Hi,

I tried searching this on the forum and found something related for Geneva but not Zurich. A few of our friends are coming over to visit us next week and they would like to visit a chocolate factory in or around Zurich. I tried looking for it on the net - Lindt & Sprungli (Kilchberg). When I called them to confirm the timings, I was told that the factory is now not open for visitors due to "hygienic and organizational aspects", they have closed their production area to general public.

Is there any other chocolate factory that I can take them to?

Thanks!

You could try the Callier factory (about 2h from Zürich)... it really is worth a trip and you can combine it with a light walk from the factory to the Gruyerre castle and be decadent with the famous double cream and meringue.

http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog...0000/tpod.html

I have been and its absolutely brill. You get to see (and taste) a whole bunch of delicious goodies on your tour through the factory and..... it's the only Callier production facility (in the world) so you get the exclusivity to wow the visitors

Or, heading east towards St Gallen for 1 hour, you could visit Schoggi Land in Flawil.

http://www.schoggi-land.ch/index_english.htm

If you have a few hours head to Ballenberg. This is a visit well worth while but what I didn't know is at one of the entrances(or exit depending where you start) was the Chocolate factory. It looks like just a shop from the outside but they have the machines to make the chocolate and you can wait for it to cool and eat it there, and/or buy a truckload(it tastes sooooo good fresh).

In Wallisellen (10 minutes from Zurich Aurport) near to the Glatt centre there is a chocolate factory which you can visit, but unfortunately I don't know any more details.

this must be the one you are mentioning:

Chocolats Halba
A Division of Coop, Basel
Alte Winterthurerstrasse 1
PO Box 467, CH-8304 Wallisellen
Telephone +41 (0)44 877 10 10
Fax +41 (0)44 877 15 09

http://www.chocolatier-suisse.ch/

i don't know if they offer the factory visit, but maybe it is worth asking.

next to the factory, there is a sort of an "outlet" shop called Schoggihüsli (house of chocolate)

Does anyone know if the Lindt factory has re-opened for visitors now? I read that they had closed for renovations, but no indication of how long for.
Thanks

No, it's still not open. Abd I can understand why, when I was a kid, we used to do school outings to food production factories (crisps warm out of the machine, yummy!) and, well, some of us were pretty naughty. That's all I'm saying. And it wasn't me, I was sent to Coventry for a week for trying to intervene.

I also saw a chocolate shop (looked huge from the outside) in the industrial area in Hinwil...does anyone know more about this one? I didn't have time to go in!

Well I just called Chocolats Halba, Wallisellen and they don't do tours.

Lindt factory definately don't do tours anymore.

There is Lugano's Alpenrose Chocolate Museum, but seems you can only see the history of chocolate making and there is no sampling of choclates.

The schoggi land mentioned before seems to be the best bet.
http://www.schoggi-land.ch/index_english.htm

or perhaps the Callier factory, but that's too far for me living in Winterthur.
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog...0000/tpod.html

http://www.alprose.ch/

this is the Alprose factory near Lugano, Tessin. We were there about 3-4 years ago and for chocaholics it's definately worth visiting (along with Lugano itself).
There's a chocolate fountain in the entrance where visitors can help themselves, you see all steps of chocolate manufacture, and then there's an outlet shop where you can spend hours.

So do you get a chance to see them actually make the chocolate?

The manufacturing is within controlled environment not open to visitors but you can see it through the glass. The visit is well worth it. Admission is free, and you can eat as much as you like in the tasting room.

http://www.cailler.ch/en/vis/default.asp

Rod

Obvious but interesting idea taking visitors to a swiss chocolate factory. thanks for the inspiration.

can anyone pls suggest how to go to the callier nestle factory.
what is their exact address?

Hi

The factory is in Broc (near Fribourg):
http://tel.search.ch/?name=nestl%E9&ort=broc

Here is a map (but if you search the address on viamichelin.com it will be clearer):
http://www.cailler.ch/img/Besuch_Fabrik_Bild.jpg

The visit is free but I think you have to register beforehand:
Broc.visites@ch.nestle.com or 026 921 51 51
(Visits are only from 1 May to 31 October)

I went there when I was small and I loved it. If I was you I would spend a whole day there and also visit the Gruyère old town, castle (as others have mentioned) and Gruyère cheese factory.

Try with the following link:

http://www.directories.ch/

It is just a outlet selling chocolate. I went there last year to get presents for my employees but there was not a lot to choose from. It was mostly tree decorations.

DC

My mouth is watering for some chocolate!

Thanks to all for the great information. One warning about the Callier Tour: it only operates from 1 May through 31 October.

Erm I thought I'd mentioned that (3 messages above yours)

But I suppose it's important to stress that point (as we are reaching the 31 October)