‘Chocolate Near Me?’ Here Are The Best Activities You Need To Know About!
if you’re a serious chocoholic, a trip just ain't gonna cut it unless it’s drizzled generously with a side of it. And being World Chocolate Day, we couldn’t let it pass without dedicating a whole blog to the best places worldwide for you to indulge!
Image by Nawal Escape from Pixabay
Sun, sea, sand and … chocolate. Yup, if you’re a serious chocoholic (like we are), then a trip just ain't gonna cut it unless it’s drizzled generously with a side of that mouthwatering, universally-loved treat. Fortunately, with chocolate tourism a very real industry, the options to delve into your sweet tooth are endless and, being World Chocolate Day, we couldn’t let it pass without dedicating a whole blog to the best places worldwide for you to indulge!
1.Choco-Story, Belgium
Belgium is known as being one of the finest places for chocolate, so there’s really nowhere else we could kick off this blog with. The great thing about Choco-Story - located in a 17th-century historical house - is that it allows you to enjoy your daily fix of seriously delicious chocolate while learning about its history, too - win-win! Trace the journey of chocolate from its cultivation by the Mayans and Aztecs to its arrival in Europe - and beyond - before melting into a praline-making demonstration by a master chocolatier. Our mouths are literally watering as we type.
2. Cologne Chocolate Museum, Germany
The biggest chocolate museum in the world and ranked as one of Germany’s top ten, this 4,000-year chocolatey tour - founded by a German chocolatier in 1993 - is worth every bit of universal praise it gets. The beautiful glass building, located right on the Rhine river, spills over three levels and includes machines that make chocolate bars, a tropical hothouse where you can get up close and personal with cocoa trees and - wait for it - a 3-meter high chocolate fountain! In case you still need convincing, Lindt signed on as a partner over 15 years later, so it’s no wonder these tickets sell like hotcakes!
3. The ChocoMuseo, Peru
Where better to taste the richest, darkest flavors of chocolate? Located in a colonial building, the educational displays are layered with tantalizing tasters of chocolate liquors and pastes, as well as a delicious café where you can sip on their homemade hot chocolate. The museum itself is free to visit (double yay!), but you can pay to attend various chocolate-making workshops, which we believe is an absolute must! You will leave here happy - we promise!
4. Maison Cailler Chocolaterie, Switzerland
Mmm … Swiss chocolate … (sorry, just bear with us while we salivate for a minute …). Ahem, ok, where were we? Established by the same person who set up the first Swiss chocolate factory in 1819, you’ll be guided through the world of chocolate via an in-house cinema, interactive quiz, eye-opening tour and - yup, you’ve guessed it - unlimited samples!
Our Golden Gruyères Day Trip includes a visit to the factory - book your tickets now!
5. Museu de la Xocolata, Barcelona
The people in Barcelona take their chocolate seriously (chocolate with rabbit or squid is a traditional combination, apparently!). No, that doesn’t exactly tempt us either, however, if you want to learn how the city’s love affair with chocolate began, you need look no further than this small but perfectly formed offering, located in a former monastery. Wind your way through the interactive displays and spend some time peering through the kitchen, where you might see chocolatiers working their magic. The attention to detail here is noteworthy, especially with the entrance ticket consisting of a QR code printed on the back of a chocolate bar! Well, that’s just the icing on the cake, isn’t it?
6. Raaka Chocolate Factory, Brooklyn
Unlike most chocolate that’s available today, this organic and dairy-free artisan brand makes its products from unroasted cacao. All this immediately sets it apart from the competition. Aside from the actual chocolate itself, this factory offers both tours and chocolate-making classes, so you can leave with not one but three of their signature bars.
Brooklyn is actually home to several different chocolatiers - and there’s even a tour you can do that allows you to experience them all! Find out more and book here
7. Grenada Chocolate Festival, Grenada
As if you needed any other reason to head to the Caribbean, this explosion of chocolate in the middle of the Island of Spice just gave you another!
Held annually in May, it showcases their award-winning ethically-produced cocoa and includes a chocolate-themed lunch, a bean-to-bar tour (which includes working as a cocoa farmer and participating in a special dance to polish the beans, before making your own chocolate bar) and - wait for it - a chocolate beach party. Not to mention chocolate mindfulness, complete with chocolate meditation (yeah, we’re not 100% sure either but it sounds cool!) and chocolate-themed meals and cocktails.
Seeing as you’re already here, why not spend some time in the Grenada Saturday Market? Tickets are available here.
8. Perugina Chocolate Factory, Italy
Welcome to a chocolate lover’s paradise.
Home to Italy’s most famous chocolatier - and its signature Perugina Baci - you’ll get lost in this house of chocolate which offers a historical museum, chocolate factory, a gift shop and ample tastings along the way.
Visit in October, and you may even get the chance to experience the Eurochocolate Festival - one of the biggest in Europe - where chocolatiers from all over the world exhibit their goodies in the center of the city.
Get your tickets to Perugina Chocolate Factory
9. York Chocolate Story, UK
A guided tour through the city’s most famous chocolate-making families, get lost in the Story Zone, Factory Zone, Indulgence Zone and Chocolate Bar Café.
10. Malmö Chokladfabrik, Sweden
Sniff cocoa beans, watch the resident chocolatier at work and taste some of the famous Mazetti products; all in a day’s work here at this mini-museum in the heart of Sweden.
11. Hotel Sacher, Vienna
Sachertorte - the chocolate sponge cake filled with apricot jam and covered with dark chocolate icing - is named for its 1832 inventor, Franz Sacher. His son, Eduard, opened Hotel Sacher in 1876, and you can visit one of its many delicious cafés and/or one of the four Sacher shops in Vienna today.
Explore the city with a day trip
12. Beer and Chocolate Tour, Belgium
Yes, we’ve already covered Belgium, but as well as being famed for its chocolate, Belgians are also partial to a beer - great news for all of you who love both, too! In this tour you’ll discover which combinations work well together - and have a lot of fun doing it!
If you’ve managed to make it through the whole blog without dashing off to find some chocolate in the cupboard, we applaud you (personally, we had to stop writing this halfway through to devour half a bar of Lindt.). And if you’re already planning just how you’re going to tick all these off your bucket list in the very near future then … we’ll probably meet you on the way!
