Chocolate has been around since 1100 B.C, and the world has been obsessed with the food ever since. Although introduced to Europe only in the 16th century, most of our chocolate comes from cocoa beans grown on plantations in West Africa. 

Here are the top ten destinations of the world to sample the dark and sinful treat:

1. Brussels, Belgium

Belgium is a chocoholic’s paradise, boasting of 12 chocolate factories, 16 chocolate museums and more than 2,100 chocolate shops. Brussels, however, stands above the rest. The city is home to two of the biggest chocolate companies in the world, Godiva and Leonidas.  In Brussels, pralines are king. Wittamer, Pierre Marcolini, Neuhaus, Godiva, Leonidas and Mary are some unmissable places in Brussels.

2. Zurich, Switzerland

Swiss chocolate is synonymous with quality and the country consumes more of the stuff per capita than any other place on the planet. The most popular Swiss chocolate brand is Lindt&Sprüngli AG. The company factory in Kilchberg, a municipality of Zurich, is a major tourist attraction. A cursory tour of Canton hamlets of course, unveils a multitude of superb chocolate shops.

3. London

The country’s recent surge in the culinary world has brought with it a taste for gourmet chocolate as well. The Chocolate Society in London for one, is a haven for purists. The impressive luxury purveyor on Elizabeth Street, Victoria produces some of the best handmade chocolates in the city.

4. Barcelona, Spain

The Spanish were the first Europeans to experience chocolate that was brought back from the New World, and Barcelona has been a center for chocolate lovers ever since. Today Barcelona celebrates its rich chocolate heritage with a museum dedicated to chocolate, the Museo de La Xocolata, which features everything from chocolate sculptures to hot chocolate. Chocolates Amatller and Chocolate a la Taza, Dulcinea, Fargas and Pasteleria Escriba are must-visits.

5. Paris, France

As a notable culinary hub, Paris has palpable panache when it comes to chocolate. The arrondissements of the glamorous French capital teem with capable chocolatiers. One of the best is Christian Constant, a certifiable master who won Europe’s Grand Prix Chocolate Award a few years back.

6. Cologne, Germany

The chocolate capital of Germany, Cologne is the home of the Stollwerck chocolate company, which in its prime was the second largest supplier of chocolate to the United States. The Imhoff Stollwerck museum also known locally as the chocolate museum celebrates the history of chocolate around the world, and has interactive exhibits, samples and a giant chocolate fountain. La Maison du Chocolate, Tortchen Tortchen, Weibler Confectionery, Demnitz Chocolaterie, Mama Chocolate and Leonidas Chocolates are the places to visit.

7. Norma, Italy

Italy is another notable culinary destination with a passion for chocolate. For a fun day trip outside of Rome, head to the diminutive comune of Norma, some 50 km southwest of the capital. There, the Museo del Cioccolato Antica Norba operates a first-class museum and factory. Fill up on some tasty samples and take a stroll in gorgeous Giardino di Ninfa park nearby.

8. New York, USA

As with most things in New York City, the chocolatiers here have come from all corners of the globe, and have brought with them their recipes for scrumptious chocolate treats. Besides all of the fantastic chocolate shops in the city, visitors can take a chocolate tour with either the New Cuisine Chocolate Tour or the Luxury Chocolate Tour. Jaques Torres Chocolate, Chocolate Bar, MarieBelle, Li-Lac and Richart Design et Chocolat are the best places to visit.

9. San Fransisco, USA

The Bay Area is home to one of the oldest chocolate manufacturers in the United States, making it a destination for many chocolate lovers. As in New York, chocolate tours are a great way to take in San Francisco’s best chocolate shops. Ghirardelli Chocolate was founded during the California Gold Rush by Domenico Ghirardelli and has grown to become as much a part of San Francisco as the trolley car or the Golden Gate Bridge. Other shops worth checking out include Michael Recchiuti, XOX Truffle, Richart San Francisco, Cocoa Bella, TCHO, Coco-Luxe and Christopher Elbow Artisinal Chocolates.

10. Oaxaca, Mexico

The ancient Mesoamericans were the world’s first chocolatiers and Mexico has continued to produce chocolate ever since. Today in Oaxaca, residents have embraced chocolate as a part of their culture and it seems visitors to the city can’t walk down the street without being offered chocolate in some form, whether it is hot chocolate, chocolate pastry or chocolate candy.  A lot of Oaxaca’s chocolate is made with old family recipes the old-fashioned way, ground either by hand or with electric grinders and mixed by hand.

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