Switzerland, Home To The World's Best Chocolate

Did you know that chocolate as we know it was invented in Switzerland? Until the Swiss entered the chocolate scene, chocolate was never anything more than a hot bitter beverage and chocolate bars had an uneven and gritty texture. But inventions in the 19th century by some now rather famous names produced the milk chocolate we know and love today.

Here are some of the best chocolate experiences you could indulge in on a visit to Switzerland.

This is favourite day trip where you can eat both chocolate and cheese! This delightful train with pretty Belle-Epoque style carriages runs between Montreux (by the shores of Lake Geneva) and Gruyéres. There is some fabulous scenery along the way - of Lake Geneva, fringed with the dramatic Alps and beautiful Swiss valleys, dotted with piebald cows and traditional Alpine chalets. Your first stop is at the Gruyères cheese factory where you can watch a cheese making demo and sample some of the famous cheese. Next is the visit via the Chocolate Bus to the Nestlé-Cailler chocolate factory in Broc where you can finish off with some chocolate tasting! 

The origins of this famously smooth chocolate date back to Rodolphe Lindt who in 1879 discovered how to make the fine, tasty chocolate fondant through a processing technique called conching. Lindt kept his invention top secret until his later partnership with the Sprünglis. Conching is still used by chocolate manufacturers all over the world even today. In 2020 Lindt & Sprüngli opened the Lindt Home Of Chocolate in Kilchberg. It houses interactive exhibits, the world's largest Lindt chocolate shop, a café, a Chocolateria for chocolate workshops and one of the world’s largest chocolate fountains! Visit this fascinating attraction from Lucerne or Zurich.

The Lindt chocolate attraction at the summit of the Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe attraction in the Bernese Alps explains the whole chocolate making process from cocoa extraction to the production of the famous Lindt truffles. You then have the opportunity to browse in the shop which is filled with delicious treats! A delightful experience during your day out on the Jungfraujoch at 3,454m. Visit from Interlaken, Wengen, Grindelwald and many other Bernese resorts.

This visitor attraction based in Lucerne's fascinating Museum Of Transport explains how cocoa for the best chocolate in the world makes it way to Switzerland. The adventure ride takes place on board a vehicle shaped like a Lindor Ball and as you move through the world of chocolate you learn where cocoa comes from, how it’s processed and how it finds its way to Switzerland – plus what’s added to the cocoa to give it its incredible taste. After the adventure ride, there are plenty of opportunities to taste the various creations provided by Lindt's master chocolatiers.

Vevey lies just along the lakeshore from Montreux with a lovely Old Town, elegant cafés and palm trees by the water’s edge. Vevey is also home to Nestlé and is where the world's first milk chocolate was created in 1875.

In 1866, the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company started supplying condensed milk as an alternative to fresh milk. Henri Nestlé then developed his own milk-based baby food and infant formulas and launched them in Vevey. In 1875, Nestlé supplied Swiss chocolatier Daniel Peter with powdered milk, which he used to blend the first milk chocolate. His aim was to create a chocolate of fine velvety smoothness that wouldn’t spoil. This revolutionized the manufacturing process of chocolate and set a new standard for taste and texture. 

Today, you can visit the Alimentarium in Vevey. Founded by Nestlé it’s the first museum in the world to be entirely devoted to food and nutrition. It has exhibitions on multiple themes, animated activities, scientific demonstrations, gourmet tasting sessions, cookery workshops and guided tours. Well worth a visit!

To get your taste buds dancing here are our top suggestions for the best chocolate shops to visit in Switzerland.

Sprüngli, Zurich

This classic Swiss sweet shop has been making chocolates, truffles and pralines by hand every day for more than 180 years. First opened in 1859, Sprüngli continues to make high-quality products using high-quality ingredients.

Max Chocolatier, Lucerne

In Lucerne close to the city’s famous Chapel bridge is the family owned Max Chocolatier. The shop is renowned for its unique 'four seasons menu', which offers a fresh menu every four months that reflect the seasons.

Confiserie Tschirren, Bern

The historic family owned Confiserie Tschirren has been producing some of Bern’s finest chocolates for three generations. Indulge in cakes, chocolates, pralines, truffles and tasty pastries.

Sweetzerland, Geneva

Geneva’s popular chocolate boutique is stuffed full of handmade artisanal chocolates and truffles served in a refined counter-serve shop and created with a feminine touch. They use the finest ingredients, combining locally sourced Swiss hay milk and salt crystals from the Alps with exclusive cocoa vintages from around the world. 

Du Rhône Chocolatier, Geneva

This long-standing chocolate shop has been around since 1875. Only cocoa beans from South America and West Africa are used to make their incredible chocolates, which come in a wide variety of flavours.

Auer Chocolatier, Geneva

Five generations of the Auer family have been making sweets at their boutique. Every treat is handmade, and with more than 50 varieties you’ll be spoilt for choice.

Vanini Cioccolato, Lugano

In Switzerland’s Italian Ticino region a visit to Vanini stands out from the rest of Switzerland’s top chocolate shops as it has a distinctly Italian feel to it. The family run business has a café where you can enjoy a frothy cappuccino and ice cream as well as its own shop selling classic truffles and its signature panettone. 

For the ultimate chocolate lover creating your own chocolate in a workshop or class is a must. You even get to take yours home (that’s if it even lasts that long).

Funky Chocolate Club, Interlaken

The Funky Chocolate Club first opened its doors in November 2014 and their professional Chocolatiers will teach you how to create your own masterpieces. They supply the aprons, chef hats and all the ingredients and will share with you the techniques, tips and tricks for tempering chocolate, melting, pouring and filling moulds. You will also learn all about the origins of chocolate as well as how to identify and understand the different tastes chocolate can have.

Confiserie Isler, Stäfa, near Zurich

At Confiserie Isler you can learn all about the fine art of chocolate making. Without any previous experience, you can make and decorate your own chocolates, and learn how to make and decorate a moulded Easter bunny. Along the way you get to taste a variety of chocolates, finishing off with an aperitif.

Sheryl’s Kitchen, Zurich

Here you can learn about the history of chocolate and why Swiss chocolate is so famous! In these workshops you will also taste a variety of high quality Swiss chocolates and create chocolate desserts from scratch following traditional recipes. You can then enjoy your own chocolate creations in class with afternoon tea or coffee.

Maison Cailler, Broc

Learn all about the art of tempering and ganache making at the Atélier du Chocolat with expert chocolatiers in a real chocolate factory. Their range of workshops where you can design your own chocolate creations are great fun. You can also visit the Cailler factory during the Chocolate Train excursion.

Läderach Chocolaterie, Vevey

The Laderach Chocolaterie in Vevey (Montreux Riviera) run workshops where you can learn about proper chocolate tasting, kids can pour chocolate into fun moulds, or you can make seasonal chocolates. They also have a shop on site where you can buy chocolate - of course!

Toblerone was created by Theodor Tobler and Emil Baumann in Bern in 1908. They developed a unique milk chocolate that included nougat, almonds and honey in a distinctive triangular shape. The name originates from Tobler's name combined with the Italian word Torrone (a type of nougat). The logo features the image of a bear hidden in the Matterhorn mountain symbolizing Bern, the town of its origin. And while stories abound about its distinctive triangular shape, none of them unfortunately has anything to do with the Matterhorn! Instead, Theodor Tobler came up with the idea while watching a Folies Bergères show in Paris and seeing the dancers form a pyramid.

Toblerone bars are still made in Bern but the factory closed to the public, so you’ll have you make do with tasting sessions at home!