If you are a chocolate addict this is your paradise. Belgium is famous for two great vices: beer and chocolate.
The country now produces 172,000 tonnes of chocolate a year and although the technique has been copied across Europe, Belgian chocolate is unique. There are approximately a total of 2,000 specialty chocolate shops throughout this small country.
History lesson
It’s no wonder that the Chocolate Museum (Musée du Cacao et du Chocolat) is one of the most popular stops for tourists taking a sightseeing tour of the city. Located in the crowds of the Grand-Place , the museum shows the origins of chocolate, the arrival of cocoa in Europe and the legends surrounding this wonderful product called the "food of the gods" .
Let’s go chocolate shops
You cannot miss a tour of the stores that for generations have worked with this delicious product.
The shops located around the main tourist areas, such as the Grand-Place and the Place de Grand Sablon are the most expensive.
– Neuhaus:
Grand-Place 27
Paradise for the chocolate-addict.
– Pierre Marcolini:
Place du Grand Sablon 39
Considered by many to be the best chocolatier in the world.
– Godiva:
Place du Grand Sablon 47
Jealously guarded and seasonal recipes.
– Leonidas:
Bd. Anspach 46
The most popular and cheapest.
Take a guided tour
If after all this you are still not tired of so much chocolate, you can take a guided tour. Some chocolatiers offer tours in their factories where you can see how they work the chocolate: placement in the molds and decoration by the chocolate artists. Two of the most tempting tours are those by Le Chocolatier Manon and Chocolaterie Duval .