Welcome to the World of Truffles: from Alba to Ceppaloni, iconic destinations where you can savour this exquisite tuber

The scent of damp earth after the rain, the soft footsteps of a dog scanning the undergrowth with the dedication of a gold prospector, and that unmistakable, intense fragrance capable of awakening ancient memories: autumn in Italia is a veritable feast for the senses. So when the tree canopies begin to take on shades of ochre, brick red and gold, the countryside is transformed into an open-air treasure map. From the rows of trees in Piedmont to the woods around Benevento, passing through the beech forests and golden slopes of the Marche, Tuscany and Umbria, the month of October marks the start of the great secular pilgrimage of truffle hunters. It is the time when historic villages deck themselves out in their finest, restaurants rekindle their fireplaces, and the king of the undergrowth – the prized *Tuber magnatum pico* – becomes the passport to a journey that combines landscape, culture and haute cuisine. Here is an itinerary that takes in five Italian regions.