Embark on a mouthwatering journey through Brussels with our Belgian chocolate experience. Explore the birthplace of chocolate and taste the finest Belgian treats, in collaboration with P&O Ferries.
It’s World Chocolate Day! This is the day we celebrate all things chocolate and wonderful, so let me take this opportunity to tell you about the Belgian Chocolate Experience we had the privilege of enjoying.
As a family, we travelled old school via ferries and trains from our remote Shetland Island home south through the UK and across to the Netherlands. There, we caught the train to Brussels, Belgium—where the best chocolatiers in the world can be found and where chocolate, as we now know it, was created.
Our Belgian Chocolate Experience began with a three-hour Brussels Chocolate Tour from Brussels City Tours.
Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert
Our tour started at the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert in the city centre, a stunning 19th-century shopping arcade dating back to 1849 filled with the most extraordinary chocolatiers.
Our guide, Jasmine, was a delightful woman passionate about her city, chocolate, and Belgian royalty. She told us about the history of many of the chocolatiers in the arcade, and we got to peek into the shop windows of some of the world’s leading chocolatiers—Godiva, Corné Port Royal, Pierre Marcolini, Leonidas, Mary, and, last but not least, Neuhaus, creators of the first praline.
Neuhaus, creators of the first praline
In 1857, the pharmacist Jean Neuhaus used to coat medicines with chocolate to make them more palatable. In 1912, his son replaced the medicine with fresh cream and invented the filled chocolate confection we enjoy today.
In the Neuhaus Chocolatier, with its gorgeous silky smooth chocolate mousses (we each had a taste test), shelves of ribbon-wrapped boxes, and rich history, the children had the opportunity to tuck in and make their own chocolates. It was a most enjoyable experience for everyone.
The chocolates lasted all of about thirty seconds once they had been packaged up, and the kids got outside with them!
After the chocolate workshop, we boarded a minibus, where Jasmine showed us the beautiful Cinquantenaire Parc with its Triumphal Arch (I might have played the tourist role here, taking loads of snaps through the bus window!), a drive through the European District of Brussels with its gorgeous Art Nouveau-style houses, and onwards to the Royal Palace (the king was in!) and Sablon Square.
This was the first time I’d ever been on a bus tour, and I have to admit that it was a really great way to get a feel for the city and learn about its history. While walking around the city the following day, we recognised many of the places that had been pointed out.
The Brussels Chocolate Tour costs €30 per adult and €15 per child and lasts three hours. It operates from 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. They also offer hotel pick-up/drop-off, which is rather handy!
Museum of Cocoa and Chocolate
The following morning, after a peaceful night’s sleep in the Leopold Hotel, we set out again into the heart of the city centre, a short hop skip and jump away, for a visit to the Museum of Cocoa and Chocolate.
The museum is spread over three stories, joined by a narrow wooden stairway. It covers the entire history of chocolate, starting with the Olmecs, Mayans, and Aztecs, the first to cultivate cocoa trees in Central and South America.
Cocoa beans were used as currency then and made into a very bitter drink called ‘Xocoatl’. The Aztecs believed that Quetzalcoatl, a god who appeared as a feathered snake, brought the cocoa tree to earth.
We’re introduced to the history of Europeans first appearing in South America. Christopher Columbus first discovered cocoa pods but didn’t realize their importance, so they largely went unrecognized in Europe. It wasn’t until 1528, when Hernando Cortez brought cocoa beans back to Spain along with the knowledge and equipment to make chocolate palatable, that chocolate really caught on in Europe, and we haven’t looked back.
We learned how chocolate is made through harvesting, roasting, breaking the beans from the shells, exposing the cocoa nibs and successive grinding into cocoa mass. This mass is put through a high temperature, separating the cocoa powder from the cocoa butter, and then kneaded for hours in a conch with cocoa butter, vanilla, lecithin and sugar (and milk powder, depending on the type of chocolate) being added to make the final chocolate which will be delivered to artisan chocolatiers.
There was also much juvenile chuckling over a chocolate version of the Manneken Pis, a famous Brussels landmark.
After sampling some delicious melted Belgian chocolate poured onto a speculoos biscuit (my first ever taste of speculoos!), we were treated to a chocolate demonstration, with the chocolatier showing us how pralines are made.
