World Chocolate Day is celebrated on July 7th, and throughout the weekend, WOW offers special guided tours of the Chocolate Museum.
Five original tastings along the way, explanations from the museum’s founder himself and workshops for children, all to be enjoyed from Saturday to Monday.
Originating from the territories now known as Latin America, cocoa was a food unknown to the cultures of the northern hemisphere until the 16th century. However, in the ancient civilisations of the southern hemisphere, cocoa was considered a gift from the gods and was seen as such a precious item that it was even used as currency. On July 7th, 1550, cocoa and the primary drink extracted from it – chocolate – arrived in Europe for the first time. Since 2009, to mark the event, World Chocolate Day has been celebrated every year on this date. WOW, the Cultural Quarter of Porto has a museum entirely dedicated to cocoa and chocolate – The Chocolate Experience – and is therefore preparing three days of very special activities.
Grand tour by the museum’s founder
Master chocolatier Pedro Araújo will be giving two guided tours on Sunday, July 6th. He is the museum’s founder, and has a deep knowledge of the history of these “magical” beans, cocoa cultivation and chocolate production. During the visit, five types of chocolate will be offered to taste: the first Aztec drink and the Spanish drink, the first chocolate bar, a dry cocoa tasting, a tasting of chocolates from the Vinte Vinte brand and, finally, in the blink of an eye, a chocolate pairing with Nortada beer. This will be an unmissable experience for true chocolate lovers and aficionados. Tours will take place at 3:30 pm and 5 pm. Tickets cost €30 and can be booked online.
Special guided tours
On Saturday and Monday, July 5 and 7, respectively, the Chocolate Museum team will be organising even more special tours than usual. Participants will be entitled to five tastings during the tour, which includes a chocolate pairing with Port wine, in a sensory experience that is suitable for any age group. Bookings can be made online for visits at 11 am and 4 pm on both days. This experience costs the same as a regular museum visit: €20.
Children’s workshops
Also on the 5th and 6th, children can try their hand at being master chocolatiers by taking part in the Summer edition of Chocolatinhos. This is a fresh and fun version of the museum’s usual workshops, designed for warmer days: the recipe remains the same, but with a format inspired by ice cream. The experience for children between 4 and 12 years old costs €20 and can be booked online. These workshops for budding chefs take place every Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 am and 4 pm.
Chocolate factory, shop and café
For true chocolate lovers, WOW has even more reasons to visit. The Chocolate Museum building houses a real chocolate factory that operates 365 days a year. The visit is included in the museum admission fee and ends at a shop where you can buy the award-winning chocolates produced there, under the Vinte Vinte brand. There is also a café with tons of chocolate treats: cookies, cakes, hot chocolate and more – to enjoy guilt-free on World Chocolate Day.
Always confirm with the concert hall or promoter the conditions of access, confirmation of the date or time, ticket place of sale, price, and availability.
