With perfectionist rigor and a devotion to painstaking artisanal tradition, Italians turn out some of the world’s most coveted edibles. While northern neighbors Switzerland and Belgium may be better known for their overall chocolate output, Italy is a stellar producer too, with places like Torino, Perugia, and the chocolate valley in Tuscany among the places creating memorable sweets.

But to sample one of the most unusual and historic types of Italian chocolate–at its source–you need to travel to the exquisite Baroque city of Modica in southern Sicily. Here you’ll find chocolate created with ancient techniques, dating from the time of the Aztecs, and brought to the area in the 1500s when Spain dominated the island.