ChocMuseo

Hot chocolate may not sound like a Peruvian classic. However, this country grows some of the best cacao in the world, and sampling the local chocolate can be an exquisite experience. Be sure to visit the ChocoMuseo, a Latin American chocolate museum and workshop chain with locations in both Lima and Cusco. Here, you will find hot chocolate prepared fresh from pure, organic cacao bars – a truly decadent experience. You can customize your drink from a wide variety of chocolate types, based on place of origin and percent of pure cacao.

This is the best-smelling museum I’ve ever been to! Though I was skeptical at first, this is a definite must-see in Cusco. There’s a small but info-packed exhibit on the history of chocolate, as well as a small kitchen for daily classes and a coffee shop. I sipped my mug of hot chocolate while overlooking one of Cusco’s beautiful squares.

“Making chocolate where cacao grows,” is the tagline of ChocoMuseo, which has locations in cacao-producing countries like Peru, Guatemala, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Located two blocks from the central square, the Cusco outpost is more of chocolate experience than a full-fledged museum: you can take a two-hour workshop to craft your own treats, watch chocolate develop from bean to bar at the artisanal factory, or just sample the goods at the on-site cafe. Photo by Erin/Flickr.