Chocolate & Cheese
Two products have made Switzerland famous worldwide — and both are a serious art form in their homeland.
★★★ Swiss Chocolate
Switzerland is the chocolate nation of the world: Over 10 kg of chocolate per year is consumed per capita here — a world record. The Swiss invented milk chocolate (Daniel Peter, 1875), perfected conching (Rodolphe Lindt, 1879), and elevated pralines to an art form.
- Lindt Home of Chocolate (Kilchberg near Zurich): The chocolate museum with the world's largest chocolate fountain (9 meters, 1,500 kg of chocolate). Interactive tour through history and production. Tasting included. 17 CHF. S-Bahn from Zurich: 15 min.
- Cailler (Broc near Gruyères): The oldest existing Swiss chocolate brand (1819). Factory tour with tasting: 15 CHF. Ideal combination with the Gruyère cheese dairy.
- Sprüngli: Zurich's chocolatier since 1836. The Luxemburgerli (delicate macarons, 2.80 CHF/piece) are a must. Flagship: Paradeplatz Zurich.
★★★ Swiss Cheese
Switzerland produces over 450 types of cheese — from mild to spicy, from alpine to valley:
- Gruyère AOP: The king of Swiss cheeses. Nutty, spicy, perfect for fondue. Cheese dairy in Gruyères (12 CHF).
- Emmentaler AOP: The one with the holes. Mild to tangy depending on aging. Cheese dairy in Affoltern (8 CHF).
- Appenzeller: The spiciest — matured with a secret herbal brine. Cheese dairy in Stein AR (7 CHF).
- Sbrinz: The Swiss Parmesan — aged 18 months, extra hard, perfect for shaving.
- Alpine Cheese: Seasonal (June–September) made in the Alps — each alp has its own flavor. Buy at weekly markets and directly on the Alps.
💡 Tipp
In the Gruyère region, you can have a perfect gastro day: In the morning, visit the Gruyère cheese dairy (12 CHF, with tasting), then explore the medieval town of Gruyères (castle, 12 CHF), have fondue at Restaurant Le Chalet (32 CHF/person, the best fondue in the region), and in the afternoon, visit the Cailler chocolate factory in Broc (15 CHF). All within 15 minutes' distance!
