Truffle Hunting in TuscanySan Gimignano Truffle Hunting Day Trip from Florence
This San Gimignano truffle hunting day trip from Florence packs an 8-hour day into one van: a hunt in the San Miniato woods with a hunter and his dog, a truffle pasta lunch, a wine tasting at a medieval winery and an 18th-century villa, then a 45-minute stop in San Gimignano with gelato before the ride back. The price is $316 per person and the group is capped at 8 travelers, so it costs more than hunts where you drive yourself. Round-trip transport from central Florence is included, which is the main reason to pick it over cheaper farm-based listings. The listing gives two meeting points and two return times, so read the booking notes below before you pay. Compare it with the rest of the Tuscany truffle hunting comparison.
About This Tour
Your Vino runs this full day from a central Florence meeting point by air-conditioned van, with no more than 8 participants. The day stops first in the San Miniato and Chianti countryside for a truffle hunt with a licensed hunter and a trained dog, then moves to a truffle-themed lunch with handmade pasta, a cellar tour at a medieval winery and an 18th-century villa, and finally San Gimignano, a UNESCO World Heritage site, for a stroll and gelato.
Two details in the listing contradict themselves and you should settle both in writing before booking. The meeting point is given as Piazza Lorenzo Ghiberti 5R on the itinerary tab and as Sfoglia Re restaurant on the meeting point tab. The return time is given as 5:00 PM in the description and 6 PM in the Know Before You Go section.
$316 per person, with reserve now and pay later offered.
8 hours total, starting at 8:30 AM.
Central Florence. The itinerary tab says Piazza Lorenzo Ghiberti 5R, the meeting point tab says Sfoglia Re restaurant. Confirm which one applies.
Round-trip van transport from central Florence is included, with stops near San Miniato and in San Gimignano. No hotel pickup.
Truffle-inspired lunch with handmade pasta and local specialties, paired wines, a wine tasting and cellar tour at a medieval winery, plus gelato in San Gimignano. Vegetarian options and allergy accommodations are offered.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund.
Check Dates and Availability
Starting times are shown once you select a date on the booking platform. The stated meeting time is 8:30 AM and the group is limited to 8 participants, so popular dates close early.
Quick answer A van day from Florence: hunt, wine, lunch and the towers
This 8-hour day trip costs $316 per person and includes round-trip van transport from central Florence, a truffle hunt with a trained dog, a truffle pasta lunch, a wine tasting at a medieval winery and 45 minutes in San Gimignano.
Key takeaways
- The group is capped at 8 travelers and free cancellation applies up to 24 hours ahead.
- The listing gives two meeting points and two return times, so confirm both in writing. See what to settle before you book.
- If you have your own car, the San Gimignano hunt with lunch at Torciano costs $218 without the long drive from Florence.
- See how this day compares in the Tuscany truffle hunting comparison.
What the Price Actually Covers
The $316 covers the whole day door to door from central Florence, which is why it sits above the farm-based listings. The figures below come from the operator's own listing on GetYourGuide.
Included
The listing states all food, wine tastings and taxes are included. That means the hunt itself, the truffle-themed lunch with handmade pasta, the paired wines, the cellar tour and tasting at the medieval winery and 18th-century villa, the San Gimignano visit, gelato, an English-speaking guide, round-trip van transport from central Florence and a listed breakfast item. Vegetarian options are welcome and the operator says it accommodates all meals to allergies, though the exclusion list also names people with food allergies, so get any allergy confirmed in writing before you book.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Truffle hunt with hunter and dog | Yes | One stop in an 8-hour day, no separate hunt duration stated |
| Round-trip van from Florence | Yes | Central meeting point, no hotel pickup |
| Truffle lunch with pasta and wines | Yes | Vegetarian options offered |
| Wine tasting and cellar tour | Yes | Medieval winery plus an 18th-century villa |
| San Gimignano visit and gelato | Yes | 45-minute visit window per the itinerary |
| Gratuities | not stated | The listing does not mention them either way |
| Hotel pickup | No | You reach the meeting point yourself |
Where the money goes and how it compares
You are paying for the van and the driver-guide as much as for the truffles. The Chianti pasta-class listing at $184 for 4 hours and the San Miniato lunch hunt at $233.88 both exclude transport, so a carless traveler would add a taxi or train on top. The full-day San Miniato and Chianti day trip at $391.75 for 7 hours also runs from Florence but excludes hotel pickup and has all sales final.
