Orient Express Launches Train Journey Through Italy For Truffle Lovers

Forbes

4 hours ago

Take a trip for truffles.
You don't often see a luxury train journey dedicated to a fungus. But here we are.
Not just any fungus, mind you. We're talking about the white truffle—the kind that shows up on menus with eye-watering prices and shows up in your dreams if you've had it done right. This November, the legendary Orient Express is leaning into truffle season with a new itinerary: The Truffle Route. Two nights, rolling through northern Italy aboard the swanky La Dolce Vita Orient Express, with enough food, wine, and countryside to make you forget your inbox exists.
The trip kicks off in Rome, then winds up into Piedmont—a region that, if we're being honest, knows its way around a bottle of red and a truffle shaver. This isn't a tour for people who just 'like Italian food.' It's for those who can tell you the altitude of their favorite Nebbiolo vineyard. You know the type. Maybe you are the type.
From the moment you step onto the train at Rome's Ostiense station, it's clear subtlety isn't on the menu. Think gleaming wood, artful brass, and seats that invite you to sink in for a conversation. If Wes Anderson and an Italian count collaborated on a rail car design, this might be it. There's a strong chance you'll be handed Champagne before your coat's even off.
Dinner is served not long after departure—Heinz Beck is in charge, which tells you most of what you need to know. The mood is elegant, but it never veers into stiff. There's music, candlelight, and linen that definitely wasn't bought in bulk. You start to realize that, yes, you're eating truffle risotto on a train, and no, you're not dreaming. It's absurd in the most delightful way.
By the time the sun rises, you're in Nizza Monferrato, a town that feels like someone photoshopped together every perfect Italian hilltop you've ever seen. It's quiet and beautiful, with a faint scent of soil and breakfast. In other words, you've arrived. Here's where it gets interesting: passengers get the choice to head off on two truffle-forward excursions. First is a visit to Tenuta Cucco, a winery that's been doing its thing for more than half a century. You're welcomed with a glass of local red and a quick stroll through the vines before heading underground to their aging cellar.
Travel in luxury and sample white truffles.
Then comes lunch, a multi-course celebration of Piedmontese cooking—rich, savory, and a little rustic, paired with wines that taste even better when someone else has chosen them for you. After lunch, it's time to chase truffles. Literally. You head into the woods with a trifulau (that's a local truffle hunter) and his dog, who frankly does most of the work. You'll learn how to spot the right terrain, why truffles are so hard to cultivate, and maybe—if you're lucky—witness the moment when the dog catches a scent and starts to dig. It's quiet, oddly suspenseful, and moving in an unusual way.
This is not your average tourist experience. Of course, once you've found the truffle, it's time to eat it. Back in the village, lunch is served with the freshly found treasure shaved generously over dishes like tajarin or fonduta. It's indulgent, sure, but also kind of sacred. Truffles are weird like that.
Later that afternoon, you're off to Canelli, home of the Underground Cathedrals (yes, that's really what they're called). These are enormous stone cellars cut into the hillside, where some of Italy's best sparkling wines are made and stored. A tasting is included, naturally, followed by another meal—because if there's one thing this trip isn't short on, it's reasons to eat.
The train departs for Rome that evening. There's one more dinner onboard, one more chance to stare out the window at the Italian countryside as it fades into night. By the time you wake up the next morning, you're back in Rome. Hopefully, with a suitcase full of wine and a camera roll full of food photos, you won't be able to explain to coworkers.
Prices start at $9,490 per passenger, which is, admittedly, not pocket change. But if you've ever dreamed of combining a truffle hunt, a wine tour, and a luxury train journey into one long, slow, delicious weekend—well, it might be exactly the splurge you've been waiting for.