FOOD FESTIVAL
The Eurochocolate Festival in Perugia
Umbria is Tuscany’s less famous sister, but it offers just as many fascinating faces. Known as Italy’s “green heart” and the “land of saints,” Umbria deserves to be celebrated just as much as its chic neighbor. It’s generous with its gorgeous views, mystical and serene atmosphere, undulating landscapes, and a constellation of intimate (yet equally stunning) hill towns: Perugia, Assisi, Orvieto, Gubbio, Todi, Spoleto, and Norcia — all nestled among olive groves and Mediterranean woods, just a few miles apart.
But Umbria is also a land where food, wine, art, and culture converge to create vibrant experiences — none more flavorful and beloved than the Eurochocolate Festival in Perugia. This annual event, held each October, transforms Umbria’s capital into a paradise for chocolate lovers and curious travelers alike. Already home to a historic chocolate factory, Perugia becomes the beating heart of Italy’s sweetest celebration — a modern food festival that honors the Italian and international chocolate tradition in every possible form, color, size, and shape.
Whether you’re drawn to Norcia’s truffles and cheeses or to Spoleto’s renowned summer festival, the Eurochocolate Festival in Perugia adds another delicious reason to explore Umbria. Beyond indulgence, the event also spotlights cocoa-producing countries, raising awareness about development challenges and promoting sustainable local excellence. It’s a feast for the senses with a conscience.
Every year, during the third week of October, Perugia’s historic center comes alive as chocolate stands, showcases, and themed installations line the cobbled streets and piazzas. Around 300,000 visitors gather for nine days of tastings, live shows, chocolate art, workshops, and lectures. At the Eurochocolate Festival in Perugia, even nutritionists take the stage to praise the benefits of the “food of the gods,” helping us all feel a little less guilty about our sweet addiction.
Stroll along Corso Vanucci and watch sculptors transform 500-pound blocks of chocolate into extraordinary works of art, with sweet shavings flying into the crowd. Bring a clean napkin — you’ll want to gather and sample them!
On festival weekends, hop aboard the “Chocotram” — a festive trolley connecting Perugia’s two main piazzas — where chocolates are handed out en route. The town also welcomes visitors into the Perugia Chocolate Museum, which offers free entry during the festival week.
Past editions of the Eurochocolate Festival in Perugia have brought memorable surprises: in 1999, a 6-foot-high, 55-foot-long chocolate wall was toppled to honor the 10th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Another year featured a giant Lindt hot-air balloon made entirely of chocolate — and, yes, guests could sample it.
The creative spirits of this festival know no boundaries, who knows what they’ll come up with this time around. Another reason, if you were looking to find one, to go visit Umbria and EuroChocolate and find out yourself.
Nicoletta Lucia Paganucci