On price per hour this tour is mid-pack, but it is the only one in the comparison that combines the hunt, lunch, a wine tasting and San Gimignano with transport included.
- Same city, cheaper day: the Florence full-day hunt at $391.75
- Same town, shorter visit: the 3-hour San Gimignano hunt at $218
Sources: the operator's own listing on GetYourGuide, Regione Toscana, truffle rules and the UNESCO listing of truffle hunting in Italy.
San Miniato-Fucecchio station on the Florence to Pisa line. Photo: sailko, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What the Day Is Really Like
The itinerary below follows the operator's own stop list with its stated durations. The only clock time the listing gives is the 8:30 AM start, so later times depend on traffic and the group.
Stop by stop
You meet your guide, described as Matteo, a certified sommelier, in central Florence at 8:30 AM and ride a modern air-conditioned van into the countryside. The first leg is a roughly 50-minute drive to the San Miniato area. The guided portion there, which the itinerary labels a 3.5-hour block, covers the truffle hunt in the woods near a castle with the hunter and his dog, followed by the truffle pasta lunch with paired wines and the cellar and villa visit.
After that the van drives about 45 minutes to San Gimignano for a 45-minute visit, then another 45 minutes back to the starting square. The description promises a return by 5:00 PM while the Know Before You Go section says 6 PM, so the San Gimignano stop may compress or stretch depending on which is real. Ask at booking.
- Hunt: walking in the woods with the hunter and the dog, no separate duration published
- Lunch: handmade pasta and local specialties with paired regional wines
- Tasting: medieval winery cellar and an 18th-century villa
- San Gimignano: 45 minutes, UNESCO World Heritage site, gelato included
Who This Tour Rules Out
The listing names its exclusions plainly. Check them before you book anything, because a van day with a woodland walk does not suit everyone.
Stated exclusions and limits
Babies under 1 year are not suitable, and pregnant travelers are on the not-suitable list. People with mobility impairments are excluded, which makes sense for a day built around woods, a cellar and cobblestones. People with food allergies and people with animal allergies are also listed as not suitable, even though the meal section says allergies are accommodated, so treat that as a conflict and ask the operator directly before paying. No fitness level is stated, but comfortable closed-toe shoes are on the what-to-bring list, and a hunt means walking in the woods.
If any of these apply to your group, a shorter and flatter farm-based hunt may work better. The Siena hunt with Alessandro near Porta Romana runs about 2 hours with no lunch, and the Castelnuovo Berardenga hunt at $122.79 allows babies in a carrier.
- Not suitable: babies under 1 year
- Not suitable: pregnant women
- Not suitable: people with mobility impairments
- Not suitable: people with food allergies
- Not suitable: people with animal allergies
- Minimum age otherwise: none stated
- Smoking is not allowed
What to Settle Before You Book
Three things in this listing are ambiguous and one honest limitation deserves a word. Sort them out in writing before the 24-hour free-cancellation window becomes your only protection.
The two conflicts
The meeting point appears two ways. The itinerary tab starts and ends at Piazza Lorenzo Ghiberti 5R, while the meeting point tab names Sfoglia Re restaurant. They may well be the same spot or a few steps apart, but message the operator and get the exact address confirmed. The return time is stated as 5:00 PM in the description and 6 PM in Know Before You Go. An hour matters if you have dinner or a train after, so confirm which applies.
Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund, and reserve now and pay later is offered. That is a fair window, but it is your only one. Put any allergy or dietary need in the booking message and keep the reply.
- Confirm in writing: exact meeting point address
- Confirm in writing: return time, 5 PM or 6 PM
- Confirm in writing: allergy accommodation, given the not-suitable list
What to wear and bring
The listing asks for comfortable shoes and closed-toe shoes, and suggests a camera, sunscreen and water. It also says to check weather conditions and dress appropriately. The hunt is a walk in Tuscan woods, so expect dirt, slopes and possibly mud depending on the season.
- Closed-toe, comfortable walking shoes
- Water and sunscreen
- Camera
- Weather-appropriate layers
Getting to the start without a car
You do not need a car for this tour, which is its main advantage over the farm-based listings. The meeting point sits in central Florence, walkable from most of the historic center. Piazza Lorenzo Ghiberti is the square of the Sant'Ambrogio market, a short walk from the city center, and the listing names Sfoglia Re restaurant as an alternative marker.
