Tasty chocolate experiences to enjoy in Switzerland
Chocolate lovers are in heaven when they visit Switzerland. The country is renowned for its chocolate production and some of the most famous Swiss chocolate brands allow you visit their factories, watch the tasty products being made and – of course – sample the goods.
In this guide you’ll find details of some of the fun and tasty chocolate experiences you can enjoy in Switzerland from factory tours and tastings, to chocolate making workshops and more.
Top image courtesy Laderach
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What's in this Article
Summary of Chocolate Experiences to Enjoy in Switzerland
| Experience | Where | Tickets & Info |
| Lindt Home of Chocolate | Kilchberg | Click here |
| Jungfraujoch Lindt Chocolate shop | Jungfraujoch | Click here |
| Swiss Chocolate Adventure | Lucerne | Click here |
| Chocolate and cheese full day tour | Zurich | Click here |
| Maestrani Chocolarium | Flawil | Click here |
| Funky Chocolate Club | Interlaken | Click here |
| Maison Cailler | Broc | Click here |
| Chocolate Train | Montreux | Click here |
| Camille Bloch | Courtelary | Click here |
| Aeschbach Chocolatiers | Root | Click here |
| Villars Maitre Chocolatier | Fribourg | Click here |
| Chocolat Alprose | Caslano-Lugano | Click here |
| Chocolate tasting tuk tuk tour | Zurich | Click here |
| Chocolate flavours walking tour | Geneva | Click here |
Lindt Home of Chocolate
Opened in Autumn 2020, Switzerland’s newest chocolate museum, the Lindt Home of Chocolate at Kilchberg just outside Zurich, covers an area of 500 m2, making it the largest of all Lindt chocolate shops.
Visitors can learn all about chocolate on a multimedia tour and see the world’s highest chocolate fountain (it is 9 metres tall and has 1,500 kilograms of chocolate flowing through it!
You can take part in a chocolate making workshop with a LINDT Master Chocolatier or spoil yourself with a purchase from the chocolate shop.
There’s also a cafe where you can enjoy meals and snacks, including, of course, some delicious chocolate treats.
The Lindt Home of Chocolate can be easily reached by tram from central Zurich – just alight at the Schokoladenplatz stop!
Location: Schokoladenplatz 1, Kilchberg. You can reach Lindt Home of Chocolate from central Zurich by tram or boat.
Swiss Chocolate Adventure, Lucerne
Lots of fun chocolate experiences await at Swiss Chocolate Adventure which is located at the Swiss Transport Museum in Lucerne.
Start your visit of the exhibition by riding in a chocolate-shaped car that takes you on a journey to delight your senses.
Learn about the production of chocolate and taste the finished product. At select times during the day there is a chocolate fountain you can drink from!
Tastings: 1pm, 3pm and 5 pm (summer) and 2pm and 4 pm (winter). Rides begin at 1pm on weekdays and 11am on weekends and public holidays (all times subject to change).
Click here to check prices and book your tickets >>
Location: Swiss Museum of Transport, Lucerne.
There’s also the Jungfraujoch Lindt Chocolate Shop at the “Top of Europe.” Here you can turn Lindt’s chocolate machine and watch a virtual presentation on how some of the best chocolate in Switzerland is made. It’s open 365 days a year and is free to enter.
Chocolate and cheese full day tour from Zurich
For a fun – and tasty – day trip from Zurich, this tour is a winner. Visit the beautiful Appenzell region where you’ll get a Swiss introduction to both chocolate and cheese!
Your first stop on the way will be the famous Lindt chocolate shop at Kilchberg (mentioned above) where you can purchase delicious chocolate treats at a discount. The brand new facility, which opened in September 2020, is officially known as Lindt Home of Chocolate.
Next you’ll visit a show dairy and learn about the making of famous Appenzeller cheese, and then take the cable car to the top of the Hoher Kasten mountain where you can eat at the revolving restaurant and take in the stunning views of the region.
