York’s CHOCOLATE Story offers the UK’s first guided tour in ancient Mayan

July 30, 2013 - PRLog -- The attraction in King’s Square, York, will be celebrating the ancient culture and its links to chocolate during weekdays over the holidays (22^nd July – Friday 30^th August). Visitors will be taught some introductory words of the language and even get the chance to sample a cocoa-based drink that was drunk by the mighty Aztec emperor Montezuma.

There will be plenty to do for the whole family and children will be able get hands-on and have a go at making their very own Mayan facemask to take away, as well as take part in chocolate-making workshops and completing a chocolate-themed adventure trail. A team of expert chocolatiers will also be on hand demonstrating how to make Mayan-themed chocolates.

Stephen Spencer, General Manager at York’s CHOCOLATE Story, commented: “We believe we are the first tour in the UK that will be giving guests the chance to learn some ancient Mayan! The Mayan civilization played a key role in the development of chocolate. The Mayans were amongst the first people in the world to discover and cultivate cocoa crops, a process that eventually led to the spread of chocolate across the globe that we see today. There’s loads to discover for the whole family at York’s CHOCOLATE Story and the summer holidays are the perfect time to come along and get involved. It’s best to pre-book your tour in advance, which is really easy to do on our website.”  

York’s CHOCOLATE Story, located in the heart of York, is an entertaining and informative guided tour through the history of York’s most famous chocolate-making families and their finest creations. You’ll discover chocolate’s origins, how to make it, how to taste it like an expert and even the sustainable future of chocolate. You’ll also uncover a host of surprising secrets and fascinating facts behind York’s greatest chocolate products, from the Chocolate Orange to the globally famous Kit Kat. Once you’ve explored chocolate-making and its history, you can even shop for and indulge in chocolate to your heart’s content.

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For further information and to confirm attendance please email Ralph Hewitt on rhewitt@yorkschocolatestory.com or call 01904 527724.  

Notes to editors:

Notes to editors:

To find out more visit www.yorkschocolatestory.com

Admission prices:

Adult £9.50

Concession £8.50

Child (aged 4-15) £7.50. Children under 4 are free.

Family (2 adults and 2 children) £28

The attraction is open daily from 10am – 6pm (last tour 5pm). Throughout the summer holidays (Saturday 20 July - Sunday 1 September) opening hours are extended to 9.30am - 7.30pm (last tour is at 6pm). Closed on 25^th December and 1^st January.

The attraction is divided into three key zones for visitors:

Story Zone - the journey begins thousands of years ago in the rainforests of Central America and continues through the history of chocolate’s founding families and the fascinating facts behind their finest creations.

Factory Zone - learn how a simple cocoa bean is transformed into the finest chocolate, and take a look at the history of York’s most iconic chocolate brands. Then master the secrets of the chocolatier, as you create hand-made chocolates for yourself, before seeing how the experts do it.

TheIndulgence Zone - put new knowledge into practice and choose from a selection of chocolate drinks and treats in the Chocolate Bar Café and Shop.

We advise booking your tour online in advance at www.yorkschocolatestory.com