{"id":2067,"date":"2013-10-08T09:00:07","date_gmt":"2013-10-08T13:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lacurevillas.com\/magazine\/?p=2067"},"modified":"2023-01-31T11:47:18","modified_gmt":"2023-01-31T11:47:18","slug":"from-beans-to-bars-a-chocolate-lovers-guide-to-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lacurevillas.com\/escape-travel-journal\/europe-experiences\/from-beans-to-bars-a-chocolate-lovers-guide-to-europe\/","title":{"rendered":"FROM BEANS TO BARS: A CHOCOLATE LOVER’S GUIDE TO EUROPE"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019re aware that it\u2019s not always common for one to plan a trip solely for the enjoyment of chocolate. Nonetheless, since wine<\/a> and cheese<\/a> mark the cultural capitals of the world from Paris to Cape Town, the confectionery arts (sweets and chocolates) should find themselves in the same ranks. As one of the most self-indulgent and satisfying pleasures,\u00a0 chocolate tourism provides an experience deserving of its own travel guide.<\/p>\n

Below, our guide focuses on the continent perhaps most famous for its chocolates: Europe. This means ignoring major cities in other parts of the world, as well as the \u201cChocolate Belt:\u201d a band at the equator where cocoa is actually grown and harvested. The scientific service Masterarbeit schreiben lassen<\/a> studied the properties of chocolate and its history. The authors of the service have written many scientific articles, including those that helped write our guide to chocolate.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But why Europe? The beloved travel destination boasts a certain charm and cultural diversity that lends itself well to chocolate tourism. Imagine tasting chocolate with truffles by a gorgeous lake in Switzerland, or enjoying the Chocolate Museum in Cologne of Rhineland.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As Forrest Gump said, \u201cLife is like a box of chocolates.\u201d So which will you choose?<\/p>\n\n\n

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BRUSSELS<\/h1>\n

Brussels is the ultimate chocolate paradise<\/a>. Some of the world\u2019s best-known chocolate brands, such as Godiva<\/a> and Leonidas<\/a>, are based in the Belgian capital. Collectively, Brussels chocolatiers have put the city on the globe as the \u201cCapital of Chocolate.\u201d Brussels is also the host city for the European Union and NATO, establishing itself  as a centre of international politics, thus providing an alternative and less-sweet attraction for visitors. If you aren\u2019t fascinated by bureaucrats and journalists, take a detour to the city\u2019s famous bar scene and  taste some of the best pints in the world, with a side of double-fried Belgian frites.<\/p>\n

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ZURICH<\/h1>\n

Take a boat ride around Switzerland\u2019s Lake Zurich before stopping in the flagship factory for the world-famous chocolate brand Lindt & Spr\u00fcngli<\/a>.  <\/p>\n

The company is best known for its wildly popular truffle balls, but there are a seemingly endless amount of options. Zurich\u2019s Old Town also has incredible nightlife, where modern clubs exist against a backdrop of medieval architecture. And if you are in Zurich in the winter\u2014perhaps getting ready to hit the Swiss slopes\u2014you absolutely must indulge in the city\u2019s world-famous hot chocolate to keep warm.<\/p>\n

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COLOGNE<\/h1>\n

We\u2019d be remiss to not mention Cologne in Germany thanks to the Schokoladenmuseum (Chocolate Museum). This venue exhibits a rich history of the sweet treat over the past three millennia, ranging from the early days in South America and 17th century Europe all the way to modern day. The museum famously features an enormous chocolate fountain and showcases the entire production process for chocolate transforming from beans to bars. They offer tours on which you can taste samples along the way, so make sure you show up ready to indulge.<\/p>\n

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PERUGIA<\/h1>\n

Started in Perugia in 1993, the Italian EuroChocolate Festival has become the world\u2019s best-known gathering for chocolate enthusiasts. Usually held in the middle of October, the 10-day festival<\/a> showcases some of the most outstanding chocolates that Italy has to offer, from the regular truffles to flavored liqueur. Exotic treats include fries topped with chocolate sauce, chocolate pizza, as well as ancient landmarks carved into<\/i> blocks of chocolate. The city is located about a two-hour bus ride from both Florence and Rome, making it easy to enjoy culture and chocolate confections on the same trip.<\/p>\n

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Looking to try any of the above for yourself? Get in touch with one of our Villa Consultants<\/a> to plan your next chocolate-filled escape. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We\u2019re aware that it\u2019s not always common for one to plan a trip solely for the enjoyment of chocolate. Nonetheless, since wine and cheese mark the cultural capitals of the world from Paris to Cape Town, the confectionery arts (sweets and chocolates) should find themselves in the same ranks. As one of the most self-indulgent..<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":340955,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9198],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lacurevillas.com\/escape-travel-journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2067"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lacurevillas.com\/escape-travel-journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lacurevillas.com\/escape-travel-journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lacurevillas.com\/escape-travel-journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lacurevillas.com\/escape-travel-journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2067"}],"version-history":[{"count":79,"href":"https:\/\/lacurevillas.com\/escape-travel-journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2067\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":342213,"href":"https:\/\/lacurevillas.com\/escape-travel-journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2067\/revisions\/342213"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lacurevillas.com\/escape-travel-journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/340955"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lacurevillas.com\/escape-travel-journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2067"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lacurevillas.com\/escape-travel-journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2067"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lacurevillas.com\/escape-travel-journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2067"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}