Chocolate history workshop Ghent: Grind cacao beans

You grind the cacao beans yourself, the way the Maya and Aztecs did.

A hands-on chocolate workshop in Ghent where you grind cacao beans into chocolate from scratch, taste a 5,000-year-old hot chocolate recipe, and learn the history of Belgian chocolate from ancient medicine to modern bonbons. Groups stay under eight people. Minimum age is 12. The grinding requires normal hand and wrist strength.

The experience

You start in a cozy tasting room in Ghent's historic centre, a five-minute walk from Graslei and a corner away from Gravensteen castle. A certified English-speaking guide walks you through the workshop, which runs about two hours. The space sits inside a historical building kept at around 18°C to preserve the chocolate quality, so bring a sweater if you're easily cold.

The work itself is the point: you grind cacao beans by hand into chocolate, recreating the method used centuries ago. As you work, the guide takes you through Belgian chocolate's evolution, from its origins as medicine to the first bonbons and the hot chocolate recipes that shaped European courts. You'll taste a chocolate drink recipe that dates back 5,000 years, then recreate a 17th-century hot chocolate formula. The workshop also includes samples of artisanal Belgian chocolates from different makers across the country, all in one room, so you can compare styles without traveling. By the end, you take home a chocolate bar you've made yourself.

The tasting room holds up to eight people, keeping the experience personal. Public transport stops nearby, and the location makes it easy to combine with a day of sightseeing in Ghent. The shop does note that the historical building isn't easily wheelchair-accessible. If you need support, contact them beforehand to work out what's possible.

What’s included

• Certified English-speaking guide.
• hot chocolate with a historical recipe.
• water.
• Belgian artisanal chocolates from different makers.
• cacao products.
• chocolate bar you craft yourself from cacao beans.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except Wednesday and ThursdayDeparts at 11:00

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Under 12: can't be booked

GroupUp to 6

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Pets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Chocolade Ambassade

Is this one for you?The workshop sits in the historic centre with public transport nearby, so you can reach it without a car and easily combine it with a day exploring Ghent's sights.

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Top questions

What exactly do I make in this workshop?

You grind cacao beans into chocolate by hand, then take home a chocolate bar you've created yourself. This is chocolate-making from scratch, not techniques like tempering or shaping bonbons.

How long does the workshop take?

The workshop runs about two hours, including the grinding, tasting, and history lessons woven through the experience.

What chocolate will I taste during the workshop?

You'll taste a 5,000-year-old hot chocolate drink recipe, a 17th-century hot chocolate formula you recreate, and artisanal Belgian chocolates from different makers across the country. Chocolate bonbons, including the iconic seashells, are also included.

Is this workshop suitable for children?

The minimum age is 12. Participants need normal hand and wrist strength to grind the cacao beans, which is the core activity.

Where in Ghent is the workshop located?

The tasting room sits in Ghent's historic centre, a five-minute walk from Graslei and near Gravensteen castle. Public transport options are available nearby, making it easy to reach without a car.