Cacao made its way to Italy in the 16th century after   explorers brought the curious bean back from the Americas. It was, at first, consumed only  as a tangy bitter drink but it didn’t take long for the Italians to start adding sugar to it and creating the chocolate we all know and love today. These days, Italian chocolate is synonymous with excellence, making it a chocolate lovers haven.

Best chocolate tasting experiences in Italy

Italian chocolate is an artisanal delight and including some tastings in your travel itinerary won’t disappoint. This article guides readers through the best artisan chocolate tastings in Italy, focusing on three main production hubs: Perugia, Turin and Modica, where the quality of the ingredients and the skill of the master chocolatiers make each bite an unforgettable experience.

Perugia: the capital of chocolate

Perugia is a city with a rich tradition of chocolate making and a wander through the historic streets will be filled with the aroma of chocolate and shop windows filled with delicious chocolate treats, even the odd chocolate sculpture! With lovely cafes such as the Caffè Sandri where you can sit and enjoy a cup of hot cocoa with a chocolaty dessert and even an annual festival dedicated to chocolate:

Eurochocolate: the ultimate chocolate event

 Eurochocolate is an annual festival held every   October and is an important event where cocoa producers can showcase their best products, with informative talks, exhibitions and, most importantly, lots of tastings. Over a million chocolate enthusiasts descend on the city of Perugia each year for this important event.

Casa del cioccolato: the house of the ‘divine food’

Perugina is famed for its Baci, little chocolate kisses that are well loved all over Italy and beyond. Take a tour of this delightful location starting in the historic museum, through to the sweet shop for a tasting and then into the factory to see how everything works. The Scuola del Cioccolato even offers courses and workshops so you can take some chocolate making skills home.

Turin: centuries of innovation and craftsmanship

Turin is the perfect destination for the sweet-toothed traveller, with a long tradition of artisan chocolatiers who have been creating and innovating since the 16th century. Notably, Bicerin, invented in Turin and is a delicious beverage of milk, chocolate and coffee, head to Caffe Al Bicerin to try it out. Another innovation is the Gianduiotto, melt-in-the-mouth milk chocolate with Langhe hazelnuts, which has become a symbol of Turin.

The Gobino Chocolate factory

Enjoy a taste of authentic cioccolato di Torino at this factory, renowned for excellent quality chocolates, enjoy a guided tour of the machinery and even a chocolate making workshop, where you can create your own little treats.

Choco-story Torino: The Chocolate museum of Turin

Located in a beautiful historic palace, Choco-story Torino offers chocolate enthusiasts the chance to immerse themselves in the history and traditions of chocolate making in Turin with guided tours and tastings. 

Modica chocolate: 250 years of tradition

The lovely Baroque town of Modica, in the southeast of Sicily is home to a unique kind of chocolate, namely Modica chocolate.  The chocolate, produced here since the Spanish ruled Sicily, is made by mixing the cacao with sugar in a cold-working press using no added fats. The cold temperature at which it is pressed means that the health benefits of the cacao remain intact.

A tour of the Sabadi Modica Chocolate factory

Winners of the world’s best Modica chocolate for 9 years in a row, what better place to start your chocolaty adventure than with a tour of their factory? Experts will guide visitors through the chocolate making process, the philosophy behind it and finally tastings. Visitors can also see the chocolate aging cellar, the first of its kind, where the Modica chocolate is aged, nestled between rose buds.

Antica Dolceria Bonajuto

This establishment has been making its Modica chocolate since 1880 and nothing much has changed since then, as you step back in time in this quaint factory and shop. A delightful experience for any chocolate lover.

Sweet delights at Fiumicino Airport

At Fiumicino airport you have the chance to purchase a wide range of chocolates. At Shop&Fly  you can buy delicious chocolate treats online and collect it on the day of departure. And there's more: take advantage of the 10% discount on your online purchases, not combinable with other offers. A box of delicious artisan chocolates or a bar of 75% Nero would make the perfect gift to take home to loved ones or even for yourself.

The chocolate loving traveller is in safe hands in any one of these locations famed for their Italian chocolate. With artisanal factories creating delicious, sweet chocolaty treats throughout Italy, the gourmet traveller, can learn about the chocolate making process, tour the factories, witness the chocolatiers at work and, most importantly of all, sample some delectable treats.

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