Recently updated on August 13th, 2023 at 04:22 pm
Chocolate just gets better every year. From salt caramel chocolate brownies and chilli-infused truffles to bubbling hot chocolates, the innovation just keeps flowing like Swiss fondue. So to celebrate your favourite treats on World Chocolate Day (7 July), read on discover Trafalgar’s tastiest chocolate experiences set to make your next tour your most delicious yet.
Tastiest chocolate experiences (for all chocolate lovers)
Don’t worry. You don’t need pack chocolate bars in your suitcase this time.
Visit a chocolate workshop in Costa Rica
Nestled in the hills (20 minutes drive) north of San José, you’ll find Sibú Chocolat in San Isidro de Heredia. This artisan chocolate factory was founded in 2007 by master chocolatiers Julio Fernandez and George Soriano in order to ‘do something great’ for the country. Today, they create job opportunities, spread joy across the country and champion sustainability by only using 100% organic, Costa Rican cocoa.
‘We have three priorities. The first is world-class chocolate, second is our use of organics and third keeping everything local.’
Julio Fernandez
Time here on Trafalgar’s Costa Rica Eco Adventure wraps you in chocolatey paradise. Julio and George take you through the fascinating history of chocolate and explain how it is produced in different forms. Before inviting you on an indulgent, private chocolate tasting tour; where you can try their signature spicy chocolate truffle and white chocolate truffle lathered in dark chocolate with lime zest and basil.
GET INSPIRED BY: A Costa Rica destination guide (and tours)
Indulge in chocolate fondue in Zermatt, Switzerland
Did you know Swiss people eat 11 kilograms of chocolate per year? Funnily enough, you will find it hard not to consume as much on your Switzerland trip. A finger-licking place to start is the chocolate fondue experience in Zermatt (on Trafalgar’s Contrasts of Switzerland tour). You will take a seat in a luxurious chalet-style restaurant in the mountains – and after tasty raclette – indulge your tastebuds in glorious chocolate fondue. Feel your troubles melt away as you dip fruits, wafers, churros and more treats into different melted chocolates. All oozing in front of your very eyes. That’s right: this iconic Swiss tradition is easily one of the tastiest chocolate experiences. And it has your name on it.
RELATED CONTENT: We spent 24 hours in Switzerland with Trafalgar Travel Director, Ellen
Eat churros with chocolate in Madrid
Spanish paella and tapas often get the headlines. But chocolate is also a huge part of Spanish food culture. It’s reported that Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés brought chocolate to Spain from Maya civilisations on 7 July 1550 (which is why we celebrate World Chocolate Day on 7 July).
It’s no surprise, then, that Spain produces some of the world’s tastiest chocolate. We suggest you get to know Chocolatería de la Puerta del Sol (in Madrid’s central square) to sink your teeth into fresh churros with chocolate. This decadent combination is the ultimate comfort food – and just one bite envelops you in a blanket of smooth, melt-in-your-mouth pleasure. (Thank us later).
GET INSPIRED BY: Spanish Wonder tour (ending in Madrid)
Try luxurious chocolatiers in Brussels
How often in life are we looking for the next chocolate bite! But fear not because your search is deliciously easy in Brussels – where there are more chocolatiers per square foot than in any other city in the world. There is something especially addictive about Belgian chocolate: the flavours ripple across your tongue and whisper your name hours after eating. And for one of the tastiest chocolate experiences, you will want to discover all the secrets and techniques that make Belgian chocolate the most exquisite in the world on our Best of Belgium tour (ending in Brussels).
GET INSPIRED BY: Food travel tours with Trafalgar
Are you a chocolate lover? Tell us about your favourite chocolate experience in the comments below…