At last you’ll reach Appenzell and, after a short walking tour where you’ll learn about Swiss gingerbread, you’ll have time to explore this gorgeous town at your leisure.
The 9-hour Mountains, Cheese and Chocolate tour departs Zurich at 10am. It operates on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from May to October and Monday and Friday in April, November and December. Click here to check prices and book.
Maestrani Chocolarium at Flawil
If you’re looking for tons of family-friendly fun and a peek into the real-life production of chocolate, this is the place to go.
Besides an interactive museum where kids get to ‘milk’ cows and learn about the chocolate-making process, you also get to walk through a glass corridor in the heart of the factory and see chocolates being made on mass scale (during business hours).
Plus you get to taste plenty of chocolate (and some cocoa beans) on your journey.
Watch the one hundred metre long chocolate machine in action, and then top your trip off by decorating your own chocolate bar (for an additional cost).
The shop is overflowing with 300 different chocolate products, and you can get treats, snacks, sandwiches and hot chocolate at the cafe, and eat them on the terrace in good weather.
Like the other major chocolate excursions on this list, Maestrani Chocolarium offers additional workshops you can take if you want to get your hands messy, but their unique offer is an overnight stay at the new Schoggi (chocolate) room at Hotel Santispark!
You get a Discovery tour of the Chocolarium, overnight accommodation with breakfast at the hotel, a 3-course evening meal and free access to the swimming pool, water slide, and saunas at the hotel.
Location: You’ll find the Maestrani Chocolarium at Toggenburgerstrasse 41, 9230 Flawil in Eastern Switzerland. It is 20 kilometres from St. Gallen and 72 kilometres from Zurich.
Opening hours:
- Monday to Friday : 10am to 6pm (closed Mondays in January/February/November)
- Saturday and Sunday : 10am to 5pm
Closed 25 and 26 December and 1 January.
> Click here to check prices and book.
Funky Chocolate Club in Interlaken
This fun – and tasty – shop has become a must-visit place in Interlaken for chocolate lovers.
In the shop you can taste and purchase products created by local artisans, most of which are Fair Trade and Organic.
While most of the experiences on this list focus on decades-old chocolatiers and big brand names, the Funky Chocolate Club lets you support (deserving) small shops.
If you’d like to dive further into the process of chocolate making, you’ll get all the history and tips and tricks of chocolate-making you’d like in their specialty workshops that run at 11am, 2pm, 4pm, and 6pm.
The workshops also teach you how to properly taste chocolate and of course you can eat as much chocolate as you like! You’ll take home your creations, but make sure you book online to reserve your spot.
And if the chocolate wasn’t enough to sell you, you’ll also get to enjoy their signature coffees, amazingly thick hot chocolate, or chocolate-covered strawberries .
Kids 4 and up are welcome!
The Funky Chocolate Club makes a great outing at any time but it’s an especially good activity for a rainy day in Interlaken.
Location: Funky Chocolate Club is located at Postgasse 10, Interlaken. It’s a 20 minute walk from both Interlaken Ost and Interlaken West train stations.
Opening hours:
- Summer season (1 May to mid-October) Daily : 10am to 8pm
- Winter season (9 November to April 30) Wednesday and Thursday 3pm to 8pm; Friday and Saturday 3pm to 10pm; Sunday 11am to 5pm.
Maison Cailler, Chocolate Factory, Switzerland — in Broc
Visit the vast and gorgeous Maison Cailler factory, home of one of the world’s finest chocolates, created by the oldest chocolate manufacturers in Switzerland still in operation. While most brands use powdered milk to create their chocolates, Callier uses a condensed milk — which sounds better to me!
At the Broc chocolate factory where Frigor and Cailler chocolates are still produced, you’ll enjoy an hour-long exhibit that follows chocolate making from the Aztecs to today.
Children up to 16 are free with their parent’s admission, which makes this a family-friendly excursion. And chocolate tasting is included!
For an extra CHF 12 you can pour and decorate your very own chocolate bar (Saturday and Sunday afternoons only) to eat yourself or give as a gift.
