Private VIP Experience – White Truffle Hunt and 4-Course Tasting Menu

Picture this: early morning, a light mist drapes over the hills of Istria, and you're standing at the edge of the centuries-old Motovun Forest. The air smells of damp earth and fallen leaves. Somewhere deep in the forest, hidden beneath the surface, some of the rarest gastronomic treasures in the world are waiting — white truffles.

But let's start from the beginning.

Your story begins in the small Istrian village of Paladini near Buzet — a town that proudly bears the title of truffle capital. Your host greets you with a warm smile and a glass of homemade truffle liqueur that immediately draws you into the tale. Before heading into the forest, he guides you through the first truffle museum in Croatia. Here you'll learn why pigs once searched for truffles, why dogs replaced them, and how one of the largest white truffles ever was discovered — right here, in Istria.

And then — the forest.

You follow paths that generations of truffle hunters have walked before you. By your side are a licensed hunter and his faithful four-legged companions — dogs whose noses know every inch of this land. Watching a dog suddenly stop, start digging, and pull a white truffle from the earth — that's a moment of pure excitement that cannot be described, only experienced.

After the hunt, the story continues at the table. A 4-course tasting menu awaits you — an ode to Istrian culinary tradition. It all begins with a selection of local cheeses, cured meats, and canapés — naturally, all featuring truffles. Then, right before your eyes, an Istrian fritaja comes to life — scrambled eggs that take on an entirely new dimension with freshly grated white truffle. For the third course — roll up your sleeves. Together with your host, you prepare homemade Istrian gnocchi, with truffle generously grated on top. Alongside the gnocchi comes something unexpected: a truffle gin and tonic with freshly grated truffle. To finish, a dessert whose contents remain a secret — because some surprises are best saved for the very end.

All accompanied by unlimited local Malvasia and Teran wines, still and sparkling water, and coffee for the perfect ending.

This is not an ordinary excursion. This is a story you'll be telling long after you return home — a story about the forest, the dogs, the people who live for truffles, and flavours you'll never forget.