Eurochocolate: The Sweet Story of a Chocolate Festival

Chocolate, with its irresistible sweetness, has always had the power to capture the hearts of millions of people around the world. But there is a place in Umbria, specifically in Perugia, where chocolate takes center stage, an event that celebrates this culinary delight in all its forms and shades: Eurochocolate, one of the world’s most famous and beloved chocolate festivals.

It all began in 1993 when a young Italian entrepreneur named Eugenio Guarducci, returning from Oktoberfest in Munich, had the idea and desire to create a chocolate festival that celebrated the best of this delicacy and bring it to his hometown of Perugia. With great passion and determination, Guarducci organized the first edition of Eurochocolate in Perugia, the picturesque city in the heart of green Italy.

Perugia, with its rich chocolate-making tradition dating back to Luisa Spagnoli, proved to be the ideal place to host such an event. The festival started modestly, but its reputation quickly grew, attracting chocolate enthusiasts from all over the world.

In the following years, Eurochocolate experienced steady growth, becoming one of the most significant chocolate festivals globally. Perugia’s streets filled with stalls offering every imaginable type of artisanal chocolate product: pralines, bars, truffles, chocolates, and much more. The festival was not just a celebration for chocolate lovers but also an opportunity for local and national producers to showcase their creations and art. Today, after Covid-19, Eurochocolate has moved its venue to Bestia Umbra at Umbria Fiere, but still leaving some chocolatey stands in the alleys of Perugia for the curious ones.

In addition to delighting the visitors’ palate, Eurochocolate had an educational goal. The festival promoted chocolate knowledge, from its ancient history to modern production techniques, with workshops, seminars, chocolate tastings, or wine and liquor pairings where expert chocolatiers explained the nuances of chocolate production and unveiled the secrets of the unique tastes of different cocoa types. There were also cooking shows featuring demonstrations by world-renowned chefs and chocolatiers.

Eurochocolate is a true cultural experience, a journey through the world of chocolate, from its history to its most modern nuances. This festival has managed to win the hearts of chocolate enthusiasts of all ages and nationalities, demonstrating how powerful the connection between cocoa and humanity can be. If you love chocolate, there is no better place in Europe to satisfy your passion than Eurochocolate. And who knows, you might even discover new aspects of this delight that you never imagined.