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Indulge Yourself At Perugia s Famous Eurochocolate Festival
erugia's Eurochocolate delights from all over Europe.
Festival, an annual event You can scramble with the locals
that is famous throughout for free trimmings as chocolate
the world, is the most popular artists carve huge sculptures out
chocolate festival in Europe. of the massive metre-high blocks
Chocolate is big business in of dark chocolate placed around
Umbria and Italy, with annual Piazza IV Novembre. Join special
sales of 350 million euros. guided tours of the city, peruse
Consumption has doubled over the the many exhibitions and live
past 10 years, rising from two to demonstrations, and enjoy the
four kilos per year, per person numerous and generous free
– and is still growing! tastings, when samples of
chocolate from all over the
This year’s festival, world, including Vietnam, Cuba,
ChocolAge, runs from 13–21 Bolivia and Papua New Guinea, are
October 2007. Each year a new handed out on special trowels.
theme is developed, and
commercial, educational and If you enjoy shopping, the
cultural activities are planned city’s charming promenades
around the theme. For nine are filled with vendors –
delightful days, Perugia in more than 700 booths offer an
Umbria is transformed into a incredible array of goodies made
chocolate lovers dream – a with chocolate – pasta,
fantastic occasion to discover salami, liquors, cheeses,
and enjoy the highly celebrated desserts, drinks and a vast array
Umbrian hospitality. of pastries, cakes and candies,
and much more.
More than a million chocoholics
visit this beautiful city each During the festival, Perugia also
year, to sample chocolate hosts numerous educational and
cultural events – cooking
classes, banquets, chocolate If you need some exercise to work
theatre, a chocolate cooking off all that overindulgence,
competition by top chefs, and there are excellent tennis courts
finally the much-anticipated in the city and plenty of places
Eurochocolate Awards. The many to walk and cycle. Around
seminars and talks will increase Perugia, you will see some of the
your knowledge about this region's most innovative
delectable favourite and architecture – the
afterward you will have no doubt Renaissance-era Rocca Paolina
about chocolate’s distinct Fortress, the Priori Palace and
nutritional and dietary benefits. beautiful churches such as the
Duomo San Lorenzo and the
You can also take part in Basilica of San Domenico. For the
informative and lively forums more adventurous, there is plenty
that highlight the production of of climbing, trekking, rafting,
cocoa as a sustainable industry canoeing and kayaking in the
for third world nations. The hills nearby.
festival has a special area that
features certified Fair Trade If you are more into relaxation,
cocoa products, made from cocoa you will enjoy the aromatherapy
that was bought from Third World sessions that utilise cocoa and
farmers at a fair price. This chocolate facemasks. The
cocoa was produced with full Eurochocolate festival also
respect for workers’ rights showcases the latest in chocolate
and grown in an environmentally beauty treatments – and
friendly way. Most Italian some are free. What a fantastic
artisan chocolate makers use way to top off nine days of
cocoa with the Fair Trade celebrating the ‘food of
certification. the gods’.
Florence and is easily accessed
Perugia is Umbria's capital city, by road and train. Inexpensive
known as the ‘green heart flights are also available from
of Italy’, and the area, Rome and Florence. You can hire a
with its fascinating array of car at the airport and train
mediaeval towns and hilltop station, but be sure to book well
villages, is a popular tourist in advance as this is a very
destination. The city is 175 km popular festival.
from Rome and 150 km from
About the Author:
Rod Ritchie writes for many publishers including AA Publishing and Fodors. Cottages to Castles offer high quality Umbria villas and Umbria vacation rentals.
Read more articles by: R. Ritchie
Article Source: www.iSnare.com |
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