Villa Lena is Tuscany's agriturismo combining holiday accommodation, a farm-to-table restaurant and a not-for-profit art foundation.
The white truffle, or tartufo bianco, season starts mid-to-late September and carries on until Christmas, during which Villa Lena will be hosting truffle hunting expeditions.
Guests will have the chance to take part in the seasonal truffle hunt, accompanied by Villa Lena's specialized agriculture team and Lagotto Romagnola dogs.
Villa Lena's chefs in residence will then instruct on preparing and cooking the truffles at the farm-to-table restaurant.
Villa Lena also has biodynamic vineyards and agriculture and organic kitchen gardens.
The woods at Villa Lena include a variety of oak, ash, and white poplars which can grow in sandy soil in a humid environment.
These conditions are fine for the white truffle, and yet the woods of Villa Lena opened to truffle hunting just two years ago.
Until then, the estate was used predominantly for hunting, and the truffles lay dormant without anyone noticing except the wild boars, who are particularly tasty due to their diets of truffles and oak acorns.
These truffles resist cultivation, are available only a few months of the year to those with local expertise and trained animals, and once foraged, the truffles must be consumed within a week.
About Villa Lena
Founded by contemporary art collector Lena Evstafieva, her musician husband Jérôme Hadey and their friend Lionel Bensemoun, a successful entrepreneur and founder of Parisian nightclub Le Baron, Villa Lena aims to bring together their experiences in entertainment, music, art, film and other creative fields in one place.
Villa Lena offers guests the chance to rent apartments or houses which are spread over the estate, including rooms in converted stables, self-contained apartments, and private houses.
Useful links
www.villa-lena.it