Chocoversum is Hamburg’s hands-on chocolate museum, set on Meßberg on the edge of the Kontorhaus District, a few minutes from the Speicherstadt where cocoa was once stored by the sack. Visits are by guided tour, and the guide takes you through the whole journey of chocolate: where cocoa grows, how the beans are fermented and roasted, how chocolate is conched and tempered, and how a bar finally reaches the shop shelf. Along the way there are plenty of tastings, from cocoa nibs to finished chocolate, and the highlight for most visitors is designing a chocolate bar of your own, choosing toppings that are added before it sets. The tours last about an hour and a half and run in both English and German, which makes this one of the easiest family activities in Hamburg for international visitors. It is warm, sweet and dry, which counts for a lot on a grey northern afternoon.
How to book: Tiqets sells separate English and German guided tours with tastings, so make sure you pick the English version if you need it; this link goes to the English tour. Groups can be fairly large, up to around thirty people, and tours run at set times, so book a slot in advance, especially at weekends and in school holidays. Chocoversum is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00.
What to expect: the tour is a mix of explanation, short demonstrations and tasting stations. Your own bar is usually made early on so that it has time to set, and you collect it at the end, so keep it flat and cool on the way home. Children enjoy the hands-on parts, while adults tend to appreciate the explanations of cocoa origins and production. A shop at the end sells chocolate and gifts.
Making the most of it: Chocoversum is a short walk from the Chilehaus and the Speicherstadt, so it slots neatly into a day with Miniatur Wunderland or the Speicherstadt tour. Tiqets also sells combinations with the Hamburg Dungeon, an evening harbour cruise and other attractions, though most of those combos use the German tour.
What to expect
The experience
A ninety-minute guided tour with tastings, where you also design and make your own chocolate bar.
Best time
A rainy morning or afternoon; book weekend and holiday slots in advance.
How long
About an hour and a half.
Tips
Choose the English tour when booking, and carry your finished bar flat so it survives the trip home.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Families and chocolate lovers looking for a sweet, hands-on hour on a grey day.
- Families
- One of the best family activities in Hamburg, with tastings and a bar to take home.
- Couples
- A playful date on a wet day, before coffee in the Speicherstadt.
- Pair with
- The Chilehaus, the Speicherstadt and Miniatur Wunderland.
- Time needed
- About two hours with the shop and the walk.
Good questions
Is the Chocoversum tour available in English?+
Yes, there are guided tours in English as well as German. Tiqets sells them as separate products, and this link goes to the English tour.
Can you make your own chocolate at Chocoversum?+
Yes, every visitor designs a chocolate bar with toppings of their choice. It sets during the tour and you collect it at the end.
How long does the tour last?+
About an hour and a half. Allow a little extra for the shop at the end.
Where is Chocoversum?+
It is at Meßberg 1, on the edge of the Kontorhaus District near the Chilehaus. The Speicherstadt is a few minutes away on foot.
Is Chocoversum good for children?+
Yes, the tastings and the chance to make a bar make it a favourite with children. Very young children may find the explanations long.
