Chocolate Museum (Museu de la Xocolata de Barcelona)

As the Chocolate Museum will make clear, chocolate has played a key role in the social and economic fabric of Barcelona. The Catalan capital was once the origin port for the distribution of the cacao-based confection. Here at the Chocolate Museum (Museu de la Xocolata) you'll learn everything you could possibly hope to about this delicious (and historically important) foodstuff. And yes: you sure do get to taste some!

Located in the former Saint Agustí monastery, The Chocolate Museum whisks you on a tasty trip through all things chocolate as you learn about its nutritional and medicinal value. Yes, that's right - chocolate is officially good for you. In fact, in the 18th century, members of the Bourbon army and military academies were given it as a daily ration:

“For breakfast each cadet and company officer shall be given one and a half ounces of chocolate with a quarter of a pound of bread...”

The mission of the Chocolate Museum is to spread the knowledge of the history of this wonderful product, and to keep the traditional values of Catalan confectionery alive. An honorable mission, don't you think? And the people who run this museum know of which they speak: it's an initiative of the Barcelona Provincial Confectionery Guild.

Don't forget to head to the on-site coffee shop for a hot chocolate, and to stock up on the good stuff.