EuroChocolate Festival

As a chocolate lover, how could I say no? The EuroChocolate Festival is held in Perugia, Umbria, one region away from Tuscany and attracts Italian natives as well as tourists from all over the world. It’s an annual event that features chocolate vendors, sculpture, and all sorts of chocolate making gadgets. Through a student travel agency we booked the trip and also had a perk of a chocolate tasting card.

ChocoCard pre-use

Perugia is an Etruscan town that stretches across a beautiful hilltop. It used to be an Etruscan city and now houses two large universities. I enjoyed the difference in architecture and style from Florence. The lighter stones and large arches brought me back in time as well as the Perugian emblem of the griffin adorned across the city. Chocolate is one of the main exports in Perugia, therefore making it the ideal place to host the festival.

One of my dark chocolate samples

The streets were swarmed with chocolate stands and I took full advantage of my free tasting card. I grabbed my map and camera and was on my way. All of the samples were delicious, even hot chocolate and chocolate liquor tastings were included. One stand had intricate chocolate sculptures and molds in the shapes of tools, shoes, cell phones, and electronics.

There were other tents serving all types of panini's, fries, and dishes. I couldn't resist the smell of one stand which had sausage sandwiches split with veggies or onion. I'm so glad I gave into temptation because it was well worth the warm sandwich on a chilly day. Plus it allowed time to sit and enjoy the view.

The group we went with allowed for a lot of free time, so after we got our samples we decided to explore the town and do some shopping. I opted for a mug with the town symbol of the griffin and titled EuroChocolate. I also found a vintage style postcard from the fest (which I have been collecting while traveling).

The view was just as incredible as the chocolate!

It is so important to get out of the city and take advantage of day trips like this. It adds so much more to your experience and allows you to take a break from studying. I've tried to plan at least one fun event into my week or weekend whether it be inside or outside Florence.