Florence and Chocolate

Get ready to have your mouth watering, Florence’s handmade chocolate fair is back! The 15° Edition meets young and old from the 8th to the 17th of February 2019 in a new location. For the first time, “Florence and Chocolate” takes place in Piazza Santa Croce, in front of the Cathedral to combine taste and Art. Ten days dedicated to the sweetness you can never decline: the chocolate. Cakes, candy bars, dark, milk or hazelnut chocolates, with praline, creamy or with liqueur, a real Chocolate Factory where even Willy Wonka could lose his head… or even better, his hat.

Not only Florence. Exhibitors from North to South Italy are attending the event to bring flavor and good taste as tradition demands. A kermesse of tasting, explanations, shows, activities and workshop for children, carried out by renowned chef and chocolate experts.

Don’t miss the occasion which tease everyone’s sweet tooth: from children whose parents will have an hard time to contain, to adults who could give themselves a break from their work and the stress. And for the most romantic, Valentine’s Day is exactly in the middle of the fair! Instead of the usual box of chocolates, couples will have a lot to choose from. You should also take advantage of Valentine’s special offer on our Romantic rooms at Rivoli Boutique Hotel and Grand Hotel Adriatico.

From bargaining chip to delicious sweet
Where does chocolate come from? To find out we need to take a step back in time. His story dates back to 4’000 years ago in South America, when a local civilization discovered a plant with healing properties and from which they could product a tasteful liquid drink. After them, the Mayans used chocolate as a bargaining chip. In the middle of XVI century, the Spanish Conquistadors imported the first original hot chocolate to their motherland because they fell in love with its taste. Thanks to the weddings between dynastic heirs and the Dames who drinked it at Court, cacao spread across Europe and Italy contributed with hot chocolate or Turin’s Gianduiotto.

While initially cacao was considered as luxury item, it became accessible to all social class after the Industrial Revolution. In XIX century, new recipes and mixtures gave birth to the “solid” chocolate but also to new kind, like our famous Nutella. An evergreen sweetness which everyobody likes and perfect to every occasion, alone or matched with other flavors: birthday cakes, snacks, Valentine’s chocolates, Easter egg and Christmas pudding.