- travelsportblog
Top 4 European countries for Chocolate
Updated: Jul 18, 2022
Some people travel for the amazing views and typical tourist attractions, while others prefer to immerser themselves into foreign languages and cultures distinctly different to their own. Then there are the food fanatics who love to try any dish that they can get their fork into, especially those with a sweet tooth. Below is a list of the top four destinations for real chocolate fans! You can be rest assured that there’s something for everyone on the list, and that you won’t be left disappointed!
Switzerland
It should come as no surprise that Switzerland appears on this list, but what is it exactly that makes their chocolate so special? Ever since confectioner Daniel Peter discovered that he could make solid milk chocolate using condensed milk in 1875, milk chocolate became a staple in the Swiss diet and important export. Who knows for sure, but it could well be the high-quality milk from the Alpine cows combined with the high percentage of coco butter that gives Swiss chocolate it’s sweet zest. Switzerland has the highest per capita rate of chocolate consumption on the planet and is a personal favourite.
Italy
In Turin, a northern city in Italy, is where you can find some spectacular chocolate. The city is often considered to be the Italian’s original capital of cocoa and if you speak with the locals, they will tell you that it’s in fact in Turin where the Swiss learned all their chocolate know-how. Turin has become famous for their chocolate “Gianduiotto” - a signature dish in fact! It’s incredibly smooth and creamy with a mix of chocolate and ground hazelnuts. The winter months are when you can find several chocolate festivals taking place that are well worth a visit.
Belgium
Belgium has a long-standing tradition of chocolate making which goes way back to the 17th century. Well, it’s certainly come a long way since then and has developed into a multi-billion-dollar industry. One of the best and well know contribution to the world of chocolate has been the praline which is a chocolate shell filled with cream ganache first invested in 1912. The praline is loved for its buttery and smooth texture and there’s plenty of D.I.Y workshops in Brussels that allow you to make it by hand!
UK
The Uk is a great location for chocolate that many people might not be aware of. There are plenty of locations all around the country that have taken chocolate making to a new level of class and artistry. This includes in London’s fancy Belgravia distract where you can learn how to make your own chocolates including violet creams, sea salted caramels or truffles. Of course, you can’t mention chocolate in the UK without talking about the Cadbury’s factory in Birmingham where you can learn about the history of chocolate and of course no tour would be complete if you didn’t try it for yourself!
There are more countries that can easily make this list, but if you want the top of the top, give these countries a taste! In my books, there is no life without chocolate and it is surely the secret to my heart.
Written by Amanda Amanda lives in London and is a chocolatier. She’s been crafting chocolate for over 10 years and can be found around Europe tasting wonderful squares of chocolate everywhere she goes.