But if you’d like to delve deeper into chocolate-making, Cailler offers a variety of workshops for every age. Check them all out here.
When you’re done stop into the gift shop to purchase Callier memorabilia and, of course, chocolate. Take a seat at the cafe and order an exquisite hot chocolate or fancy dessert crafted by Callier’s expert chocolatiers.
Cailler is now owned by the Swiss multi-national company Nestle
Location: Maison Cailler is situated in Broc, five kilometres from Gruyeres and 41 kilometres from Montreux.
Opening hours:
- 10:00am – 5:00pm daily except 1 January and 25 December
Chocolate Train Switzerland from Montreux to Gruyeres
A fun way to reach Maison Cailler (mentioned above) is on a day-long excursion aboard the Chocolate Train. This truly Switzerland in a nutshell — and utterly delicious.
First you’ll set off from Montreux via a first-class-only train and arrive in Gruyeres.
There you’ll be introduced to the secrets of creating the world-famous Gruyeres cheese, and then take a coach to the town’s castle for a tour. Afterward you’ll get back on the train and go to Broc to learn about and taste chocolate at the Cailler-Nestlé factory (mentioned above).
Why not buy some chocolate at factory prices to bring home for friends (or yourself)?
Finally, board the train and head back to Montreux where you can enjoy sightseeing or simply relax in your hotel room and eat chocolate!
If you hold a Swiss Pass (which you can read more about here) you get a discount on the whole excursion.
Location: The Chocolate Train is operated by MOB and runs between Montreux and Gruyeres.
Operating times:
1 May to 31 October only
- May and June – the train operates Monday to Thursday
- July and August – daily services
- September and October – the train operates on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday
If the idea of a tour sounds fun but you’d prefer to travel by bus, no problem. Full day tours from Geneva are available – click here to check prices for a chocolate and cheese tour to Gruyeres by bus.
Frey Chocolate
Way back in 1887 the Frey brothers started their chocolate company, which was bought out by the supermarket chain Migros in 1950. According to Frey, they’re the only major Swiss chocolate brand produced 100% in Switzerland, so it’s worth trying for that alone!
Whilst the Chocolate Frey Visitor Centre in Buchs was forced to close permanently in March 2020 due to Covid-19, there’s no reason to miss trying this delicious Swiss chocolate.
Frey Chocolate is readily available in supermarkets throughout the country and comes in a variety of forms including bars, truffles and pralines.
Toblerone
Invented in 1908 by Theodor Tobler and Emil Baumann, the classic Toblerone chocolate bar is perhaps the most recognizable Swiss chocolate because of its unique triangle shape which resembles the peak of the Matterhorn.
The blend of milk chocolate, nougat, almonds and honey creates a tasty treat that has stood the test of time.
Look closely and you’ll see the outline of a bear hidden in the mountain logo, signifying the town of Bern where the bars were first created, and are still made today.
Unfortunately there is no Toblerone factory or museum to visit but don’t let that stop you enjoying the sensational taste of a Toblerone when you visit Switzerland! They are readily available in supermarkets.
Laderach Chocolate Experience in Bilten
While certainly not as old as some of the other chocolates on the list (founded in 1962), Laderach is famous worldwide for their FrischSchoggi (Fresh Chocolate) — slabs of chocolatey goodness filled with all kinds of goodies from nuts to berries.
The full Laderach Chocolate Experience in Bilten is currently getting an upgrade but you can still get a guided tour of part of the exhibit during renovations. Just make sure you book in advance here (they have tours available in both German and English).
In addition to tours, Laderach also offers a wide variety of workshops at their different locations with something for everyone.
At the Laderach Chocolaterie in Vevey (Montreux Riviera), you can learn about proper chocolate tasting, kids can pour chocolate into fun moulds, or you can make seasonal chocolates. Workshops aren’t held daily and require advance booking. They also have a shop on site where you can buy chocolate — of course!
Finally, at the Laderach factory in Ennenda, you can get a guided tour of the factory and watch the chocolatiers make their amazing treats. The chocolate tours are about 2 hours long and there’s no seating available, so make sure you’re up for the challenge.
