the endorphins and other chemicals released by chocolate can actually be addictive, justifying all those cravings
you chocoholics out there have been having. So if you’re harboring a secret chocolate habit, why not incorporate it into your next vacation? The world is full of some great chocolate destinations and tours. Here are a few to get you started on your delicious journey. Belgium Belgian chocolates are some of the finest in the world, so why not do a little sampling while you’re visiting some of the world’s greatest museums, cathedrals and breweries? You can sign up for a multi-city chocolate tour with inTrend. You’ll hit three of Belgium’s big cities to sample an array of hot cocoas, pralines, chocolate desserts and also learn how each is made. Plus, the daily chocolate gifts at your hotel will keep your sweet tooth satisfied. For an added bonus, visit Belgium during the chocolate festival, Choco-Late, which happens in early April. Visitors to this Bruges festival will get to taste chocolates from local chocolate craftspeople as well as big international names, see demonstrations, and witness elaborate chocolate creations. Italy If the sights of Rome, Milan and Florence alone weren’t enough to bring you to Italy, perhaps the chocolate will. Italy is full of chocolaty adventures for the traveling chocoholic. Take a trip to the chocolate factories of Perugina, makers of the famous chocolate and hazelnut candies called Baci, and get schooled in the fine art of chocolate. The school offers 2.5 and 4 hour classes where students will taste chocolate and learn about how it’s made. There is one drawback, however, as the classes are only in Italian. So, unless you don’t mind not understanding the class or have a basic understanding of Italian, you might not get your money’s worth. Chocolate lovers will also find plenty to sample in Torino, the home of solid chocolate. Home to thousands of chocolatiers, the city’s annual chocolate festival, Cioccola-TO, draws over almost a million visitors. Visitors to this festival will enjoy thousands of types of chocolate from some of the biggest names in chocolate as well as concerts and other events. France What’s a visit to one of the world’s most romantic cities without one of the world’s favorite aphrodisiacs? Chocolate-loving visitors to Paris won’t be disappointed with the city’s selection. If you have the time, you can also spend a week seeing the sites and indulging your cravings with a tea and chocolate tour from Your Great Days in Paris. On the tour, you’ll visit some of the city’s best chocolatiers to sample as you please and wash it all down with delicious tea. For a shorter Parisian chocolate adventure, try out a 3 hour chocolate walking tour from Context Paris. A culinary expert will lead you on a tasting adventure through the best of the best in Parisian chocolates where you can indulge all your chocolate fantasies and get a little something to take home with you. Switzerland Mountainous Switzerland has long been known for its fine milk chocolates, so it’s a natural destination for any true chocolate aficionado. Catch the Swiss Chocolate EuroRail Train in Montreux for a quick multi-stop tour of Swiss chocolatiers. The train will take tourists through scenic mountains to Broc, home of the Nestle headquarters where they will be treated to a factory tour and tasting. Visitors can also indulge in chocolates from some of the best Switzerland has to offer. Visit Teuscher in Zurich for fine champagne truffles or Blondel in Lausanne where you’ll be in chocolate heaven with over 120 different choices. You can also indulge more than your stomach on chocolate while in Geneva. Take a trip to the After |
Chocolate has been one of the most popular flavors of the world since it was
first brought to Spain from the New World by conquistadors. And it’s no wonder: with a wide range of flavors and varieties out there, chocolate has something for everyone, from an adventurous chocolate and chili pepper combination to the seductively sweet allure of Swiss bon bons. Scientific studies have found that 
the Rain day spa to get pampered with a decadent
chocolate bath. United States If you want to indulge your sweet tooth a little closer to home, there are plenty of American destinations for chocolate addicts. One of the best known makers of American chocolate, Hershey, is a great place to start. Tour the Hershey, Pennsylvania factory, indulge yourself with chocolate kisses, or take a trip to the accompanying theme park and zoo. For the more adventurous, or those wanting to pamper themselves, there is also a chocolate spa. Treat yourself to a Whipped Cocoa Bath, a Chocolate Sugar Scrub, or a full body Chocolate Fondue Wrap. For a shorter chocolate vacation, most major cities have walking tours where you can sample the best. In New York, you can get some insight into the history of chocolate and get some tasting in with a class from the Institute of Culinary Education that explores the chocolates of Soho and the Upper East Side. Visitors to Chicago will enjoy a specialty Chocolate Tour offered on the weekends, where they’ll get to taste gourmet chocolates as well as tour some of the big names. Or, hop on a trolley in Boston to tour three of Boston’s best chocolate dessert restaurants, serving everything from cream pie to chocolate sushi. If you’re on the west coast, stop into San Francisco for a quick tour of the chocolate shops. The city boasts big names like Ghiradelli, Guittard, and Michael Recchiuti which should be more than enough to sate your appetite for chocolate, at least for the day. Chocolate Cruises Cruise lovers don’t have to leave their love of chocolate behind when they hit the high seas. Regent Cruises offers an 11-day chocolate getaway for chocoholics. Cruisers will get demonstrations, tastings, and even lectures on the medical benefits of chocolate, all while still having time to work on a tan. Don’t miss out on getting tips on cooking with chocolate from professional pastry and chocolate chefs. These are only a few of the world’s best chocolate destinations. Chocolate lovers can also check out the origins of chocolate in Oaxaca and sample some spicy chocolate sauce, the Cadbury factory in Birmingham, England or loads of other chocolaty locales. So, the next time you leave home, consider incorporating a little chocolate into your vacation at some of the sweetest spots on earth. 
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