From Old Town To Giant Museums: On A Chocolate Adventure In Zürich

ZÜrich is a dream for perfectionists. Known as Switzerland's financial hub, no other city makes such a strong case for precision as Zürich does. The trams always leave on schedule. No clocks ever tell the time a second ahead or behind. The barista doesn't take a minute more than promised to get your coffee ready. Unlike other European cities, there's no time for leisure or a day without a plan—everybody walks like they have somewhere to be. And as a true traveller does, I, too, took on the city's spirit and went against my nature to quickly chart out my day's plan: to sample the best Swiss chocolate. Now, it may seem like an easy task. But in a city that offers a million options at every turn, this undertaking is a serious business.

I began my hunt in the Old Town, also known as Altstadt. With narrow, cobblestoned, and sloping paths zig-zagging in every direction, this part of town remains true to its medieval origins. Rooting it deeper into the past are the pastel-coloured houses lining the alleys and the tiny shops with pretty doors where owners happily offer you a glass of fresh, hand-squeezed lemonade but won't entertain you for a minute when they are supposed to shut down for lunchtime.

Even though it is easy to get distracted in the Old Town, or even confused given how maze-like this part of the city is, I made my way straight to the revered Confiserie Tuescher. Snuck away in the narrow alley of Storchengasse, this tiny shop that opened in 1932 is now present in 19 countries—with a store as far away as Seoul. The sheer variety of truffles you find here—from Baileys and vodka to lemon and pistachio—is mind-boggling. But because it was just the beginning, I restricted myself to just one. And that one—the iconic Dom Perignon-infused Champagne truffle—was just enough.

While that one truffle could have easily powered me through a ten-kilometre walk, my next stop was ten steps away—Max Chocolatier in Schlüsselgasse. Started in Lucerne in 2009 by the König family, this artisanal chocolate boutique doesn't boast a centuries-long legacy like the other confiseries in Zürich, but its collection does stretch that far. Alongside the classics, Max Chocolatier puts up a tough contest with their selection of unlikely yet irresistible pairings that are somehow perfectly balanced; the basil calamondin chocolate is a must-try. Although it is reasonable to stop at one, do not hesitate to order the "Gugelhopfli" cakes, made with a secret family recipe, to go.

The Home Of Chocolate

Charged by all the sugar, I embarked on a longer walk down to the side of the Old Town that spills over the River Limmat to Zürich's most high-end street, Bahnhofstrasse. The iconic Sprungli Confiserie enjoys a prime spot in Paradeplatz Square, next to prominent luxury brands and the headquarters of the world's most powerful banks. Had it been any other country, a chocolate shop—no matter how old—with that address may have never rivalled its neighbours regarding footfall, but here it is a different story.

While you will chance upon a store no matter where you go, the one on Paradeplatz is considered prime, having opened in 1859—two decades before Rodolphe Lindt's fateful mistake led to the perfecting of the Swiss chocolate. Although the confiserie is a fitting place to catch up on this intriguing bit of Switzerland's chocolate history while nibbling on their signature Luxemburgerli macarons, I got them packed for my journey to the grand finale of the trail—the Lindt Home of Chocolate, the world's biggest museum dedicated to the decadent delight.

Located in the idyllic suburb of Kilchberg, just 20 minutes away by train from Zürich HB station, the Lindt Home of Chocolate is where Switzerland's chocolate history becomes tangible. Spread over 65,000 sq. ft., the colossal, pristine white complex is home to Lindt's factory, a museum, the world's biggest Lindt shop, a café, and the world's tallest chocolate fountain. The sight of luscious milk chocolate trickling down a suspended whisk from over nine metres high is almost hypnotic, turning every adult walking through the door into a giddy ten-year-old. However, the complex's ingenious architecture, modelled after Rodolphe Lindt's revolutionary conching machine, is even more fascinating. The disc-shaped skylights, circular staircases, and curved edges fit together perfectly. You feel as if you have been shrunk and thrown into the machine—setting the stage for the rest of the experiences, beginning with a chocolate tour.

Back To The Beginning

Spread into four sections, the tour is a voyage through the different periods of Switzerland's chocolate odyssey. In just 40 minutes, I went from the dense farms of Ghana, where quality cocoa beans are carefully harvested and processed, to the time of the Mayans when cocoa was consumed as a bitter drink, finally ending at its journey in Europe via Spanish travellers, where Swiss pioneers joined hands to give the world a treat unlike any other.

While Daniel Peter invented milk chocolate in Vevey in 1875 using another Swiss invention by Henri Nestle—condensed milk—it was four years later, in 1879, that Rodolphe Lindt stumbled upon the proper technique to transform it into the silky smooth indulgence I spent an entire day relishing.

As the story goes, Lindt forgot to switch off the conching machine (used to refine the ground cocoa into a smooth texture) when leaving the factory one Friday evening, letting it run all weekend. When he returned to work on Monday, Lindt was surprised that the chocolate's grainy texture had become satin-like. This one little mistake in a city so perfect led to the creation of chocolate fondant that gives Swiss chocolate its distinguishing texture.

This is not just lore in the Home of Chocolate. The museum also houses a miniature version of the conching machine, encased in glass, along with other antiquities such as a fine bone crockery set lent by Dr Rudolph R Sprungli from his collection, and one of the first sealed chocolate fondant bars produced by Lindt. If you are curious whether that one mistake made all the difference, you can also taste chocolate squares made with and without the technique.

The chocolate tour ends on a high note in the tasting room with chocolate fountains, Lindt square dispensers, and boxes filled with Lindor truffles. Safe to say, it is the room I spent the most time in before heading out for a peek into Lindt's pilot plant, where new recipes are developed.

Sweet Imperfections

Although I could have easily spent the entire day sticking my spoon into the chocolate fountain or filling up my shopping basket with countless Lindt flavours like crème brulée and lemon tart in the Lindt shop, I decided to don a chocolatier's hat and try my hand at making the truffles and pralines at the Lindt Chocolateria.

The chocolateria is a huge space with rows of workstations ready with pots of milk and dark chocolate fondant (made with only crème fraiche, sugar and cocoa). The intimidation of such a setting only lasts till the kind and smiling Lindt master chocolatiers patiently guide you through various steps of making the iconic truffle au Champagne and pralines.

I carefully piped the warm fondant into set moulds and decorated the pralines using almonds, chocolate chips, and hazelnut bits. While the ones I made were far from perfect in a city as meticulous as Zürich, I realised that sometimes imperfection is what adds the magic.

The Information

• Getting to Zürich: Swiss Air has direct flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Zürich that are typically nine hours long. Travellers must hold a valid Schengen visa. Applying for it at least three months prior is advised.

• Reaching Lindt Home of Chocolate: You can either take the hourly ferries departing from Zürich Bürkliplatz, or take a train from Zürich HB to Kilchberg ZH. To access all public transport in Switzerland, buy a Swiss Travel Pass from sbb.ch.

• Tickets To Lindt Home of Chocolate: Book your tickets in advance at lindt-home-of-chocolate.com. Individual tickets for an audio-guided chocolate tour cost CHF 10 (INR 913.86), and tickets for a guided tour cost CHF 23 (INR 2,101.57).

• Timings: Visitors can experience the exhibition between 10 am and 7 pm. The last entrance is at 5.30 pm.