Tuscany & Umbria Autumn Food Festivals 2025: Chestnuts, Chocolate & Truffles by Train
- realtravelguides
- Sep 11
- 2 min read
Autumn is festival season in central Italy. From roasted chestnuts in Tuscany’s mountains to chocolate in Perugia and truffles in San Miniato, every weekend between September and November brings a celebration of food, wine, and tradition. Best of all, you can reach them all easily by train.
For centuries, Tuscany and Umbria’s harvests shaped community life. Chestnuts were once the “bread of the poor,” sustaining mountain villages through winter. Truffles, once prized by Romans, are celebrated in San Miniato with a festival that dates back to the 1960s. Perugia’s EuroChocolate, founded in 1994, transformed the medieval hilltop town into Italy’s sweet capital each autumn.
What to Expect
EuroChocolate (Perugia): 10–19 October 2025, citywide chocolate tastings and stalls.
San Miniato White Truffle Fair: Weekends in November 2025, with open-air markets and menus.
Marradi Chestnut Festival (Mugello): Sundays in October, with special “chestnut trains” from Florence.
Frantoi Aperti (Umbria): October–November weekends, when mills open for olive oil tastings.
5 Things to Do
Stroll Perugia’s Corso Vannucci with hot chocolate in hand during EuroChocolate.
Visit Rocca Paolina, an underground fortress beneath Perugia’s streets.
Climb San Miniato’s medieval tower for views across the Arno Valley.
Ride the train through autumn forests to Marradi for roasted chestnuts and folk parades.
Join olive oil tastings and village markets in Spello or Trevi during Frantoi Aperti.
Where to Eat
Perugia: La Taverna – Umbrian classics with refined touches in vaulted stone rooms. Ristorante del Sole – hearty regional dishes with terrace views.
Civico 25 – lively wine bar with seasonal small plates.
San Miniato: Pepenero – creative Tuscan menus with truffle-focused dishes. L’Upupa – family-run trattoria with traditional pasta and grilled meats.
Piccola Osteria del Tartufo – tiny, casual eatery specializing in truffle pasta.
Marradi: Ristorante Golfuolo – rustic mountain fare with chestnut desserts.
La Colombaia – simple trattoria popular with locals. Chestnut festival stalls – roasted chestnuts, cakes, and jams.
Where to Stay
Perugia: Sina Brufani – 5★ grand hotel with pool overlooking the valley.
Locanda della Posta – boutique hotel on Corso Vannucci.
Hotel Priori Secret Garden – stylish yet affordable, central location.
San Miniato: Villa Sonnino – historic villa hotel surrounded by countryside.
Hotel Miravalle – cozy stay right on the piazza by the tower.
Hotel San Miniato – simple, central, former convent.
Marradi: Stay in Florence (Brunelleschi Hotel, Hotel Orto de’ Medici)
Hidden Gems
Small antique markets in Gubbio and Bevagna.
Trevi’s olive oil museum during Frantoi Aperti.
Travel Tips
Book accommodation early for October weekends.
Dress in layers—mornings are cool, afternoons warm.
Bring cash for food stalls—many don’t accept cards.
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