and enjoy hiking through the Tuscan hills with my friends and my dog, Ciccio.
I look forward to welcoming you in Tuscany and sharing unforgettable moments together!
Luca
guide
Luca
Tour leader and websites content manager at Arianna & Friends'
Ciao Amici!! My name is Luca. I’m in my 40s and I’m probably one of the most energetic and fun-loving guides at Arianna & Friends
Like some of my colleagues, I have a multi-tasking role in the company. I am one of the content managers of our websites, especially during the winter, and when the season starts, I work as a tour leader.
Sometimes I also take care of bookings directly, and I often carry out site inspections to meet new collaborators and service providers, so we can be sure that every year the company offers new and interesting tours. From March to October, I lead almost all types of wine & food tours and cooking classes at Arianna & Friends. My favorites are truffle, olive oil, e-bike, and Vespa tours. Riding a Vespa through our wonderful hills is a must-do while in Tuscany, of course, only if you know how to ride a scooter!
When I started working for Arianna & Friends back in 2011, I was only able to prepare a very simple pasta al pomodoro (pasta with tomato sauce). Now, after so many years of cooking classes and thanks to our wonderful cooks, I am a very good chef (but please, don’t tell my wife!).
My motto is “Smile, you are in Tuscany.” I’m happy and very proud when I see people enjoying my country and having fun in Tuscany. Join us! Join me! Let’s have fun together!!
Arianna
guide
Arianna
Founder and owner at Arianna & Friends'
And that’s me, Arianna. When I was a student at the University of Pisa, I had a dream. I already knew that I somehow wanted to spread our Tuscan culture, but I didn’t yet know in which ways. I also knew that I first needed to educate myself more, to go deeper into what, for me, belonged to everyday life, before making it available to others.
Together with a team of enthusiasts like me, we carried out a lot of research, made many contacts, and finally found a good way to become ambassadors of Tuscan culture, traditions, and lifestyle. Yes, I admit it: the power that moved everything was my passion for food! For good food, and in particular for the delicious food of my mamma and my nonna, hehehh! It was by learning from my family that I started thinking I couldn’t miss the opportunity to share everything I knew with others. It couldn’t be any different, because here where we live, food is culture!
So we came up with a name for our project, our future business, that had to convey this message: spend time with us, your Tuscan friends, and you’ll feel like part of a family and experience Tuscany in a very authentic way. Also, meet our friends, all the farmers, cooks, and storytellers who represent our territory. The name Arianna & Friends was chosen as the best option.
Personally, I love planning, making people happy, organizing, and having crazy ideas… so crazy that sometimes my colleagues need to bring me back down to earth! I like making sure that people are more than satisfied when they return home from their Tuscan experience. I’m lucky to have Consuelo, Moira, Luca, Davide, Anna, Diletta, Yvonne, Alessandro, and Cristiano with me, along with all the cooks and assistants and all the other “friends” who help us provide excellent services, all of us, always with a big smile on our faces :)
Moira
guide
Moira
Pisa city tour guide & and tour leader at Arianna & Friends'
Ciao a tutti! My name is Moira, and I originally come from the north-west of Italy, from the city of Turin. I moved to Tuscany in 2012, immediately falling in love with the culture, the arts and history, the food, and of course, my favourite!, the wines of this beautiful region.
I started working with Arianna & Friends back in 2013 as an assistant at the Tourist Information Office of a small hilltop village, where our office was initially located. Later, I obtained my city guide license, and today I am the city tour guide on the team for the main towns of Pisa, Volterra, and San Miniato, as well as for some of our less famous tiny villages, which hide many secrets and have such a loooong history, such as Lari, Lajatico, and Peccioli.
I also obtained a license as an official truffle hunter, but I’m still mainly a truffle eater! My enthusiasm for learning new things never stops. I even learned how to become a professional olive tree pruner. When I’m not on tour, walking around our amazing places talking about art, culture, and history, or discovering local specialties together with our guests, you’ll find me in the office, taking care of bookings and reservations. I specialize in organizing active and fun weekends for groups of girlfriends.
I really hope to meet you soon to show you around our beautiful land, and since I come from another region, I can also reveal some secrets that Tuscan people will never confess!!
Yvonne
guide
Yvonne
Tour leader and wine expert at Arianna & Friends'
Dé – people smile at me, when I say it
But this is what Livorno, my beloved port town at the Tuscan sea, did to me – it placed itself into my heart. My name is Yvonne, and I have been living in several places on the world, but Tuscany kept calling me …
and here I am.
I love the wind, the sea, good wine and nature. In one word: Tuscany.
I love to share my passion and expertise about wine as a gift of nature with people. It makes me happy, when I hear people laugh while they enjoy a stunning E-bike ride through the rolling Tuscan contryside. And I love seeing their eyes shine when they discover the fascinating transformation of olives into delicious extra virgin olive oil.
