Where to Find the Finest Chocolate in the World

Ecuador is the ultimate pilgrimage site for chocolate-lovers around the world. This small country’s rare Arriba cocoa beans are widely regarded as the richest on the planet, with around two thirds of the classified ‘fine’ chocolate originating here. Always remember to leave some space in your luggage before going to Ecuador, because you’ll want to take as many bars and boxes of chocolate as you can home with you. On day two of our Adventurous Ecuador trip we’ll be in the city of Quito, which is surrounded by world class chocolatiers. Having toured the city and taken part of an authentic cooking class, we’ll wrap up proceedings for the day with a luxurious chocolate tasting session.

Italy is often associated with the finer things in life, from gelato to wine and beyond. Chocolate is mostly associated with the northwestern region of Piedmont, home to the Ferrero company and Turin, Italy’s so-called capital of chocolate. Real connoisseurs know, however, that you need to all the way south to Sicily to find the most extraordinary cocoa creations in Italy. Up in the Unesco-listed Val di Noto region – a gorgeous collection of hilltop baroque towns – is the small city of Modica. This place still uses ancient techniques thought to have been brought over from Aztec cultures during Spanish rule of Sicily. It’s ground manually and made cold, which means the sugar crystals don’t dissolve, giving a delicious crunchy texture. No added fats are used, just cocoa and sugar, and the cold-making process means that the supposed beneficial properties of cocoa, such as antioxidants and flavonoids, are retained. Locals even claim that a square of their dark chocolate a day staves away sugar cravings and helps you to lose weight! Our eight-day Spectacular Sicily trip includes a tour of the Val di Noto region, stopping off for a walking tour of Modica, with plenty of time to do some sampling and shopping. We recommend visits to ancient Antica Dolceria Rizza and Caffe del’ Arte.

Brazil is one of the largest cocoa-producing countries on the planet, so you can expect plenty of chocolatey treats wherever you go in South America’s largest country. Mostly focusing on milk chocolate, Brazilians have historically had a particular taste for bonbons and truffles. If there’s one sweet snack you have to try in Brazil, it has to be the brigadeiro, delicious little round truffles made with condensed milk and sprinkled with an extra helping of chocolate. The best place to try them is in Rio de Janeiro, thought to be where they were first invented, but quite frankly you’ll find delicious brigadeiro wherever you go. Our Dazzling Brazil trips starts in Sao Paulo and ends with four days in Rio, so you’ll have plenty of time to pop into PikurruchA’S, famed for their incredible selection of sweet treats.