Location: Bilten, Vevey and Ennenda
Camille Bloch chocolate factory tour, Switzerland
If you’re looking for a full immersion into chocolate, the Camille Bloch factory has it all — from a museum that takes you through the history of the three generations who have kept Bloch chocolate alive since 1929, to a playground for kids, to an expansive shop offering exclusive chocolates you can’t buy anywhere else.
The museum tours include some chocolate tasting (of course!) and plenty of historical information about the Bloch family.
But things get even more exciting when you book time in a workshop. They have multiple different workshop options ranging from one to two hours where you will leave with your own chocolate creation. Reserve your spot here.
At the cafe and terraces you can sit down and enjoy chocolate-inspired drinks and delicacies while sitting outdoors. And if you’re kids need to burn off some of that sugar high, they can run around the adjoining playground.
Finally you can spend your life savings on every kind of Ragusa and Torino chocolate you can imagine, and even pick and mix your own assortment of treats. Want to personalize some chocolates as a gift? You can have a personal message engraved on a bar of Ragusa.
Location: Chez Camille Bloch is located at Courtelary, close to Lake Neuchatel. It is around one hour by car from Bern and 90 minutes from Lausanne.
Opening hours:
- Tuesday – Sunday: 10am to 6pm (except December 25, 26 and 31 and January 1, 6 to 17.)
ChocoWorld by Aeschbach Chocolatier in Root
Aeschbach Chocolatiers has been around since 1972 (it’s now third generation family-owned) and the Schoggitaler chocolate coins they are well known for are sold by Swiss school children each year.
At their factory in Root you’ll get another awesome excursion. The ChocoWorld includes everything from ChocoStudio to ChocoWelt to ChocoManufaktur to ChocoWerk! What do all those words mean?
ChocoWorld is the ‘main event’ where you’ll go on an interactive tour of the chocolate-making process from bean to store. You’ll get to watch chocolatiers at work (Monday to Friday) and ask them any questions you like.
Plus, Aeschbach Chocolatiers are the only manufacturers in Switzerland to produce chocolate coins, which you can pay to have specially embossed.
ChocoWelt is a bonus add-on of the ChocoWorld experience called ‘ChocoWorld Plus’ — you’ll get to create your own 200g chocolate bar and decorate it as you wish. And of course, bring it home to snack on.
Fancy taking a mountain excursion whilst you’re in the Lucerne region? This article will help you decide which one is right for you.
But if you’re really interested in seeing the chocolate-making process up-close and personal, you can join a guided tour of the factory (called “ChocoManufaktur”) which includes the ChocoWelt experience.
Like many of the other factories on this list, Aeschbach also offers specialized chocolate-creation workshops in their ChocoStudio and in ChocoWerk you can make a seasonally appropriate chocolate creation.
Round your trip off with a visit to the ChocoStore and ChocoCafe where you can purchase all kinds of melt-in-your-mouth delights.
Location: Aeschbach Chocolatier can be found at Root, just outside of Lucerne. There’s a train stop at Root D4 which is just a few hundred metres’ walk to the factory.
Opening hours:
- Open 10am to 5pm daily (except Christmas Day and New Year’s Day)
Teuscher Chocolate Shops in Zurich
While you won’t find a museum filled with chocolate facts here, the Teuscher store in Zurich is well worth a visit anyway.
With no admission fee to browse the opulent ‘chocolate heaven’, you can save all your francs for purchasing their expensive, very fancy chocolates.
Of course Teuscher believes it sells the best Swiss chocolate, but you’ll have to decide.
Dolf Teuscher, the creator of Teuscher Chocolates, got started back in the 1940s and his chocolate shops have gained world-wide fame ever since.
Amazingly all the Teuscher Chocolates are made right in this chocolate factory (Zurich) with only the finest ingredients and without chemicals, additives and preservatives.
Definitely worth paying extra for, right? Get details here.
