Zurich Old Town and Lindt Home of Chocolate with Cruise

Zurich’s best-known sights make an appealing half-day circuit: the Old Town on foot, the lake by boat, and a chocolate museum where tastings are part of the visit. The coach ride gives you a quick first look at the city, while the walk and cruise add two very different ways to see it.

I like that a guide connects the sights with Zurich’s history, then leaves you to explore Lindt at your own pace. I also like the included 24-hour public-transport ticket, which gives you a useful head start for seeing more of the city after the tour.

The main trade-off is pace. The Old Town visit is brief, and the ride to Lindt uses public transport for part of the route, so this suits you better as a convenient overview than as a slow, in-depth city tour.

• Old Town on foot: See guild houses, the Town Hall and historic churches with an English-speaking guide.
• Lake Zurich by public boat: The scenic crossing to Lindt is included, with the boat ride listed at about 30 minutes.
• Lindt Home of Chocolate: Explore independently with an audio guide and chocolate tastings, then browse the large Lindt shop.
• A quick city overview: The coach passes Bahnhofstrasse, the Swiss National Museum, the financial district, the Opera House and Zürichberg.
• Transit for later: Your 24-hour ticket covers Zurich fare zones 110 and 150.
• Optional football stop: Add a FIFA Museum ticket if you want to explore the museum independently after the main tour.

A city sampler, not a full-day history lesson

1 / 8

2 / 8

3 / 8

4 / 8

5 / 8

6 / 8

7 / 8

8 / 8

1 / 8

This tour links several of Zurich’s best-known sights in one outing. You begin with a coach ride through central districts, continue on foot through the Old Town, then board a public boat across the lake to Lindt Home of Chocolate. The museum visit is self-guided, and the tour ends at Zurich Main Station, where you can keep going with the included transit ticket.

That mix is the tour’s strength. You do not need to plan the transfers or work out how to reach Lindt on your own, and you get an English-speaking guide for the city portion. The compromise is that each city stop is a snapshot. If you want long stretches to browse, linger over architecture or choose your own route, independent exploring will feel less rushed.

The advertised total price begins at US$104.55, while the package options are shown from US$90.89 for the standard visit and US$118.75 with a FIFA Museum ticket. Prices can vary, so check the amount for your chosen date and package. The value is strongest if you want the guided overview, lake crossing and Lindt entry bundled together. If you already have a Zurich City Card or are comfortable planning your own route, compare what you would pay for transport and museum admission before booking.

👉 See our pick of the 25 Best Guided Tours In Zurich

Starting at Sihlquai and seeing the city by coach

Meet at the Best of Switzerland Tours counter at Sihlquai Bus Station, Limmatstrasse 2, near Zurich Main Station. Choose from departure times listed as 09:30, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00 or 14:30, but the available options depend on the package and date. Arrive 15 minutes early with your mobile or printed voucher ready to scan. Late arrivals and no-shows are not refundable.

The first part is a sightseeing drive in a comfortable, climate-controlled coach. The route passes the Swiss National Museum, Bahnhofstrasse and the financial district, then continues past the Opera House toward the Zürichberg district. There is also a photo stop at Lake Zurich, with views toward the lake, the Alps and the Old Town.

Think of this as an orientation ride, not a stop-and-look tour of every landmark. You get a broad sense of how Zurich’s central streets, business quarter and lakefront fit together, but most of the time is spent moving between stops. That can be a real help on a short visit, especially if you are still learning the city’s layout. It may disappoint you if you expect frequent stops or long explanations at each sight.

Walking Zurich’s medieval lanes

The guided Old Town walk is the most substantial city-history portion. Your guide leads you through cobbled lanes and points out guild houses, the Town Hall and historic churches. The narrow streets and older buildings provide a sharp contrast with the financial district you have just passed through by coach.

The walk is where a guide adds the most value. A good explanation helps you read the buildings and understand how the historic core relates to modern Zurich. Several guides named in feedback, including Shreya, Monica, Elizabeth, Rolph and Khushnum, were praised for clear explanations, warmth and care with the group. The experience can vary by guide, of course, but these are encouraging signs for anyone who values a human voice over a screen.

Allow for a brisk pace and a group moving together. Some visitors have wanted more time in the Old Town, and that is a fair point: this is an introduction rather than time to step into every church or browse every lane. Wear comfortable shoes for uneven cobbles, and stay close enough to hear your guide. One person found a guide’s voice too soft, so if the group is large, move nearer rather than hoping to catch every word from the back.

Crossing Lake Zurich by public boat

After the walk, you reach the lake for a public cruise of about 30 minutes. It is a pleasant change of pace after the coach and cobbles, and the water route offers a different view of the city. The boat also serves a practical purpose: it carries you toward the Lindt museum, rather than taking you there by road.

