EuroChocolate
EuroChocolate is an annual chocolate festival that takes place in Perugia, the capital of the Umbria region in central Italy. The festival has been held since 1993 and is one of the largest chocolate festivals in Europe. EuroChocolate draws nearly one million tourists and Italian natives each year. It lasts for nine days and is located in the squares and areas of Piazza Italia, Piazza della Repubblica, Corso Vannucci, Via Mazzini, Via Fani, The Terrace of the Covered Market, and Piazza IV Novembre.
Italy's most well-known chocolate company Perugina (now belonging to Nestlé), known for their Baci, is represented along with a number of other brands such as Lindt and Caffarel. EuroChocolate offers many snack and souvenir options such as chocolate covered bananas, chocolate liqueur, chocolate molds, and chocolate bricks.
EuroChocolate offers a variety of activities including chocolate art displays, experimental chocolate tastings, street performances, and chocolate sculpting. In recent years, an igloo has been constructed out of 3,600 kilograms of chocolate bricks. There is even an opportunity to make a chocolate day spa appointment. In 2003, the largest chocolate bar in the world was constructed. It measured to be more than 7 meters in length, two meters high and made with 5980 kilograms of dark chocolate and thousands of hazelnuts.
EuroChocolate has extended to other Italian cities such as Rome and Turin.