A Chocolate Tour of Italy

Artisanal Bio and Industrial Factories in Tuscany Piedmont Emilia Romagna and Umbria

Chocolate History up until the late 18^th century, chocolate only existed in liquid form and was drunk exclusively by the aristocracy and the clergy, only to spread to other sectors of society, beginning with the wealthy merchant classes.

The drink of the gods dates back to the Maya, using cocoa beans to prepare a beverage, the Xocoatl, with a very spicy and intense flavor. Cocoa becomes a very valuable commodity.
Christopher Columbus and Cortes discover the Americas, the cocoa plant and bear the seeds for the first time in Europe. The recipe of the Aztecs, with red pepper and hot spices, is modified with cinnamon, sugar, vanilla and cocoa for a sweeter taste.
In Italy, Venetian and Florentine masters give life to the art of preparing chocolate and start exporting it.
19^th Century chocolate becomes accessible to a wider audience, product quality improves and new varieties are created. New manufacturing processes separate cocoa paste and cocoa butter.

Turin is the Birthplace of Gianduja and Home to Many Fine Chocolatiers

Did You Know That the ideal environment for chocolate, which must be kept cool and dry, is at a temperature between 15 °- 18 ° C. Tempering is an operation that serves to give chocolate a stable crystalline structure to make it shiny, bright and free of veining. The white coating that forms on the chocolate is Cocoa Butter after heat shock or exposure to light. Cocoa grows in the tropics. Wines, spirits and beers pair well with dark chocolate with medium to high cocoa content of - 70% to 90%.

White Chocolate has this color because it is obtained from cocoa butter, sugar and milk powder, but is not added to the paste of cocoa, which corresponds to the dark part of the cocoa. The percentage of cocoa indicated on the wrapper indicates the sum of cocoa butter, cocoa mass and powder, present.

A traditional Saint Valentine’s Day Gift: heart of Gianduja and hazelnuts, garnished with a whole hazelnut and coated with dark chocolate

Tasting Chocolate

Sight color and brilliance communicate chocolate perfection; the best are shiny. Check its nuances and gloss before tasting it.
Tact scroll slowly the chocolate with your fingers to uncover its silky texture. Feel it on your lips: good chocolate is smooth, velvety and melts quickly.
Smell a lingering, intoxicating and intense fragrance: cocoa releases olfactory emotions that are never forgotten. Breathe deeply and feel all the richness and harmony of aromas.
Hear break the tablet with your fingers and listen to the sensual sound it produces.
Taste the endless aromas that make chocolate a most intoxicating experience for the palate.

Meet the Only Woman in the World to Claim the Title of Chocolatier

Our Chocolate Itineraries let you follow the various processes of chocolate making, including explanatory videos and chocolate tasting, as you walk through the whole production process from the beans to the grains of cocoa and from the refinement of the mixture right through to the processing of the chocolate. You also learn the art of chocolate tasting. 

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Seattle Washington the Emerald City

Seattle is surrounded by water, mountains and evergreen forests, and encompasses thousands of acres of parkland. Located between the saltwater Puget Sound to the west and Lake Washington to the east, the city's chief harbor is Elliott Bay. North of the city center, Lake Washington Ship Canal connects Puget Sound to Lake Washington, incorporating four natural bodies of water: Lake Union, Salmon Bay, Portage Bay and Union Bay.

A Major Gateway for Trade with Asia and the Third Largest Port in North America

From Logging to High Tech logging was Seattle's first major industry, and by the late 19^th century the city also became a commercial and shipbuilding center as a gateway to Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush. In the 1940s, Boeing established Seattle as a center for aircraft manufacturing and, beginning in the 1980s, the area developed as a technology center with companies like Microsoft and Amazon.

Music from 1918 to 1951, nearly two dozen jazz nightclubs existed along Jackson Street, from the current Chinatown/International, to the Central District. The jazz scene developed the early careers of Ray Charles, Quincy Jones and Ernestine Anderson. Seattle is also the birthplace of rock musician Jimi Hendrix and alternative rock.

Outdoors the mild, temperate, marine climate allows year-round outdoor recreation, including walking, cycling, hiking, skiing, snowboarding, kayaking, rock climbing, motor boating, sailing, team sports, and swimming. Also popular are hikes and skiing in the nearby Cascade or Olympic Mountains and kayaking and sailing in the waters of Puget Sound.

Seattle is one of the Most Walkable Cities in the United States

Getting around Seattle is one of the few cities in North America whose fleet includes electric trolleybuses. A light rail line links the University of Washington and Sea-Tac Airport. Washington State Ferries manages the largest network of ferries in the United States and third largest in the world, connecting Seattle to Bainbridge and Bremerton. 

