Zurich's chocolate tradition is older and more varied than the single name on the factory gate suggests. The city has a long line of family confiseries, and the best way to taste them is on foot, with someone who knows which counter does what. This two-hour walking tour is built around four of them. It starts at the Paradeplatz, next to the bank building at number 8, and goes first to Confiserie Spruengli, where the tasting is a Luxemburgerli, the airy mini macaron that Zurich treats as a local emblem. From there the route follows the Bahnhofstrasse to Jacot Haute Chocolaterie for a truffle, crosses to the Fraumuenster and climbs to the Lindenhof, then continues to Max Chocolatier for a praline and, later, to Vittorio Vanini 1871 for another. Between the shops the guide covers the Old Town landmarks: St. Peter, the Rathaus, the Limmat, the Niederdorf, the Cabaret Voltaire and the Grossmuenster. The group is capped at twenty, the tour is wheelchair and stroller accessible and the price is among the lowest for a guided activity in a city where almost everything is expensive. It suits first-time visitors with a sweet tooth, couples, and families with children who can manage two hours of walking.
The route in detail
The listed stops are the Paradeplatz, Confiserie Spruengli, the Bahnhofstrasse, Jacot Haute Chocolaterie, the Fraumuenster, Max Chocolatier, the Lindenhof, St. Peter, the Town Hall, the Limmat, the Niederdorf, the Cabaret Voltaire, the Grossmuenster and Vittorio Vanini 1871, and the tour ends back at the meeting point. The samples are a Spruengli Luxemburgerli, a Jacot truffle, a Max Chocolatier praline and a Vittorio Vanini 1871 praline, so think of the tour as four tastings and a great deal of Old Town history rather than a chocolate meal.
Lindt is not among the stops, so do not plan on a factory visit; for that, book the Lindt Home of Chocolate separately.
Practical details
The tour runs in English, with a start time that you choose when you book; late morning is the usual slot. Meet at Paradeplatz 8 beside the large bank building. A few guests have reported trouble finding the group at the meeting point and one has described a larger crowd than expected, so arrive ten minutes early, look for the guide's sign and confirm the details in the booking message.
Children must be accompanied by an adult, service animals are allowed and the walk is near tram stops at both ends. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start, which makes it an easy tour to fit around a changeable weather forecast.
Who it suits and how to pair it: this is the better-value choice for visitors who want a guided introduction to the centre and a few good chocolates without committing half a day. It is also a good rainy-day backup, since the shop stops are indoors, although the Lindenhof and the river sections are not. Follow it with a coffee at the Fraumuenster side of the river, then climb the Grossmuenster tower if you still have energy.
If you are travelling with family, combine it with the Zoo or the FIFA Museum on a different day, and keep Lindt for a day when you can spend two or three hours in the museum rather than a few minutes at a counter.
What to expect
The experience
A two-hour guided walk of the Old Town with chocolate samples from Spruengli, Jacot, Max Chocolatier and Vittorio Vanini 1871, for a maximum of twenty guests.
Best time
Late morning, when the shops are fresh and the guide has the Lindenhof to themselves; a good rainy-day backup for the shop stops.
How long
About two hours, starting and ending at the Paradeplatz.
Tips
Arrive ten minutes early at Paradeplatz 8 and look for the guide. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Lindt is not a stop. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Quick picks
- Best for
- First-time visitors who want a guided introduction to the Old Town with chocolate at its heart.
- Families
- Children enjoy the samples and the walk is stroller accessible, but they must be accompanied by an adult.
- Couples
- A light, affordable late-morning date through the lanes of the Old Town.
- Pair with
- The Lindt Home of Chocolate for the factory, and the Grossmuenster tower for the view.
- Time needed
- Two hours.
Good questions
Where does the Swiss chocolate walking tour start?+
At the Paradeplatz, at number 8 beside the large bank building, and it ends back at the same meeting point.
What chocolate do you taste?+
A Spruengli Luxemburgerli, a Jacot truffle, a Max Chocolatier praline and a Vittorio Vanini 1871 praline. The tour spends the rest of its time on Old Town landmarks and history.
Does the tour visit the Lindt factory?+
No. Lindt is not one of the stops. Book the Lindt Home of Chocolate separately if you want the museum.
How big is the group?+
The tour is limited to twenty travellers. Arrive early and look for the guide at the meeting point.
Is the tour accessible?+
Yes. The tour is wheelchair and stroller accessible and service animals are allowed. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
