Swiss Cheese, Chocolates and Mountains Tour
About this activity
Highlights
- Explore picturesque Appenzellerland village
- Savor premium Swiss cheese varieties
- Enjoy panoramic views from Hoher Kasten summit
- Experience a scenic aerial cable car ride
- Discover traditional Swiss culture and landscapes
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Guided tour of Appenzellerland village
- Premium cheese tasting session
- Aerial cable car ride to Hoher Kasten summit
- Meals and beverages not specified in the itinerary
Itinerary
Pass by: Depart from central Zurich (Sihlquai Bus Station) in an air-conditioned minivan and set out on a scenic drive along beautiful Lake Zürich via the City of Rapperswil with its medieval castle to the gently rolling hills of the Appenzellerland with photo stops en route.
Discover a typically Swiss farm and taste a glass of fresh cow milk.
Find out how natural Swiss milk and herbs are turned into Switzerland's tangiest cheese at the Appenzeller show dairy in Stein AR. Marvel at the imposing cellar storing up to 12,500 wheels of cheese and try to guess the top secret ingredients of the world-famous Appenzeller cheese during a cheese tasting.
Your tour continues to the village of Brulisau where you'll board the aerial cable car to the panoramic Mt. Hoher Kasten. At 6,000 feet (1,800 meters), enjoy breathtaking views over the Rhine Valley and Austria's Voralberg region. Go for a walk through the Alpine Garden or enjoy lunch at the spectacular revolving mountain restaurant (not included).
Stroll through the town with your tour guide and learn about ancient traditions and customs of this region while browsing local specialty shops in the pedestrian zone with its decoratively painted wooden facades for around 15 minutes. Enjoy the remaining time to continue exploring the charming village of Appenzell at your own pace.
Pass by: After a great day, we will drop you off again in Zurich, where the tour started.
Meeting point
Start Location
Best of Switzerland Tours AG, Sihlquai Bus Station, Limmatstrasse 2, 8005 Zürich, Switzerland
Important information
Know before you book
- Tour operates in English; other language options may be limited.
- Children under 6 years old are not permitted on this tour.
- Please inform the operator of any dietary restrictions in advance.
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable walking shoes suitable for uneven terrain.
- Bring a light jacket, as mountain temperatures can be cooler.
- Don't forget your camera to capture the stunning alpine scenery.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Accessibility
- Easy Public Transport
- Infant Seats Available
Good to know
- Not suitable for infants under 6 years, exceptions only on request.
Traveler reviews
An interesting, varied tour away from the big tourist streams. TOP
The day tour «Castle, Cheese and Chocolate» is an interesting, varied tour. Starting with a visit to the beautiful town of Rapperswil on Lake Zurich with its castle, rose gardens and lake promenade with many restaurants. Then followed a beautiful drive through the gentle, green hills over the Etzel Pass to Einsiedeln. After visiting the imposing church followed a visit to the show cheese factory where we learned a lot about cheese making. A treat is the cheese and sausage tasting at the end of the tour. Worth a visit is also the beautiful shop with many local products and valuable souvenirs. Afterwards we headed back to Zurich – again and again with a wonderful view of the blue «Zürisee» – where we visited the famous chocolate museum in Kilchberg; a must for every chocolate lover! We had plenty of time everywhere to explore the sights in detail. The tour guide Monika deserves a lot of praise. She makes the top with a lot of commitment and great knowledge and background information about the history and culture of Switzerland. I can only warmly recommend the tour to anyone who wants to explore the diverse Switzerland away from the huge tourist flows. Just dead from A to Z!
Varied, wonderful day tour!
Super varied tour. The leadership in diary/cheese making was top, including excellent catering. Absolutely recommend the whole tour, Rapperswil is very pretty and also the monastery Einsiedeln is impressive! Not too much speed, I personally appreciated that. Top tour guide!
It was great. Had a good...
It was great. Had a good variety of stops. Loved the dairy farm. Small group which made it more fun. Guide was very good.
Highly recommend!
An excellent full day of exploring! Started w/a visit to a beautiful hillside farm and hearing from the farmer his day w the cows, complete w seeing them walk back up the hill and past us for the milking line! Cheese samples and seeing how it’s made, pastry samples, chocolatier explanation of how his company makes their very own delicious chocolates using local ingredients and samples! A ride up to the top of Appenzell in Hoher Kasten, tram ride. Enjoyed a delicious lunch while rotating 360 for views, although it did become cloudy at the top. Then toured a beautiful town, complete w shopping time. We did it all! Thank you Monika! You were the best!!
Awesome
Awesome tour. Martin was excellent as driver and guide. Loved every aspect of the tour. Particularly enjoyed the Dsiry farm and hearing the passion of the farmer. Views from the mountain and meal at the revolving restaurant (extra optional of own) was fantastic.