Opatija will host the 20th, jubilee edition of the Chocolate Festival from 6 to 8 November, an event offering tastings, workshops, concerts and gastronomic attractions over three days. The festival hub will be the Gervais Centre and the Juraj Šporer Art Pavilion, where visitors will be able to create their own chocolate creations.
More than 35 exhibitors from Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Italy and Serbia will present themselves at the festival. One of the main attractions will be Choco Crash – Grand Edition at the Gervais Centre, where visitors will smash large chocolate slabs with small hammers and taste the pieces. In front of the Gervais Centre, Keight hotel will set up a chocolate bar with cocktails and chocolate drinks, while Gelato kutak will offer artisan Valle Losca ice creams.
Chef and food influencer Leo Jurešić will present the sculpture “Opatijska kamelija – umjetnost koju možete kušati” on the first day. The chocolate installation will include edible soil made from roasted almonds and cocoa, as well as chocolate branches and camellia flowers aromatized with rose water. Visitors will be able to taste the chocolate flowers and learn about the production process.
The Čoko laboratorij by Martini Cioccolato will be held at the Zora Cultural Centre. Workshops for children cost 7 euros, for adults 10 euros, and the praline-making masterclass 15 euros. Tickets are available on the mojekarte.hr portal. Chocolate Experience Opatija is organising workshops for making Opatija chocolate and hot chocolate for children and adults, at prices ranging from 10 to 15 euros. Information and bookings are available on number 092 418 4101 or by email at radionice@cokolada.hr.
A wine and chocolate pairing workshop will be held at the Gervais Centre at a price of 25 euros. Tickets can be purchased at the TAMAN Artisan Chocolates stand or via their website. A guided pairing of Croatian wines and handmade chocolates is also prepared by Lovor Wine Bistro under the leadership of Karmela Tancabel.
Among the special features is Pure Chocolate, a concert connecting music, colours and tastes. Eight musical works will be linked to specific colours and eight pralines from Austrian manufacturer Josef Zotter. After each performance, the audience will taste the corresponding praline, while the programme and box contents will be revealed only in the hall. A ticket costs 20 euros and is available at the Festival Opatija office at the Ljetna pozornica (Zert 6A) on weekdays from 8 to 15 hours, at the Gervais Centre (Nikole Tesle 5) one hour before the programme, at the Dallas Music Shop and Foto Revija sales points in Rijeka, and on the mojekarte.hr portal.
The Choco igraonica by Cukar.animacija will be held at the Gervais Centre, while students from the Opatija School of Hospitality and Tourism will present chocolate sweets prepared for the Festival. At Villa Antonio, the programme “Tajna astečkih mudraca: U potrazi za pravom čokoladom” is being organised for children aged five and their parents. Through stories, experiments and joint tasks, participants will learn about the history of cocoa and chocolate and their impact on the human body. The programme is led by family medicine doctor and nutritionist master’s graduate Asmira Husić Mulabećirović, and is divided into four thematic units. Participants symbolically travel from ancient Mexico and the Peruvian Andes to modern shops and chocolate products. Applications are accepted via the Opatija Tourist Information Centre on number 051 271 310 or by email at tic@visitOpatija.com.
Hotel Imperial is preparing workshops “Ježić od čokolade i maruna” and “Čokoladna razglednica iz Opatije”, while Hotel Miramar will host the art workshop “Čoko i Art s Jelenom Cetinja Vukelić”. Amadria Park Hotel Continental is participating with the Milenij Choco svijeta programme, which brings the Choco corner, Choco Crash – 20th Anniversary Edition and “It’s choco o’clock”. A costumed guided tour “Slatke tajne carske Opatije” with madam Emilija will be held in Croatian and English. Participants will be accompanied by a ballerina and a harlequin on part of the walk, and will receive a Lungomare chocolate lollipop as a souvenir.
Chocolate will be available to taste from a fountain, in extravagant cocktails, hot drinks and artisan ice creams, paired with wine and classical music, turned into artistic decorations, used in wellness treatments, smashed with a hammer and decorated. All interested parties can make their own Opatija chocolate – Angiolina, RetrOpatija or Lungomare. The offer will be supplemented by chocolate masterclasses and workshops for children and adults, wine and chocolate tastings, concerts and numerous other sweet surprises. The programme is held in Croatian and English, and the full schedule is available on the Visit Opatija website and on the Facebook and Instagram pages of the Opatija City Tourist Board.