Location: The flagship store can be found at Storchengasse 9, Zurich (opening hours below) but Teuscher Chocolates also have locations at Zurich Main Station and in the Globus department store in Zurich, as well as at Rue de la Corraterie 16, Geneva.
Opening hours:
- 9am to 7pm Monday to Friday
- 10am to 6pm Saturday
- 1pm to 6pm Sunday
Villars Maitre Chocolatîer, Fribourg
Villars chocolate goes all the way back to 1901, when Wilhelm Kaiser founded his company in Fribourg. His factory is still in use today.
The company prides itself on its use of the finest Swiss milk which they get from Fribourg cows — they say the milk used is just as important as the cocoa beans chosen. Plus the liqueurs and sugar come 100% from Switzerland.
Like Teuscher, there’s no museum at the shop in Fribourg, but unlike their competitor, Villars has a ‘discount’ room offering chocolates that are nearing their sell by date for a reduced rate.
You can also sit and enjoy some coffee with your chocolate treats, which I consider a real bonus!
Location: You can find Villars Maître Chocolatier at Rte de la Fonderie 2 in Fribourg.
Opening Hours:
- Monday – Friday : 8.30am – 5.30pm (5pm closing during July and August)
- Saturday : 8.30am – 12.30pm
Chocolat Alprose – Caslano-Lugano
If you want to see a chocolate factory at work, visit Chocolat Alprose during business hours (Monday to Friday). You’ll get to look through windows at the chocolate manufacturing process.
Only able to go Saturday or Sunday? You can still buy entrance to their small museum filled with old machinery and collectibles that tell the story of chocolate-making through the ages, but be warned it’s not as interactive or expansive as some of the other museums on the list.
Besides taking a few selfies with the cow statue out front, one of the best things about a visit to Chocolat Alprose is sampling their chocolates for FREE in the shop before purchasing. That’s a nice perk since this might not be a brand you’ve tasted before, and no one wants to buy a chocolate they don’t love!
Location: Chocolat Alprose is located at Via Rompada 36, 6987 Caslano, Switzerland. It takes around 25 minutes to reach Chocolat Alprose by car from Lugano.
Opening hours:
- Monday to Sunday : 9am to 5pm for Museum-Experience Centre
- Monday to Sunday : 9am to 5.30pm for Shop (except December 24 and 31 when it closes at 1pm.)
The shop is closed on 25 and 26 December and on 1 January.
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Chocolate tasting tuk tuk tour in Zurich
Why not start your visit to Zurich with a fun ride around the city in a Tuk Tuk. Your eTuk (a kind of carriage ride on a moped) will be driven by a local guide who is there to tell you all about Zurich’s chocolate scene.
On your chocolate tasting tuk tuk tour you’ll stop at three artisan chocolatiers and enjoy free chocolate tasting at each one. While whizzing about you’ll get to see the city, which is handy for going back and exploring after the tour is completed.
(No doubt you’ll want to re-visit some of those chocolate shops!)
The tour last 90 minutes and there are numerous departures each day. Click here to check prices and book.
Fondue Tuk Tuk tours are also available.
Chocolate Flavours Walking Tour of Geneva
A relaxing and enjoyable way to see a different side of Geneva is on a fun and tasty chocolate flavours walking tour that visits a number of artisan chocolatiers.
As you stroll around Geneva you’ll call at some of the city’s tastiest addresses, sampling everything from pralines and truffles to ganaches and pastries as you go. A highlight is bound to be tasting Switzerland’s gold medal-winning chocolate cake.
On this informative tour you’ll also learn about the history of Swiss chocolate making and the manufacturing secrets that have made Swiss chocolate so famous.
The 3-hour tour operates daily at 10am. Click here to check prices and book your place.
Which Swiss chocolate experience will you choose?
As you can see, there are a wide range of chocolate experiences to enjoy in Switzerland.
Whether you’d prefer to try you hand at making chocolate in a workshop, learn more about the production of chocolate on a factory tour or just indulge your taste buds, there’s a chocolate experience for you. Enjoy!
Intro image courtesy Laderach
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