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The Arts the city’s award-winning public art program enlivens parks, bridges, streets libraries and transfer stations while many storefronts expose temporary art installations. The theater on both a large and small scale is an integral part of Seattle’s arts scene with local theater service group Theatre Puget Sound counts more than 140 producing theater companies in its membership.

Wines and Brews the sunny, dry weather in Washington Wine Country is fantastic for growing grapes and producing premium wines. With over 850 wineries, it is the 2^nd largest premium wine producer in the United States. There are also 200 independent breweries that continue innovating, balancing the classics with small specialty batches of sours, imperial stouts or barrel-aged cult favorites.

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The US West the Rockies and the Pacific Coast

American Travel Hubs and Itineraries

The US West the Rockies and the Pacific Coast of the United States comprise 13 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, from the Canadian to the Mexican border, the coast and the Great Plains. A geographically diverse region with mountains, deserts, rich agricultural lands and spectacular coastlines, it was settled by succeeding waves of fortune seekers between the second half of the 19^th and the early 20^th centuries. Today, this part of the country is renowned for its entrepreneurs and high-tech industries, wineries, sky slopes, vacation resorts and a multifaceted entertainment industry.

The Pacific Coast

Sacramento California sits at the confluence of the Sacramento and American rivers, and is an ideal destination for a Northern California itinerary and getaways to visit the Wine and Gold Countries, the Redwoods, San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, Reno, Yosemite, Lassen Volcanic National Park and the Central Valley. The city has a colorful history filled with humor, steam trains, ghosts, heroes and villains, the California Gold Rush and other tales of the Wild West. Read More

San Mateo California and the Silicon Valley is equidistant from San Francisco and San Jose and is home to 90 miles of Pacific Coastline and Bay Front, charming old-style neighborhoods, vibrant downtowns, bay front parks, recreational lagoons and Silicon Valley businesses. Explore the stunning coastline and discover its hidden treasures with an eco-cycling or hiking adventure or experience whale watching and deep sea fishing. 

Sonoma County California is home to over 425 wineries, miles of rugged Pacific coastline, towering redwood forests, and proximity to San Francisco. Also, more than 50 nature parks that offer travelers miles of hiking and cycling trails through towering redwoods or oak-studded hills, and rivers for kayaking and canoeing.

Wineries Rugged Coastlines and Redwood Forests

Los Angeles is a metropolis with an extraordinary history and a rich cultural heritage. An entertainment capital that is also home to renowned museums, a flourishing downtown, 75 miles of sunny coastline and internationally flavored neighborhoods.

The Nine Cities that comprise Greater Palm Springs offer an endless supply of sunshine and a local culture ranging from art and air museums, tours of midcentury modern homes, a living desert - a unique zoo and botanical garden that specializes in the deserts of the world - hiking, biking at the Indian Canyon, with its numerous natural springs, Tahquitz Canyon, the Coachella Valley Preserve and the Joshua Tree National Park, 794,000 acres with two diverse desert ecosystems: the Colorado and Mojave Deserts. Read More

Oregon is an ideal winter destination where you can ski on volcanoes in the Cascade Mountains; a nature lover’s paradise as you watch hundreds of gray whales spout and storms over the Pacific; a connoisseur destination where you can sip award-winning Oregon wines and micro beers; an environmentalist’s delight with Portland’s green lifestyle, free downtown transport and local distinctive neighborhoods. Video

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The Landscape is diverse, with a windswept Pacific coastline, a volcano-studded Cascade Range, abundant bodies of water in and west of the Cascades; dense evergreen, mixed, and deciduous forests at lower elevations; and a high desert sprawling across much of its east all the way to the Great Basin. The tall conifers, mainly Douglas fir, along Oregon's rainy west coast contrast with the lighter-timbered and fire-prone pine and juniper forests covering portions to the east. Abundant alders in the west fix nitrogen for the conifers. Stretching east from central Oregon are semi-arid shrub lands, prairies, deserts, steppes, and meadows. At 11,249 feet (3,429 m), Mount Hood is the state's highest point, and Crater Lake National Park is Oregon's only national park. Read More

Portland located between the Cascade Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, Portland is at the northern end of the Willamette Valley and river which flows through the city and links with the Columbia River. The citizens and their local government are notable for: land-use planning, local transport, environment conscious policies, high walkability, a large number bicyclists and ten thousand acres of public parks.

Neighborhoods The Office of Neighborhood Involvement serves as a conduit between city government and Portland's 95 neighborhoods, each represented by a volunteer association serving as liaison between residents and the city government. Portland and its surrounding metropolitan area also have the only directly elected metro planning organization the United States with responsibility for land use, transport planning and solid waste management. Read More

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The Rocky Mountain States

Montana is western history, national parks, cowboys, rodeos, railroad towns and guest ranches.

