| Perugia's Eurochocolate Festival, an
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| | favourite and afterward you will have no
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| annual event that is famous throughout
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| | doubt about chocolate's distinct
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| the world, is the most popular chocolate
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| | nutritional and dietary benefits.
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| festival in Europe. Chocolate is big
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| | You can also take part in informative and
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| business in Umbria and Italy, with annual
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| | lively forums that highlight the
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| sales of 350 million euros. Consumption
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| | production of cocoa as a sustainable
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| has doubled over the past 10 years,
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| | industry for third world nations. The
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| rising from two to four kilos per year,
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| | festival has a special area that features
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| per person - and is still growing!
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| | certified Fair Trade cocoa products, made
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| This year's festival, ChocolAge, runs
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| | from cocoa that was bought from Third
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| from 13-21 October 2007. Each year a new
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| | World farmers at a fair price. This cocoa
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| theme is developed, and commercial,
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| | was produced with full respect for
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| educational and cultural activities are
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| | workers' rights and grown in an
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| planned around the theme. For nine
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| | environmentally friendly way. Most
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| delightful days, Perugia in Umbria is
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| | Italian artisan chocolate makers use
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| transformed into a chocolate lovers dream
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| | cocoa with the Fair Trade certification.
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| - a fantastic occasion to discover and
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| | If you need some exercise to work off all
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| enjoy the highly celebrated Umbrian
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| | that overindulgence, there are excellent
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| hospitality.
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| | tennis courts in the city and plenty of
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| More than a million chocoholics visit
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| | places to walk and cycle. Around Perugia,
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| this beautiful city each year, to sample
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| | you will see some of the region's most
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| chocolate delights from all over Europe.
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| | innovative architecture - the
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| You can scramble with the locals for free
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| | Renaissance-era Rocca Paolina Fortress,
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| trimmings as chocolate artists carve huge
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| | the Priori Palace and beautiful churches
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| sculptures out of the massive metre-high
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| | such as the Duomo San Lorenzo and the
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| blocks of dark chocolate placed around
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| | Basilica of San Domenico. For the more
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| Piazza IV Novembre. Join special guided
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| | adventurous, there is plenty of climbing,
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| tours of the city, peruse the many
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| | trekking, rafting, canoeing and kayaking
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| exhibitions and live demonstrations, and
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| | in the hills nearby.
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| enjoy the numerous and generous free
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| | If you are more into relaxation, you will
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| tastings, when samples of chocolate from
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| | enjoy the aromatherapy sessions that
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| all over the world, including Vietnam,
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| | utilise cocoa and chocolate facemasks.
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| Cuba, Bolivia and Papua New Guinea, are
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| | The Eurochocolate festival also showcases
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| handed out on special trowels.
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| | the latest in chocolate beauty treatments
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| If you enjoy shopping, the city's
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| | - and some are free. What a fantastic way
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| charming promenades are filled with
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| | to top off nine days of celebrating the
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| vendors - more than 700 booths offer an
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| | 'food of the gods'.
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| incredible array of goodies made with
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| | Perugia is Umbria's capital city, known
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| chocolate - pasta, salami, liquors,
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| | as the 'green heart of Italy', and the
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| cheeses, desserts, drinks and a vast
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| | area, with its fascinating array of
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| array of pastries, cakes and candies, and
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| | mediaeval towns and hilltop villages, is
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| much more.
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| | a popular tourist destination. The city
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| During the festival, Perugia also hosts
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| | is 175 km from Rome and 150 km from
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| numerous educational and cultural events
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| | Florence and is easily accessed by road
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| - cooking classes, banquets, chocolate
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| | and train. Inexpensive flights are also
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| theatre, a chocolate cooking competition
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| | available from Rome and Florence. You can
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| by top chefs, and finally the
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| | hire a car at the airport and train
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| much-anticipated Eurochocolate Awards.
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| | station, but be sure to book well in
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| The many seminars and talks will increase
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| | advance as this is a very popular
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| your knowledge about this delectable
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| | festival.
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