Chocolate is a sweet treat many of us simply cannot resist. Therefore, I know you are more than ready to help me celebrate National Chocolate Day! If you are like me, you have your favorite types of chocolate candies and desserts. But where should you take a family vacation when you want to try different types of chocolate? Numerous destinations are known for their local chocolate. Today, I am going to share more about the best destinations to taste chocolate. As well as a little history about chocolate. I recommend grabbing a piece or two of chocolate to eat before you finish reading.

Let’s Celebrate National Chocolate Day

The History of Chocolate

Chocolate has been consumed since the times of Mesoamerica. However, scientists are still trying to prove that point. They are getting close, though.

Anthropologists from the University of Pennsylvania found cacao residue on pottery excavated in Honduras in 2007. The pottery dates back to 1400 BCE. Cacao fruit was fermented to make alcoholic beverages.

Chocolate back then was quite bitter. Sweetened chocolate was consumed after the discovery of America.

Hernando Cortes was one of the first explorers to consume chocolate drinks. He thought it was too bitter. However, in Spain, people began to mix it with cane sugar or honey to make it sweeter.

Chocolate drinks were a fashionable drink during the 17th century. A Dutch chemist created powdered chocolate in 1828.

Joseph Fry invented the chocolate bar in 1847. That was when he realized he could create a chocolate bar by mixing melted cacao butter with Dutch cocoa.

Cadbury began making chocolate candies in 1868. The least flavorful cacao bean varieties are used for today’s chocolate treats. This is to try to keep the chocolate treats more affordable.

Where to Take a Family Vacation to Indulge in Chocolate

You can easily find chocolate no matter where you go for your family vacation. However, if you want to indulge in some of the best chocolate in celebration of National Chocolate Day, I recommend you consider these destinations.

Switzerland

Switzerland has long been known for its delicious chocolate. One of the oldest chocolate factories in Switzerland, and the world, is Maison Cailler. From the outside, this factory looks like a manor house. But inside is where all the magic occurs.

Other must-visit chocolate factories and stores in Switzerland include Sprungli, Teuscher, and Lindt. I recommend adding them all to your itinerary for celebrating National Chocolate Day with your family.

Brussels, Belgium: A Popular National Chocolate Day Destination

Brussels has earned the nickname Chocolate Capital of the World. There are more chocolate shops per square foot in this city than anywhere else in the world. Needless to say, you will always find chocolate when you need it in Brussels!

Godiva and Leonidas are both located in Brussels. A visit to the Musee du Cacao et du Chocolate is a must for chocolate lovers too.

Let me carefully plan your National Chocolate Day itinerary for your family vacation in Brussels. This will ensure you won’t miss any of the delicious chocolate during your visit.

Want to indulge in chocolate closer to home? Check out where to find the best chocolate in Baltimore! 

Paris, France

Gourmet foods are everywhere in the City of Love. While many families grab croissants and baguettes during their vacation in Paris, you may want to focus on the chocolate. There are more than three hundred chocolate shops in this city.

Dark chocolate is Paris’ specialty. Keep this in mind as you sign up for one of the many chocolate walking tours on National Chocolate Day.

The Chocolate Valley in Tuscany, Italy

You may want to take a family vacation in Italy to try all the fine wines. I recommend checking out the chocolate when you are there too!

The Chocolate Valley is between Pisa, Florence, and Montecatini. There are multiple gourmet shops and factories that sell lots of chocolate.

Vestri is one of the best places to try chocolate in this area. The wait to get in is always long but worth every second.

Don’t forget about National Chocolate Cupcake Day!

Cologne, Germany

Learning about chocolate is simple at the Imhoff Stollwerck Museum. Hans Imhoff opened this museum. Inside the museum, you can learn all about the history of chocolate. The most popular exhibit is the massive chocolate fountain.

Make sure you take the time to stop at the Stollwerck Chocolate Company to buy chocolate. This company was the second largest supplier of chocolate sent to the US. You will need to plan carefully if you want visit here for National Chocolate Day.

St. Lucia: A Warm National Chocolate Day Destination

No one really thinks all their chocolate dreams can come true down in the Caribbean. However, when you take a family vacation in St. Lucia, you can experience an exotic chocolate holiday.

A few of the resorts have their own cocoa plantations. Those resorts focus on numerous chocolate events your entire family will enjoy. I recommend attending one of those events around National Chocolate Day.

These are some of the best places to take a family vacation when you want to experience all things chocolate. If none of these destinations interest you, I can share a few others with you during our planning session.

So, are you ready to plan a family vacation to celebrate National Chocolate Day?

If you said yes, I would like to invite you to schedule a planning session with me by clicking here. When you click on this link, you will be taken directly to my digital calendar to schedule a time that is convenient for you.

And if you are not ready to plan a family vacation and eat chocolate, you can sign up for my newsletter here. This will ensure you always receive all the travel information I share.