We got to sample some of them afterwards, too, and each delicious morsel was better than the last.
Belgian waffles
If that wasn’t enough chocolate, we treated ourselves to Belgian waffles for lunch, topped with Nutella and icing sugar and heaped with strawberries, whipped cream, and chocolate sauce.
When in Belgium, it has to be done, right?
Zaabär Chocolatier
Last but not least, our most favourite stop on our Belgium Chocolate Experience: a chocolate workshop at the Zaabär Chocolatier.
Here, we were given a short video lecture on the origins and history of chocolate (things the children had learned that morning at the Museum of Cocoa and Chocolate. They did us proud by answering all of the questions correctly and even coming up with their own genuine questions).
We learned about the tempering process and how chocolate must be heated and cooled to a specific temperature in order to develop the shine and texture we are used to (28°C for white chocolate, 30°C for milk chocolate and between 31-32°C for dark chocolate). As the temperature of the human body is around 37°C, warmer than the chocolate needs to be, the traditional way to tell if the chocolate is at the right temperature is to test it on your lip. Hot liquid chocolate is first poured onto a marble slab and worked with a paddle to cool it down to the right temperature and then it’s ready to be made into chocolates and pralines.
We then donned aprons and hair nets and had the opportunity to create our own chocolate bars with spices (I chose pink peppercorn and cinnamon), mendiants (bites of chocolate sprinkled with nuts and dried fruits) and spiced truffles.
My youngest has a particular fondness for white chocolate, not the dark chocolate that the chocolatier had prepared for us, and he had no qualms about expressing his desire. He must have impressed the chocolatier with his chocolate knowledge, as our guide said he had never seen the chocolatier prepare another variety of chocolate separately for someone before. Our youngest was most pleased, and he created some fantastic chocolates.
We got to keep our chocolate creations and our aprons (it’s now my home kitchen apron of choice!), and we left with chocolate smiles on our faces.
Public chocolate workshops at the Zaabär Chocolatier cost €25 per person for groups up to 10 and these are run on a Saturday afternoon at 2:30pm. This is a definite must-do for any chocolate lover visiting Brussels.
We barely scratched the surface of all the chocolate related activities there are to do in Brussels and places you can go for taste testings and to buy Belgian chocolate. If you ever visit the city do seek them out – it’s well worth it!
Have you ever been to Brussels? What are your chocolate recommendations? Let me know in the comments below!
We are incredibly indebted to P&O Ferries who sponsored us for this Brussels Chocolate Experience family holiday of a lifetime. We travelled from Hull to Europoort on the P&O ferry Pride of Hull. Although this trip was sponsored by P&O all thoughts and opinions expressed are our own. For more things to do while visiting Brussels visit the P&O Ferries travel guide.
Boulets à la Liégeoise – a Classic Belgium Meatball Recipe
Easily the most delicious post I’ve seen in a long while!
Love it Elizabeth. So glad you got to go with the family, it will be such a wonderful memory for the kids. I spent a few days in Ghent a while back and was completely wowed by the chocolatiers, especially those that weren’t bang in the middle of the tourist area. Our favourite was a vegan chocolatier who produced beautiful artistic chocolates with many exciting flavours.
We will be going back to Belgium in 2 years, I must go on the chocolate tour, thanks for posting
Looks like you had quite an exciting time. I hope to visit Brussels as the country is not too far from England
Wow! It looks like your kids had a wonderful time! I have never been to Belgium, but would love to go just for the chocolate!
Isn’t it great fun touring some of the chocolate places in Brussels and then getting hands on? Brings back happy memories of our own trip!
Wow! That’s a legit chocolate experience! Your kids must have been dying. It all looks amazing and how fun for you to get into it with a hands on deal too!
Now world chocolate day is something I could really get on board with, especially Belgian chocolate. It is divine.
This is the dream! I’m not really into cake or sweets but chocolate is my one true love
Belgium has the most beautiful chocolate so learning about it and getting to make some is so lovely x
What an awesome experience, the chocolates look delicious.Brussels hvae some lovely chocolate places nad the chocolates are amazing.
Wow, this trip looks amazing. I love chocolate, it not only tastes great but has such an incredible history.
