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Chocolate - heaven on earth

The art of chocolate in Turin has its origins in the 16th century when Emanuele Filiberto from Savoy discovered the cacao.

skip Turin boasts one more attraction. The first production of chocolate in 1678.
Sixty years later chocolate, so far a privilege of the nobles, becomes generally appreciated, the engine of a new entrepreneurship. Within a few years dozens of artisan shops flourish and by the end of the 18th century Turin, with a daily production of 350 kilos of chocolate exported to Germany, France, Austria and Switzerland, is known as the capital of the Food of the Gods. In 1802 Turin makes a leap in quality: The idea of transforming liquid chocolate into solid and long-life bars. Due to the lack of the first material, caused by Napoleon’s blockade, Turin’s chocolate producers have another brilliant idea: They invent a mix of a small quantity of cacao and the more economic hazelnuts from the nearby Langhe region, obtaining a delicious paste that gives birth to Michele Prochet’s "bocconcino or cicca". The progenitor of chocolate is the famous "gianduiotti" which was produced in 1867 on the occasion of the carnival.

Sweet delights

Apart from the gianduiotti, the typical chocolates of Turin, the city offers a lot more sweets to discover.

skip Chocolates, cakes, hot drinks, ice cream or other chocolate-based sweets of unique and delicious tastes. Is your mouth already watering? Then succumb to the temptation and try the different sweets such as the "gianduiotti" and the "Cremini Fiat", little dices consisting of alternating layers of hazelnut and almond chocolate, which have been created for the introduction of the Fiat Tipo 4. Now the little chocolate dices are made of two layers of either hazelnut chocolate, lemon or coffee cream or lemon extract from Sicily. Turin also takes pride in its "alpini", which were invented by Peyrano in 1922. These chocolates are based on liqueur cream and they are wrapped into a little, silvery box in the middle of which is a thin layer of hazelnut chocolate. And now from the typical chocolates to the delicious ice cream: you definitely have to try the hazelnut ice cream and the pinguino, the famous ice cream on a stick, which was created in 1935 by Domenico Pepino, a pastry-cook and ice cream maker from Naples. At the end of the 19th century the pinguino was then introduced to Turin. And finally there is the typical hot drink called "Bicerin", which is made of chocolate, coffee and milk cream and was praised even by Dumas.

Discover the ChocoPass!

A passport for all chocolate addicts to taste the Turin chocolate specialties, valid for 3 days.

skip Have you ever thought about discovering a city by visiting its historic cafés, confectioners and chocolate shops? About strolling around baroque palaces, elegant arcades and charming squares while absorbing the historic atmosphere, accompanied by a “sweet passport”? With the Chocopass this is possible!

Available at the tourism boards of Turin and province.

For only €12 you get a pass for 10 tastings to be savored in two days. Every coupon is a voucher for a typical chocolate specialty in Turin and surroundings. With Turin as backdrop, every tasting is a feast for the palate!
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• ChocoPass