ChocoMuseo (Chocolate Museum), Cusco (must see)

Chocolate has deep roots in the Americas, and Peru is today an important producer of fine cacao. Cusco's Chocolate Museum offers an entertaining introduction to cacao, explaining how the fruit grows, how its beans are harvested and processed, and how they eventually become the chocolate we recognize today.

The experience goes beyond traditional museum displays. Visitors can see cacao beans and learn about the different stages of chocolate production while sampling chocolate products along the way. The shop also offers a tempting selection of chocolates and other cacao-based treats, making it an easy place to pick up an edible souvenir from Cusco.

For a more hands-on experience, join the two-hour Bean-to-Bar Workshop. Participants follow the chocolate-making process from the cacao tree to the finished product, learning about cacao's history while carrying out the main stages themselves. The workshop also introduces historic cacao drinks associated with the Maya and the Spanish colonial period. At the end, participants mold their own chocolates and customize them with a choice of more than a dozen toppings before taking their creations home. Shorter chocolate-making sessions are also available for visitors with limited time, while a more specialized truffle workshop covers techniques such as making ganache and tempering chocolate.

ChocoMuseo also offers a Peruvian cooking class for visitors interested in exploring more of the country's food culture. The experience begins with a guided visit to San Pedro Market, where participants discover local fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, and breads. Back in the kitchen, a bilingual chef helps the group prepare a traditional meal, with dishes such as ceviche, lomo saltado, or ají de gallina, accompanied by a handmade Pisco Sour. The class ends in the best possible way: sitting down together to enjoy the meal you have prepared.