Sant’Agata Feltria: On The Trail of The Italian White Truffle Festival

Summary:  Sant’Agata Feltria is a medieval village in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, roughly 45 kilometers from Rimini. Nicknamed “The City of Truffles,” the village hosts the National White Truffle Fair every Sunday throughout October and on the first Sunday in November. Despite navigating winding mountain roads and heavy rain, we explored the bustling cobblestone streets lined with artisan stalls. Farmers and craftspeople showcase cheeses, honey, wines, and an array of white truffle products ranging from oils and purees to truffled meats. The festival, running for decades under local pro-loco leadership, features a contest to judge the best truffle by size and quality. Visitors can dine inside an enormous dining tent seating 600 guests, where local restaurants serve classic dishes like tagliatelle al tartufo and risotto al tartufo. Beyond gastronomy, the town features Italy’s oldest wooden theater, which is UNESCO-listed,  and an 11th-century walled castle.

The clouds and fog hang so low, and the rain is so heavy that we can barely see in front of us. We blindly follow the GPS in our rental car up the single, winding mountain road to Sant’Agata Feltria, navigating hairpin turns and precarious drops on both sides.

With the same focus and tenacity as foraging pigs, my husband and I are on the hunt for white truffles (tartufi bianci).

Visiting the National White Truffle Fair

This small medieval village is home to the National White Truffle Fair, held every Sunday in October and the first Sunday in November. It’s aptly nicknamed The City of Truffles.

Sant’Agata Feltria also houses the oldest wooden theatre in Italy (recognized as one of ten wooden theatres inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List) and an 11th-century walled castle that makes the town look like a fairy-tale setting.

When we heard that the smell of truffles literally wafts through the air, we didn’t think twice about making the trip, only some 45 km. (about 27 miles) from our hotel in Rimini.

When we finally arrive, we’re met by throngs of people holding colorful umbrellas — obviously undaunted by the weather. If you’ve ever tasted shaved paper-thin white truffles over fresh pasta, you can understand the unbridled passion of white truffle aficionados. Though hard to precisely describe, even the scent of the tuber is wildly intoxicating (Historically, it’s been purported to be an aphrodisiac.)

Most people associate white truffles with Alba in Piedmont, where a legendary trade fair is held each autumn. Compared to that, this one is less commercial and more like a country fair.

The cobblestone streets are lined with small booths where farmers and artisans proudly display truffles, mushrooms, chestnuts, cheeses, honey, wines, and handicrafts. Fairgoers huddle around each tantalizing booth, often tasting before they buy. Everyone is warm and welcoming.

White Truffles Everywhere

However, the main event here is the white truffle. It dominates the landscape in every form known to man: fresh and in oils, pastes, purees, butters, vinegars, grappa and salts. The only thing missing is nasal spray!

In the small town square, the butcher’s case is filled with truffled meats; the cheese store has hard and soft cheeses with truffles; the bakery showcases truffled rolls. A new truffle shop sells them fresh from a refrigerated case that resembles a jeweler’s safe.

Begun in 1985, the festival has been in operation for 45 years, overseen by a committee of pro-loco (grassroots) and private interests. Each year, judges select the truffle that is best in show, based on quality and size.

The 2010 winner weighed in at a whopping 580 grams (more than a pound, with an estimated value of $ 2,500 – $4,000). The population of about 2,500 people “mushrooms” on these Sundays, as the town packs in 30,000-50,000 visitors.

An enormous tent is set up for lunch, seating 600 people at a time at long tables with yellow-checkered tablecloths.

Four local restaurants operate serving stations, each offering a variety of tempting plates for between 15 and 25 euros (with reasonably priced local wines extra). Unable to choose, we opt for three dishes: tagliatelle al tartufo, risotto al tartufo, and gnocchi ai funghi – the memories of which still linger.

Just as the sky begins to clear after lunch, we stroll on one of the paths leading to the castle. Throwing caution to the wind, we succumb to our appetites again, pausing to taste some warm, freshly made bomboloni (pastries made from fried dough with custard filling) at another stand.

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IF YOU GO

Sant-Agata Feltria
Dates: Sundays in October and the first Sunday in November 
Email: [email protected]
Emilia Romagna Tourism Wine and Food Events

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This article was originally published in the Chicago Tribune and has been revised and updated on 8/16/26.

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Read more about the historic wooden theater and Sant’Agata Feltria in my article on Forbes.

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