Glacier National Park crosses the Continental Divide at Logan Pass, offering breathtaking views and opportunity to see wildlife, the rugged terrain along the way and the many unspoiled lakes on a wooden boat, kayak or canoe, a guided horseback ride, or hiking some of the 700 miles of trails.

Bozeman in 1864, John Bozeman led a wagon train over Bozeman Pass into the Gallatin Valley, where his friends W. J. Beall and D. E. Rouse staked out the town site for the city of Bozeman. It is considered one of the most diverse small towns in the Rocky Mountains, with a mix of ranchers, artists, professors, ski enthusiasts and entrepreneurs drawn here by Montana’s world-class outdoor recreation.

Ranch Vacations the state has many unique guest ranches of different types: dude, working, or luxury resort ranches that offer a diverse array of activities from horseback riding to fly fishing, spa treatments to gourmet meals, hiking to rafting. Read More

Wyoming is the ninth largest state of the Union and includes two National Parks, Yellowstone and Grand Teton, Fossil Butte National Monument and the Jackson Hole area. Traveling along its western border through scenic Star Valley to visit the historic town of Jackson, known worldwide for challenging and exciting winter sports, spectacular Teton Mountain Range, Old Faithful and the Lower Falls in Yellowstone. Wyoming is divided into five regions: 
The Northwest has two iconic National Parks, spectacular scenery and welcoming towns with vacation options ranging from rugged backcountry escapes to serene, luxurious retreats.
The Southwest outdoor enthusiasts, amateur paleontologists, wildlife lovers and history buffs prefer this region with beautiful landscape and national treasures such as Fossil Butte National Monument and the Pilot Butte Wild Horse Loop.
The Central Region the North Platte River flows through this long, wide swath of the state. Discover Wyoming’s pioneer story, from scars in the earth left by the Oregon Trail wagons to fascinating history museums.
The Northeast is home to Devils Tower, the first national monument, and acres of public land with sagebrush plains and rolling hills as background for family outings as well as solo adventures.
The Southeast is home to the Wyoming State Capitol, recreational and cultural activities. Read More

Salt Lake City Utah flanked on all sides by dramatic granite cliffs, Salt Lake is a world-class alpine destination with outdoor recreation, a remarkable history, and an economy that has transformed a pioneer town into a sophisticated metropolitan city. Big Cottonwood Canyon and the world-famous Snowbird Aerial Tram with vistas from the top of 11,000-foot Hidden Peak of over 100 miles. Also, a breathtaking backcountry as you horseback or bike ride in the Wasatch Mountains. Thrill seekers can ride down the alpine slide, a new addition to the Snowbird experience.  The Great Salt Lake renowned for its high salinity which varies between 10 and 25%, second only to the Dead Sea, offers much in the way of recreation and relaxation. Antelope Island is ideal for a bike ride along the causeway or experience the trails as you hike, bike and animal watch: deer, bobcats, coyotes, many varieties of birds and waterfowl, and a small herd of elk call the island home. The Island's American Bison were introduced in 1893 and now number some 600 animals. Read More

Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak Region nestled at the base of the Rocky Mountains, visitors to Colorado Springs can enjoy commanding views of Pikes Peak from just about any part of town. The multiple recreational opportunities afforded by the nearby mountains include everything from hiking to taking in the breathtaking geological wonders at Garden of the Gods Park, Cave of the Winds and the Paint Mines Interpretive Park.

Colorado Springs has a Thriving Arts and Cultural Scene

History the area’s first inhabitants were American Indian people. The Ute, Cheyenne, Arapaho and other tribes gathered at the base of Pikes Peak, near its abundant springs. During the 18^th Century both French and Spanish flags flew over the region. But with the Louisiana Purchase more Anglo-American explorers and settlers began to venture west. In 1859, Colorado Springs history is marked with the founding of Colorado City which became the first settlement in the Pikes Peak region. It was the territorial capitol for a short period and served as a supply camp for miners traveling to the mining camps west of Denver. Read More

Phoenix is the cosmopolitan heart of Arizona, the soul of the American Southwest and where you will find sports venues, live music, rooftop lounges, museums, theaters and art galleries.

Downtown and its Cityscape two block entertainment district is also home to the Phoenix Convention Center and Arizona State University’s downtown campus; all served by one of the newest light rail systems in the nation.

Arizona Opera produces grand opera throughout the state of Arizona and is one of only three companies in the US that performs in two cities. In Phoenix, the company performs at Symphony Hall in Downtown. Read More

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