Easter is just around the corner and whilst it is of course a religious holiday, for many Easter just equals a massive chocolate indulgence! If you want to start your chocolate feast a little early, or you are just a huge fan of delicious chocolatey goodness, here are the top 5 spots to find some devilishly delicious chocolate, and enjoy a wonderful break away at the same time!
Turin, Italy
Turin has been cocoa mad since the late 16th century when Duke Filiberto introduced the sweet drink for the first time and solid chocolate was born. The streets today are filled with top notch chocolate shops, perfect for any aspiring chocolate connoisseurs to treat their taste buds to some of the sweet stuff. Not only the home of Nutella, Turin hosts an annual chocolate festival; Cioccola-TÒ, which sees upwards of 500,000 visitors come to satisfy their cravings.
Brussels, Belgium
A country renowned for its lusciously divine Belgium Chocolate, the country produces close to 180,000 tonnes a year from the very best ingredients. Each and every town and even small villages house a chocolate shop, filled to the brim with luxurious pralines. The city of Brussels boasts some of the best and most inventive chocolatiers in the world, although you will find chocolate museums in Bruges and the delicacies of master chocolatier Hans Burie in Antwerp too. Pralines, truffles and Gianduja, pick up a box of freshly made treats in any chocolate shop and melt in chocolate heaven.
Chocolate Boutique Hotel, Bournemouth, UK
Don’t want to travel too far to satisfy your craving? The Chocolate Boutique Hotel is found in Bournemouth on the southern coast of the UK and one of their signature Chocolate Weekends is truly a chocoholics dream! The only chocolate themed hotel in the world, you weekend will include plenty of tasting and making, plus you will learn how to pair wine with chocolate. Be at one with the gooey goodness and experience chocolate portrait painting before ending your stay with a ‘Choctail’ in the hotel chocolate bar!
Hershey, Pennsylvannia, USA
A town renamed from Derry Church to Hershey in 1906, this town has evolved into a full blown chocolate themed wonderland and has self-declared itself as the sweetest place on earth. Let your wildest envisions come true and create your own chocolate bar at Hershey’s Chocolate World and cram yourself full of all varieties of chocolatey treats! Just try to keep them down when you’re whirling around all the rides at Hershey Park theme park!
Zurich, Switzerland
It might be a tiny country, but the Swiss pack a punch when it comes to chocolate with the highest per-capita chocolate consumption in the world and Lindt, Nestlé, Suchard and Toblerone all hailing from Switzerland. Earning itself an international reputation for excellent quality chocolate, you won’t get much better. Embark on chocolate tours or visit the Cailler-Nestlé Chocolate Factory in Broc near Gruyeres and delight in the lavishly delicious free samples!
Any self-confessed chocoholics who just can’t wait until Easter should definitely consider heading to one of these fabulous chocolate towns.
