The experience of truffle hunting on the island of Elba is one of the best outdoor activities you can do in Tuscany. During these adventures you will learn all there is to know about truffles.
Truffles are “hypogeous” mushrooms, that is, they grow underground, in symbiosis with some particular plant species, in a mutual exchange relationship between them and the roots of the latter. That between plant and truffle is a real symbiosis, in which the truffle absorbs nutrients from the plant, and the latter draws from it the mineral salts essential for its growth.
Truffles, however, are not found in all types of soil, they do not grow in symbiosis with all plants and, specifically, each type of truffle prefers a certain type of plant and a specific type of soil. If we add to all this the fact that these mushrooms are born and develop underground, more or less in depth, finding out where they are, especially if you are not an expert on the subject, becomes quite difficult.
This is why the quarrymen, in order to become such, need a long experience and must avail themselves of the help of the man’s best friend, the dog, who with his highly developed nose, once well trained, becomes indispensable to identify where they are. truffles with precision.
The departure of the experience outside will begin in a forest near Elba Island.
The truffle hunting time can be customized.
The Island of Elba is the destination of thousands of visitors each year who wish to discover the beauties of this corner of paradise, especially of beaches, but not only. Located in the Tuscany region, Elba offers natural landscapes of extreme beauty, along with historic villages and unique cultural places in Italy.
When planning a trip to this beautiful seaside resort, it is important to get to know everything you can visit, to better plan the days and not miss even a glimpse.
As a first step, you will meet the “Trifolao”, the truffle hunter. In addition, you will be given a pair of hunting boots to walk in the wood of the Elba island.
The dog that will accompany you in the search, indeed he will be the main protagonist of the hunt. In fact, he will carefully sniff near the trees and bushes to look for truffles.
When the dog indicates the point where it hides, a few inches below the ground, the truffle, you can begin to dig. You can search underground with your hands or with some small tools to get to the point where the truffle is hiding.
Your truffle hunt on the Island of Elba will end after about two hours of walking in the woods. Later you can continue your tour of Tuscany.
During our vacation we booked a wonderful truffle hunting experience. Tuscany has shown us to have beautiful landscapes, such as the island of Elba, exceptional wines and very special truffles! We walked in the woods with our truffle hunter and his dog to look for truffles.