This is not a long sightseeing cruise with a separate return journey. It is a scenic crossing built into the route. Some descriptions of the ride refer to it as closer to 20 or 25 minutes, so treat the listed 30 minutes as an approximate duration, not a promise of a full hour on the water. Weather and schedule changes can affect the route.

The boat is public transport, which is worth knowing if you picture a private tour vessel with assigned seats and a guide speaking throughout. The crossing can be busy, and the tour’s main attraction is the view and the easy connection to Lindt. On a clear day, keep your camera handy; in rain or cold, the cruise may feel more like a transfer than a highlight.

Spending your free time at Lindt Home of Chocolate

At Lindt Home of Chocolate, you leave the group tour format behind and explore on your own with an audio guide. The museum visit is self-guided, and tastings are included. The museum presents chocolate-making and chocolate history, while the large Lindt shop gives you plenty of temptation on the way out.

For many people, this is the tour’s main draw, especially for families. Children can enjoy the tastings and the chocolate-focused exhibits, while adults get a museum visit that is more than a quick shop stop. The tasting component is a nice part of the package, though the museum itself is not a live guided tour with your city guide.

The independent format gives you freedom to move at your own speed, but it also means you need to manage your own time. The museum can be crowded, particularly at busy times, and the experience is not exclusive to tour participants. The advantage of booking this package is the bundled visit and transport sequence. In December, when museum tickets can be hard to secure, having the visit arranged may be especially useful.

Do not mistake the museum stop for a visit to a working factory floor. The information describes a museum visit with an audio guide and tastings, followed by time in the shop. If your chief aim is to spend a relaxed stretch at Lindt, check how much time your chosen departure leaves for the museum before booking.

Getting back to Zurich Main Station

The tour finishes at Zurich Main Station, also called Zürich HB. The guide explains how to use public transport, and the included 24-hour ticket covers fare zones 110 and 150. That ticket is useful beyond the tour, so you can continue to another part of town rather than treating the end point as the end of your day.

The transfer arrangements deserve attention. The coach is used for the sightseeing portion, but public transport is part of the wider route, and the final return is not a private coach drop-off at your hotel. Some people have found the transit instructions clear and easy to follow; others have struggled to find the right stop or direction after the Lindt visit. Listen carefully to the guide’s directions, and ask for a specific stop or route before separating from the group.

A crowded public bus can be hot and awkward, particularly if everyone boards together. Keep your group together during transfers and do not assume the guide will be beside you at every stage of the self-guided museum visit. The transit pass gives you flexibility, but you are responsible for using it to reach your own final destination after the tour ends.

Picking the right package and departure

The standard package includes the coach sightseeing tour, guided Old Town walk, public lake cruise, Lindt Home of Chocolate visit, audio-guided museum tour, tasting and 24-hour transit ticket. The optional package adds a FIFA Museum ticket. That visit is independent, not part of the guided city tour, and admission is not included in the standard package.

Departure choices vary by day and by package. The listed options range from morning to afternoon, with return times that may run from 14:45 to 19:45 depending on the selected start and itinerary length. Traffic, weather, construction work and public events can alter the route or timing, so keep some flexibility in your plans.

Children aged 0 to 5 can join free, but you must reserve a place for them when booking. The tour is not suitable for people with reduced mobility or people with a severe nut allergy. Meals, drinks, personal expenses and tips are not included. Cancellation for a full refund is available up to 24 hours before the activity date, in local time.

Who gets the best value from this tour?

I would choose this tour if you have limited time in Zurich, want a guide to make the Old Town easier to understand, and would rather have the lake transfer and Lindt visit arranged than build the day yourself. It works particularly well for first-time visitors and families who like to mix city sights with a hands-on chocolate stop. The transit pass is a useful bonus if you plan to keep exploring afterward.

I would think twice if your priority is a long, detailed city walk, quiet museum time or a fully guided experience from start to finish. The city portion is a sampler, and the Lindt visit is self-guided. If you already have a city pass or feel at ease using Zurich’s transport system, you may be able to arrange the same broad combination independently and set your own pace.

My call: book it for convenience, a guided introduction and the chocolate museum in one outing. Choose another plan if you want to spend most of the day on foot or prefer not to use public transport with a group.

FAQ

How long is the Lake Zurich cruise?

The included public cruise is listed as about 30 minutes. It takes you toward Lindt Home of Chocolate.

Is the Lindt museum visit guided?

The museum visit is self-guided with an audio guide. Chocolate tasting is included.

Where does the tour start?

It departs from the Best of Switzerland Tours counter at Sihlquai Bus Station, Limmatstrasse 2, near Zurich Main Station.

Where does the tour end?

It ends at Zurich Main Station, or Zürich HB. The guide explains how to use public transport, and a 24-hour ticket for zones 110 and 150 is included.

Is the FIFA Museum included?

Not in the standard package. You can select a package that includes a FIFA Museum ticket, and the visit is independent.

Can young children join?

Children aged 0 to 5 can join for free, but you must reserve their places when booking.