Let’s enjoy it together – as your travel companion and tour guide, I am happy to make you discover the hidden gems and dive into the vibes of Tuscany.
Daniele
friend
Daniele
Daniele is the most skillful truffle hunter in the area of Volterra. He's been a passionate hunter of white and black truffles for over 30 years and he established a business on truffles with his family in 2019.
Ciro
friend
Ciro
Ciro is one of Daniele’s most skilled truffle dogs. He has an incredible sense of smell and can detect truffles from a great distance. Ciro is also a perfect dog for truffle hunting experiences, as he doesn’t get distracted even in the presence of other people and stays fully focused on the hunt.
The total rate for this activity varies according to the number of people in your party and the kind of seasonal truffle. Check rates in the table below.
TRUFFLE HUNTING WITH DANIELE IN VOLTERRA
with lunch based on black and spring truffles
– from THE MID-january through SEPTEMBER –
MAX 8 people
– RATES 2026 –
NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN YOUR PARTY
TOTAL RATE
2 persons
€ 580
3 persons
€ 750
4 persons
€ 920
5 persons
€ 1090
6 persons
€ 1260
7 persons
€ 1430
8 persons
€ 1600
Extra teen (12-17 yrs)
€ 90
Extra child (4-11 yrs)
€ 60
Add more truffle to the lunch in the shop
you pay according to the truffle price of that day
Upgrade to Lunch at Daniele's home:
€ 35 per person
Add a guided tour to Volterra for max 2 hours
€ 210 for the whole group
TRUFFLE HUNTING WITH DANIELE IN VOLTERRA
WITH LUNCH BASED ON winter WHITE TRUFFLES
– FROM october THROUGH MID-JANUARY –
mAX 8 people
– RATES 2026 –
NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN YOUR PARTY
TOTAL RATE
2 persons
€ 700
3 persons
€ 930
4 persons
€ 1160
5 persons
€ 1390
6 persons
€ 1620
7 persons
€ 1850
8 persons
€ 2080
Extra teenager (12-17 yrs)
€ 110
Extra child (4-11 yrs)
€ 70
Add more truffle to the lunch in the shop
you pay according to the truffle price of that day
Add a guided tour to Volterra for max 2 hours
€ 210 for the whole group
Rates include
Private English speaking tour guide for the whole tour – German, French or Spanish also available
A guided truffle hunting walk in the wood with a truffle hunter and his dog
A truffle-based full lunch with wines included
One glass of local wine
Taxes
Rates do NOT include
Transportation
Guided tour of Volterra
3 extra options
Tips to the staff. Not included, not obligatory but very much appreciated
Transportation is not included in the rates above. For more info on transportation, please see the box "Transportation options".
This is a message of Beth after enjoying a private truffle hunting tour iright on Christmas Eve!
Dear team,
I just wanted to be sure you knew that today as always the tour was fantasico but today was even more fantastico! Our guide and the family was soooo wonderful. It was the best experience!!!
Please book us primarily with this guide whenever possible for future travel as it was such a good fit, it felt like we spent the day with family!
We are back in February and Ill get you dates to see what else we can do!
Thank you, Beth
ACCESSIBILITY:
This tour includes a walk through the woods on terrain that is not always flat and a few more challenging stretches. If you have any accessibility needs — whether mobility-related, sensory, cognitive, or any other requirements — please let us know in advance and we will do our best to adapt the itinerary for you. LOCATION OF ATTRACTIONS:
This tour takes place in the rural area of Volterra, in central Tuscany. About 20 km from Selvatelle, 5 km from Volterra, 25 km from San Gimignano and Montaione. MEET-UP LOCATION:
Unless differently specified, the tour guide meets you at a meeting point near Volterra. DURATION:
This program takes 4 hours. Time for transportation not included. AVAILABILITY:
Available all year through, from Mondays through Saturdays. LANGUAGE:
This tour is available in English language. German, French, Spanish or Italian are also available with no surcharge. DIFFICULTY LEVEL:
Medium CHILD FRIENDLY:
Ideal for children CLOTHING:
Comfortable shoes and clothes recommended. FOOD RESTRICTIONS:
The foods served during this tour might contain gluten, lactose, nuts and alcohol. If you have any food restriction, please inform our personnel during the enquiry process. TRANSPORTATION:
This program and its rates do not include transportation and are set on a self-driving base. For further information see the box "transportation options".
The destinations reached during this activity are in the Tuscan countryside, in areas off the beaten track that cannot be reached by public transport. We highly recommend renting a car in order to reach them. As an alternative, we can offer a valued service by chauffeured car, van or minibus. Any cost of transportation is to be added to the rates displayed on the rate table of this page.
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