The Chocolatarium
BEST FOR
Ages 6+
ENTRY
from £18.50
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
Edinburgh
What it’s like
A guided chocolate tour where kids make their own bar and taste their way through 40 flavours, best from age six up.
This isn't a soft play with a chocolate theme bolted on, it's a proper 90 minute guided tour where your kid makes their own bar from scratch, picks flavours from a wall of 40, and works through single-origin tastings like they know what they're talking about. There's a Scottish chocolate tasting too, so it's not just sugar for sugar's sake.
The age cut-off matters here and it's not arbitrary. Under-sixes aren't allowed on the Tour of Chocolate, and the site is upfront about why: there's a stretch of listening to a guide for up to 15 minutes, and the chocolate-making counter is 90cm high, which is a stretch for smaller arms. If you've got a six or seven-year-old who can sit still and likes getting stuck in, this is squarely built for them rather than for the under-fives crowd who'd normally tag along to this sort of thing.
At £18.50 a child and £28 for an adult, it's not a cheap Tuesday out, but you're paying for the guide, the tastings and the bar you take home, not just an hour indoors. Book ahead: walk-ins happen sometimes but they sell out often, and turning up more than 15 minutes late gets you refused entry with no refund, which is a harsh one to explain to a disappointed kid in the car.
Worth knowing before you go: pushchairs don't fit inside, so if you've got a buggy it stays in the waiting room, and there are steps at the entrance and between rooms that rule out wheelchair access. If your child's birthday falls near a school holiday, they open later and later in high season, and there's a gift shop open daily if the tour whets an appetite for more.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- Ages 6 to 15; under-sixes aren't admitted on the tour
- Booking
- Book in advance to secure your place
- Pushchairs
- Not permitted inside building
- Wheelchairs
- Not wheelchair accessible. Folding/narrow wheelchairs only with limitations
- Parties
- Birthday parties available. Book via groups form
- The gift shop is open daily from 10am to 5pm even if you're not booked on a tour
- Hours stretch later in high season and holiday periods, shorter the rest of the year
- Closed on 25 and 26 December and 1 January
- Teenagers and adults get their own experiences too, like truffle-making from age 12 and cocktail, wine or whisky pairings from 18
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
£18.50 for a child aged 6 to 15 and £28 for an adult on the Tour of Chocolate. Other experiences like truffle-making or the cocktail pairing cost more and have their own age limits.
What's the minimum age?
Six for the main Tour of Chocolate. The guide talks for up to 15 minutes at a stretch and the chocolate-making counter is 90cm high, both of which are tough on younger kids.
Do we need to book?
Book ahead if you can. Walk-ins sometimes work but they sell out often, especially with kids in high season.
What happens if we're late?
More than 15 minutes late and they can refuse you entry with no refund, so build in time to find the place.
Can we bring a pushchair?
No, pushchairs aren't allowed inside the building, though there's space for one in the waiting room.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
Not really. There are steps at the entrance and between rooms, so it suits people who aren't wheelchair dependent and can manage a few steps.
How long does the tour take?
90 minutes, and that includes the tastings and making your own bar.
Can we bring a baby?
Babies under 3 months who aren't yet crawling can come along in a baby carrier, but if they get restless they need to go to the waiting area.
Do you do birthday parties?
They run birthday parties and you book through their groups form.
Can we cancel if plans change?
Full refund, rebooking or a gift voucher if you cancel more than 24 hours before your tour time.
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