Did you find that you couldn’t get the smell of chocolate out of your pores? I did when I went on a chocolate tour. There’s worse problems to have I guess! Love that they accommodated your youngest with his love of white chocolate
Ooh i can’t stop thinking about chocolate now… I really want to visit Belgium after reading this, it literally is just a quick ferry away
This is so going on my bucket list I’ll definitely be looking to do something similar soon! Thanks for the inspiration x
Woow this looks and sounds like an amazing trip! I would love to go for a chocolate tour one day I am visiting Brussel. This made me want to eat chocolate and belgian waffles, yuum.
Great post x
Looks like you had a great time. Hubby would love this trip so I may look into it for his birthday x
It looks like you had an amazing time! My family are from Belgium, so we go fairly often and we always eat a lot of chocolate. It would be rude not to.
This looks like so much fun and all that chocolate looks delicious! I went to Bruges a few years back which is slightly famous for it’s chocolate (and lace!) and I wish I’d thought to take a chocolate experience or tour then…although I’m not sure they had any running!
Can’t believe I didn’t know about World Chocolate Day! I think I need to eat plenty of chocolate tomorrow now to make up for it … especially as your pictures have just started making my tummy rumble!!
Louise x
I had no idea it was world chocolate day until I saw it on your instagram! So much yum 🙂
OMG Seriously jealous, this looks like such a great trip. Belgian chocolate is my weakness.
X
Wow sounds like you all had a fabulous time! I am literally just sat here reading this and dreaming about Godiva chocolate, so thank you for ruining my dinner (I joke obviously, but now I know what’s for dessert)!
Had never considered Brussels before so thanks for showing me what I’d be missing if I don’t go.
xx
Wow, those waffles…..
The chocolate…. Oh I really want some now. I’m a fan of white chocolate too so I don’t blame your youngest.
Wow! Those waffles look amazing! I love Belgium, especially for the history and chocolate. Waffles covered in chocolate just make it even better!
I visited Brussels last year and recognise the passages pictured 🙂 I wish I’d done something this and really gotten stuck into the chocolate as that’s what it’s known for! Looks like a super yummy experience 😉
Oh wow this looks like so much fun! I only live a few hours from Brussels – I feel a day trip coming on 🙂 xx
I visited the little boy peeing too! I was surprised how small it was.
This looked like an awesome trip to do and certainly something different to experience, lucky you and great write up 🙂
Oh my goodness this sounds amazing! What a great experience and that chocolate just WOW! x
Move over Cadbury world, this just looks so incredible, wow x
I loved Brussels when I visited quite a few years ago. I got sidetracked by the beer though and forgot to do the chocolate. I will have to go back!
What a delicious day – I would love to do this x
What a fantastic tour. This looks great for people who love chocolate x
I can’t stop saying while reading this how lucky you are to have a chocolate experience. Would love to visit the Museum of Cocoa and Chocolate too.
Your children will never forget that trip! What a lovely trip, I love Brussels and was an au pair for a Belgian family one summer. The children’s grandmother worked for Godiva and used to send boxes of the fresh cream chocolates to us in the family holiday home in Luxembourg – it made a lasting impression on me!
Wow this is such an incredible adventure and sounds like an absolute dream. I would love to do this exact same trip, experiencing how they make the chocolate and joining in sounds like so much fun. What a gorgeous way to spend a holiday. I love travelling by ferry and much prefer it to flying. There’s something so refreshing about being surrounded by sea air. x
This looks like such a great place! I wish LA had a location like this! Yummy!
xoxo, Candice
http://www.candicenikeia.com
What a trip and what fun! I loved all the photos and so much information too.
I’m drooling at the pictures, that chocolate looks amazing. The pictures are so good I feel like I can pick them up of the page and eat them. Yum!!!
What an amazing trip. Belgium is on my list of must visit places.
What an awesome trip you and your family had. I never knew that Neuhous started of by coating medicine in chocolate, what a genius idea that I think we should get implemented with immediate effect:-)
Love Belgium – we were in Bruges a couple of months ago and we went to the chocolate museum – I was in heaven!! Belgian chocolate is just so amazing. Looks like you all had a great trip 🙂
What a wonderful trip! I love the idea of coating medicines with chocolate to make them more palatable, we should keep doing this 🙂 These waffles look amazing too… very inspiring…
What an amazing adventure, your kids are going to remember that for a lifetime!s…now excuse me while I go find a bit of chocolate, i have a sudden craving 😉
Very jealous looks like you had a fantastic time!!! I love Belgian waffles not least because of that rich chocolate sauce drizzled over the top. YUM!