No train, taxi or parking information is stated because none should be needed. If you would rather compare every option that includes transport from Florence, the guide to truffle hunting from Florence lays them out.
Hour by Hour
Clock times beyond the start are not published, so the steps carry the operator's own durations instead.
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8:30 AM
Meet in central Florence
Meet your guide at the meeting point. The listing gives it as Piazza Lorenzo Ghiberti 5R on one tab and Sfoglia Re restaurant on another, so confirm the exact spot when booking.
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Van to the countryside
About a 50-minute air-conditioned drive toward the San Miniato area.
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Truffle hunt in the woods
Walk with a licensed truffle hunter and a trained dog through woods near a castle. Nobody can promise a find, and the species depends on the season.
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Truffle lunch
Handmade pasta and local specialties built around truffle, paired with regional wines. Vegetarian options are offered.
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Winery and villa visit
Tour a medieval wine cellar and an 18th-century villa with a tasting flight. The guided block in this area is listed at 3.5 hours covering hunt, lunch and cellar.
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Van to San Gimignano
A roughly 45-minute drive to the town of towers.
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San Gimignano and gelato
A 45-minute visit to the UNESCO World Heritage site with gelato from a noted gelateria.
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Return to Florence
A roughly 45-minute drive back to the starting point. The listing states both 5:00 PM and 6 PM as the return, so confirm which applies.
What Works and What Does Not
An honest read of this listing against the rest of the comparison.
What we genuinely like
- Round-trip van transport from central Florence is included, which no cheap farm-based listing offers
- Group capped at 8 participants, the smallest shared-group cap alongside the Siena listing
- Four experiences in one day: hunt, truffle lunch, wine tasting and cellar tour, San Gimignano with gelato
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead, plus reserve now and pay later
- Rating of 5.0 across 26 reviews on the booking platform
The honest downsides
- The listing contradicts itself on the meeting point and on the return time, so you must chase the operator for answers
- At $316 for 8 hours it is the second most expensive listing in this comparison, and most of the premium pays for the van
- No separate hunt duration is published, so you cannot tell how much of the 3.5-hour countryside block is actually walking with the dog
- Pregnant travelers, babies under 1 and anyone with mobility impairments or listed allergies are excluded
Who it's NOT for: Not for travelers who want a long time in San Gimignano, a guaranteed white truffle, or a cheap hunt they can drive to themselves.
Questions About This Day Trip
How much does the San Gimignano truffle hunting day trip from Florence cost?
The price is $316 per person for the 8-hour day, with reserve now and pay later available. Cheaper alternatives without transport are compared on the the Tuscany truffle hunting comparison.
Where exactly do I meet the van in Florence?
The listing gives two answers. The itinerary tab says Piazza Lorenzo Ghiberti 5R and the meeting point tab says Sfoglia Re restaurant. Message the operator for the exact address before booking, and see what to settle before you book.
What time does the tour get back to Florence?
The description says 5:00 PM and the Know Before You Go section says 6 PM. That is a conflict, so confirm the return time in writing. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours ahead.
Will I find a white truffle on the hunt?
Nobody can promise a find of any kind, and the prized white truffle has a short legal season from 1 October to 15 January in Tuscany, so earlier dates find other species. The Tuscany truffle season guide explains what each month can realistically produce.
Is this tour suitable for someone who is pregnant or has allergies?
No. The listing names pregnant women, people with food allergies and people with animal allergies among those not suitable, even though the meal section says allergies are accommodated. The Chianti hunt with pasta class is a different operator with its own rules worth checking.
Do I need a car for this day trip?
No, round-trip van transport from a central Florence meeting point is included. For the listings that start at countryside farms with no transport, see the guide to truffle hunting from Florence.
How does this compare with hiring a car and booking a hunt in San Gimignano directly?
The 3-hour Torciano hunt with lunch costs $218 and starts at the winery, but you must get there yourself since there is no direct train to San Gimignano and the bus via Poggibonsi takes roughly 1 hour 45 minutes each way. This day trip trades that logistics burden for the higher price.
Prices, availability and terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
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