After 40 days of abstinence from a personal temptation, the end of Lent is often marked by indulging in vices. Malta may celebrate Easter with figolli, but Natalie Bowen has ideas for those with a preference for cocoa treats...

Cadbury World, England

Cadbury’s, much like Hershey’s in the US, is a British chocolate institution and there was quite an uproar in the country when the company was bought by American firm Kraft Foods in 2010.

Its Bournville plant in Birmingham, West Midlands, is steeped in British history as it was built during the 1890s specifically as a village for factory workers to live in.

Bournville was built during the 1890s specifically as village for factory workers to live in

Co-owner George Cadbury paid for the original houses himself, focusing on giving residents a cleaner lifestyle than in the polluted Victorian city as he believed a healthier, happier workforce would also be more loyal and efficient.

Visitors can wander around the village, which is still inhabited today, and the chocolate factory produces some of the brand’s favourites such as Cadbury’s Crème Eggs and Wispa bars.

In 1990 the company opened its Cadbury World walk-through attraction within Bournville, which includes 14 visitor zones mixing education about the firm and the history of chocolate with a child-friendly activities, including a ride called Cadabra, and the world’s biggest Cadbury shop.

Everyone has the opportunity to create their own chocolate concoction and there are regular themed events at weekends.

A second Cadbury World opened in New Zealand in 2013, which also includes a factory tour, unlike the original attraction.

Tickets cost £16.25 for adults, £11.95 for children and under-fours go free.

There are also various family group deals, with full information available at​ www.cadburyworld.co.uk.

Birmingham itself has plenty to offer visitors, including great shopping at the city-centre Bull Ring, a planetarium and the Jewellery Quarter, which is filled with museums, art galleries, more than 100 jewellery shops and 200 listed buildings.

Hershey’s Chocolate World, Pennsylvania, US

While Europeans often wince at the taste of Hershey’s chocolate, the brand is wildly popular in the US. So much so, there is not just one related visitor attraction in the company’s home town in Pennsylvania, there are nine around the world.

Nicknamed ‘The Sweetest Place on Earth’, Hershey, PA, was created by the chocolate manufacturer Milton S. Hershey in the early 1900s and is the home of the first attraction. Duplicates followed in New York, Chicago, Las Vegas and Niagara Falls in the US, as well as two in Shanghai and one each in Singapore and Dubai.

The original is part of a huge complex of Hershey–related or sponsored entertainment venues that include Hersheypark, a typical US theme park with rollercoasters, water rides and a zoo.

It replaced the former Hershey’s plant tour, which could not cope with the number of tourists and has since been demolished. The original 10-minute chocolate tour dating from 1973 is free for everyone and includes three singing cows showing a simulated version of how the chocolate is made.

There is also the chance to create a personalised chocolate bar in a replica factory, choosing its flavours and packaging, or join a tasting tour with a chocolatier to learn more about how different type are made, with plenty of samples.

In 2013, the park opened a 4D ‘mystery’ venture using puppetry in collaboration with Jim Henson’s Creature Workshop and there are plenty of shops selling souvenirs and the bestselling confectionery.

Visitors often include trips to one or more attractions in the complex, such as the Hersheypark Stadium or the Hershey Museum.

While entry is free, certain tours require tickets to be bought on the day. More details at www.hersheys.com/chocolateworld

Bruges, Belgium

Sampling lots of different Belgian chocolate is one of the biggest draws for tourists visiting the port of Bruges.

It’s been associated with cocoa since 1600s

The city’s association with chocolate and cocoa dates back to its days as a Spanish trading port in the 17th century, when Europe was first introduced the South American import.

Belgian chocolate is internationally renowned for its quality and inventiveness, typically taking the form of pralines.

Famous brands include Guylian’s iconic seashell designs and Cote d’Or, both of which are widely exported but also popular in their home country.

As well as dozens of small chocolatiers, Bruges has a number of themed attractions, such as Choco-Story, a museum combining demonstrations on how the perfectly shaped sweets are made with an room full of informative displays, original artifacts and tools used for chocolate production centuries ago and historic pieces of literature on the many uses of cocoa beans through the years, such as a currency, drink and status symbol.

The obligatory gift shop and tastings are downstairs. Tickets cost €8 for adults, €5 for children; under-sixes go free. More details at www.choco-story-brugge.be/ENG

Bruges has far more to offer, with romantic cobbled streets, medieval buildings, a maze of canals and a flourishing art scene.

Modica, Sicily

The main street through Modica is peppered with specialist chocolate shops.

This small Sicilian city is famous for its particular type of confectionery, reportedly inspired by an ancient Aztec recipe brought over from Mexico when this island was under Spanish rule in the 15th and 16th centuries.

In fact, special tours are put on to take day trippers into the confectioners-cum-retail shops, where visitors can hear how the dairy-free sweet is made.

Although not all of them take guests into the kitchens where endless batches are produced, any curiosity is satisfied by the dozens of flavour samples handed out, from basil to pepper, lemon to jasmine.

There are no delicate pralines or truffles to pop into your mouth and the inelegant-looking slabs are only really differentiated by their colourful packaging.

What makes Modica chocolate distinct from the creamy versions loved across the continent is that there is no milk involved.

The chocolate is set at a fair lower temperature than usual, which produces a crunchy texture as the sugar grains do not dissolve into the bar.

The bitter, crumbly result is not to everyone’s taste but for lovers of high cocoa-content, it’s a little chunk of heaven.

After you have bought a big enough stash to sate yourself and your loved ones, Modica has plenty of charms to take up the rest of your time. It straddles a steep valley in the Hyblaean Mountains, so wandering around the streets can be an excellent workout for your legs.

Its buildings include beautiful examples of baroque architecture, which were restored or rebuilt after earthquakes in the 17th century and floods in 1833 and 1902.

Don’t miss the impressive Cathedral of St George or St Peter’s church.

Aside from chocolate, many restaurants offer traditional Sicilian food and wine and as the town in the south, its extremely easy to reach from the ferry port Pozzallo.