Wish I was there. It looks like so much fun!
Oh, that sounds like so much fun! We are a long plane ride from Brussels so we’ve never been, but we would love every chocolatey minute of that tour. And I love that tidbit about the origin of filled chocolates. 🙂
wow! I would love to taste some of those chocolates too!
Both of these workshops look like so much fun and are an incredible bargain! I love doing something a little different like this when visiting a city x
Oh my lord! All I did was think about buying a ton of chocolate whilst reading the post. It all looks absolutely delicious. What an amazing experience if I’m honest. I would love to do it.
Jordanne || Thelifeofaglasgowgirl.co.uk
Oh I think I would quite literally be in heaven here. Everything looks so tasty!
It was all so delicious! So many different flavours to taste test in the shops too!
What fun! When we went to Bruges a couple of years ago we ate so much chocolate – simply wonderful!
It is rather good chocolate, isn’t it! I’m pretty sure I ate my bodyweight in the stuff while I was there! 😀
Oh my. This looks heavenly. I am so jealous. Can’t wait to read the next post on what you guys did next.
It was a pretty fantastic trip. The next post will be all about the ferry journey!
You know what, I went to brussels a while ago but never really saw this side of it, which I regret. Me thinks I have to go back soon 🙂
I want to go back too – there’s so much to explore there!
Belgium is my favourite country and we were lucky enough to visit Bruges again last week. I have happy memories of eating fantastic pancakes and watching the world go by in Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert!
Oh how wonderful! I want to go back as there is so much more I’d like to explore!
What an absolutely incredible experience! I love chocolate, this would be the perfect get away for me 🙂
It really was. I feel so very fortunate that we got to do this – something the kids will always remember too!
I had the pleasure of visiting Belgium through work in Feburary. An amazing city and while we flew I still managed to experience some chocolate. Great post and cool pics. Look like the you gens enjoyed themselves.
Oh how fantastic! The kids really did have a great time. We’re very lucky to have had this experience!
what an incredible experience, I would love to do this. I had no idea it was world chocolate day, I’m going to keep that in my calendar for next year.
Isn’t world chocolate day a fantastic idea! Every day is a chocolate day for me, but it’s got to be Belgium chocolate all the way. 🙂
A chocolate themed holiday would be so perfect for my husband. I have to bookmark this post to remember the awesome things you did. Maybe I’ll surprise him one day.
I’d definitely recommend getting to Belgium via the P&O Ferry too – such a fantastic experience, almost like a cruise but without cruise ship prices!
This looks like my dream holiday! I’ve never been to Belgium, but you have given me enough reason to want to go now.
Oh you definitely should go! It’s such an amazing place and the journey getting there was fantastic too.
Oh my goodness, those chocolates are too die for. Your kids look like they’re having the time of their lives. Would love to do that too 🙂
They had such a great time, I was really impressed at how interested they were in actually listening to what was said too, and then they applied that knowledge. Proud mum moment. 🙂
Wow this sounds incredible I am
A huge chocolate lover and literally salivating reading this!
Heehee, I know what you mean! I’m a chocolate fan too and this was my idea of heaven!
You had me drooling. What marvellous experience for you all. I’m with Holden about white chocolate.
It was a super experience and we’re very grateful to have had the opportunity. I’m a dark chocolate gal, myself, but Holden does love his white!
Wow, that sounds like such an amazing trip Elizabeth! Quite appropriately I was sat here munching dark chocolate drops as I read along 🙂
Janie x
The best way to read a post about chocolate on World Chocolate Day! 😀 It was an amazing trip; we feel very lucky!
Wow what an incredible experience as a family, it looks like an amazing place to visit x
It really was. We feel very fortunate! A trip of a lifetime!
I’ve never been to Brussels before but you’ve put it firmly onto my ‘must visit’ list! I’ve loved savouring every word and photo in this article and I feel as though I’m immersed in Belgian chocolate. Great facts about how praline started and how chocolate came to Europe. It looks like you all had a wonderful time 🙂
Ooh you have to go! I highly recommend traveling there by ferry too, like a cruise ship but without cruise ship prices!