When I was in Cusco, the Inca Capital of Peru, I was looking for some fun things to do that didn’t involve taking a tour or getting up at 6 am in the morning. While roaming the streets of this ancient city, I found a little sign just one street away from the main Plaza de Armas. The sign lured me into the Chocomuseo Cusco: a Chocolate Museum in Cusco. I had a delicious afternoon and I also learned a thing or two about chocolate. Are you traveling to Peru and look for fun entertainment while in Cusco? The Chocomuseo Cusco might be right for you too!
Read more: Interesting Inca Sites around Cusco Peru.
Chocomuseo Cusco Peru
When I travel, I love to roam around museums. Read more on my decision guide for the museums in Florence. But the Cusco Chocolate Museum is unlike any museum I ever been to before. In fact, I am not even sure if it’s a real museum.
Yes, I learned a lot about cacao beans, sustainable cacao growth and the history of making chocolate. But the chocolate museum in Cusco felt more like a big shop with a lot of information. And how could they not? They sell the most delicious Peruvian chocolate while informing you about this healthy treat! If you decide to visit only 1 of the Cusco museums, please have some fun and make it the Chocomuseo in Cusco!
What to see and do at the Chocolate Museum in Cusco?
The Cusco chocolate museum is very informal and you do not have to walk around with your hands on your back and there are no glass cages to look at like in other Cusco museums. The museum is situated in an old colonial building on the second floor right in the centre of Cusco.
Information and displays about chocolate
Chocolate is my most favourite treat in the whole wide world. Yes, I love candy and yes I liked my Food Tour around Nice, France a lot. But there is nothing better than the bitter sweet indulgent flavour of dark chocolate melting on your tongue.
But even though it is my #1 comfort food, I didn’t know everything about it. That was actually my main reason to visit the chocolate museum in Cusco, because I wanted to know more about cacao and chocolate.
The museum shows you a lot of interesting things. From the harvest of the cacao beans, to the drying of the cacao pods. You learn what different products people can make from cacao (like powder, paste and butter). The museum also shows you a lot about the history of chocolate. From the Mayan people to the conquistadors taking over South America to modern day UTZ Farming.
Read more: 1 month backpacking itinerary in South America
You can feel the cacao, touch the machines and get close to the different products too! Everything was displayed in 3 languages (English, Spanish and French) and the text was informative but not too long.
Tasting of different flavours of Peruvian chocolate
But the best part was yet to come. After going through the whole museum (it is not that big), I lingered around the central area. I was invited by one of the staff members to taste all kinds of chocolate products! Obviously I couldn’t refuse such an invitation.
There were different flavours of chocolate pastes, one bitter, the other more sweet or spicy even. It didn’t matter how much I asked for, each time I received a new scoop to taste a new flavour. Sinfully delicious! The texture of the paste is smooth and creamy like, while the chocolate hides its dark and bitter flavour in the deeper layers of the paste. What would be your favourite flavour?
After the pastes, I tried some of the liquors, but they packed quite a punch, so I only tasted a few. It wasn’t my intention to roll out of the museum!
The Chocolate Museum Cusco Cafe
After all the learning and tasting it was time to indulge in a little more chocolate. The chocolate museum in Cusco has a little café, overlooking the small plaza Regocijo in Cusco. They serve all kinds of chocolate delights, like cakes, desserts and pancakes. What to think of chocolate fondue? Or a hot or cold chocolate drink?
Of course I had to try some of it. Do you think you can resist the sweet temptation of the seductive chocolate treats? I don’t think so.
The Chocolate Workshop at the museum
At the chocolate museum in Cusco, you can also make your own chocolates at the chocolate workshop. In Cusco, they have 2 chocolate workshops, one is called “from the cacao bean to the chocolate bar” and the other is a workshop where you’ll make your own chocolate truffles.
Unfortunately, I was running a little late and the last chocolate workshop of the day just started and was full. I can’t really tell you what it is like but I talked with people at my hostel. They really enjoyed the chocolate workshop where they made their own truffles.. What better way to learn about chocolate than to make it yourself? And eat it too!
The bean to bar chocolate workshop is $25 and lasts 2 hours. For children under 13 years old, it costs $18. If you want to secure a spot, you can book the Chocolate Workshop online.
Practical Details for Cusco Chocolate Museum
When I returned home, I learned the Chocolate museum in Cusco is not the only one. The Chocomuseo has many other museums through South America, like in Granada, Nicaragua or Lima, Peru to name a few. Here are more details for the Chocolate Museum in Cusco:
Address: Entrance Garcilaso Street 210 – 2nd floor, Cusco, Peru
Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday from 9.00 am to 7.00 pm
Entrance: Free
For more information, news and pictures, check the ChocoMuseum’s Facebook page.
Do you like chocolate? Of course you do! Want to do something fun and informative and get treated to all kinds of chocolaty delights? Head to the chocolate museum in Cusco Peru and share your pictures of chocolate goodness when you return! And while you’re at it, why don’t you share this lovely mouth-watering chocolate delight pin image to Pinterest? Mmmhhh!
Looking for more fun stuff to do in Peru, that isn’t Machu Picchu? Check out my story on Huacachina and the things to do in Paracas Peru. Want to walk off all those delicious chocolate treats? Hike the Colca Canyon in Arequipa.
The Chocolate Museum Cusco is free to visit. All my opinions are my own as I tasted all the chocolates myself. This post does contain affiliate links. If you decide to book a service via one of my links, I’ll earn a small commission. This will not costs you any extra.
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You had me at “chocolate” !!!!!!!! As if I needed another reason to go to Peru! Great article of the stuff to do and really makes me want to visit! I just pinned your article, too!