01What Most Visitors Skip in Motovun

Motovun sits on a 277 m hill, and nearly every visitor stays on top of it. The less-visited part is the valley floor: oak forest, a disused railway line, small truffle farms and village restaurants where prices are lower than inside the walls. The hilltop sights are covered elsewhere. This guide stays below them.

02Motovun Forest on Foot

The Motovun Forest is a protected floodplain oak woodland along the Mirna River. It is a rare wet forest in otherwise dry Istrian karst, and it is one of the best-known habitats of the white truffle (Tuber magnatum). Most people only look at it from the town walls. Walking in it is free, but the ground is damp, so wear boots even in summer. Do not dig anywhere: truffle collecting is regulated and licensed.

03Livade: The Valley Village With the Cheaper Truffle Meals

Livade, in the valley below Motovun, is where the truffle trade actually happens. It is the base for the Zigante family, who found the 1,310 g white truffle in 1999, and for several independent hunters.

Group hunt
Zigante runs a group hunt every Saturday at the Livade 7 shop and restaurant, from the first Saturday of June to the last Saturday of September. It costs €15 per person, children under 10 are free, and it lasts about an hour. Check the start time (listed as 17:00 on the operator's page, with some guides showing 19:00) when you book.
Private hunt
Private hunts run all year by request and start at €150 for up to five people. Karlić Tartufi, a family farm in Paladini near Buzet, also offers private hunts with a tasting and a truffle museum stop.
Meeting point for independent guides
One guided walk starts near the Parenzana museum in Livade, at a wooden house on the large car park.

Opinion: Skip the €100+ per person truffle "experience" packages sold inside the old town. The €15 Saturday group hunt in Livade uses the same forest and dogs, and the saved money buys a full truffle lunch.

Village gostionicas in the valley are usually cheaper than hilltop restaurants. Prices vary by season, so confirm before ordering truffles, which are usually charged by weight.

04Parenzana Trail: The Old Railway Line

The Parenzana was a narrow-gauge railway that ran through Istria in the early 20th century. Its route is now a walking and cycling path. Near Motovun it follows the valley with gentle gradients, so it suits casual cyclists better than the hill roads. A practical plan is to cycle the flat valley section, then continue to quieter hill villages such as Grožnjan or Oprtalj. Bring water, because shade and shops are scarce between villages.

05Seasonal Timing

Black summer truffle
April to late September.
White truffle
September into January, with the peak and highest prices from October to December.
Zigante Truffle Days
an annual truffle fair in Livade, held on weekends from early October to early November. It is busy, so go early on a weekday for the forest and valley instead.
Quietest months
spring and winter, when the hill town is calm and valley mornings are often misty.

06Insider Tips

  • Stay or park in the valley and walk or cycle up. Cars cannot enter the old town centre freely, and parking at the top fills by midday in summer.
  • Buy truffle products at family farm shops. A fresh summer black truffle was priced around €50 per 100 g at one farm shop in 2026, and truffle spreads cost a few euros per jar.
  • Book hunts in advance for weekends in October.
  • Learn to read labels: truffle oil is often flavoured, not made with real truffle.

07Getting There

Motovun is about 35 km inland from Poreč. A car is the simplest option for reaching Livade, farm shops and neighbouring hill villages, while the valley section of the Parenzana suits bicycles.