Chocolarium

• Find out how happiness gets into chocolate on the interactive Chocolarium tour, which takes around an hour. Tours are available in German and English.
• From Tuesday to Friday, watch Munz and Minor chocolate being made.
• A short film gets you in the mood for the world of chocolate at the start of your visit.
• Help yourself at five chocolate fountains.
• To finish, meet the chocolatier and decorate a freshly moulded chocolate bar or two chocolate hearts yourself.
• Outside, the Chocolate Trail leads through the Botsberger Riet nature reserve, with a free puzzle trail for families.
• The shop stocks the full Munz and Minor range, with some products at factory prices.

Chocolate makes you happy. Find out how happiness gets into chocolate at Chocolarium in Flawil. Along the way, pass through the «Happiness Gate» and, on weekdays, watch your favourite chocolate being made.

As well as the tour, you can take chocolate-making workshops, celebrate children’s birthdays, enjoy chocolate fondue at Minor Café or even have a chocolate-themed hen party with chocolate high heels. Stay overnight in one of the Chocolarium-themed rooms at Revier Hotel Säntispark in St. Gallen.

At Chocolarium, Maestrani shows you how cocoa is turned into Munz and Minor chocolate. Maestrani has been making Swiss chocolate since 1852. On the tour, you can sample as much as you like. There are also workshops and events for families, friends and businesses.

The Chocolarium tour

The interactive tour is self-guided, so you can explore at your own pace. It takes about an hour and is available in German and English.

The tour starts with a film about chocolate and happiness. Then you pass through the happiness gate and discover why chocolate makes you happy. From Tuesday to Friday, you can watch Munz and Minor chocolate being made. There is no production on public holidays or bridge days, and what you see depends on what is being made at the time.

At the end of the tour, you’ll meet the demonstration chocolatier. If you like, you can decorate a freshly moulded chocolate bar (CHF 10) or two chocolate hearts (CHF 15). You can add either option when you buy your ticket online or on site.

Children under 6 get in free but still need a free ticket. Admission is free with the Museum Pass or Swiss Travel Pass.

Available with Swiss Activities:

• Chocolarium Flawil ticket

Outdoors: Chocolate trail and puzzles

The signposted Chocolate Trail starts at Flawil railway station and takes around 40 minutes along country paths and through the Botsberger Riet nature reserve to the Chocolarium. You can download a map of the trail from the Chocolarium website.

Families can enjoy a free puzzle trail along the way, with fun questions to answer as you go.

For an outdoor break, there’s a picnic area and a covered terrace with tables. These spots can’t be reserved.

Courses and events at Chocolarium

Children's birthday parties, chocolate moulding courses, hen parties or fondue: get hands-on and creative at Chocolarium. Group experiences must be booked directly with Chocolarium on request, at least two weeks in advance.

Children's birthday party

Explore together, solve an exclusive birthday puzzle and decorate a birthday chocolate with your choice of toppings in the live confectionery area. To finish, each child fills their own Pick & Mix box. Groups can have up to 10 people, including one or two adults. The tour lasts one hour, followed by around half an hour of decorating. The package costs CHF 249, or CHF 329 with a birthday table, cake and drink in the café.

A night in a chocolate-themed room

The Revier Hotel Säntispark in St Gallen has two family rooms themed around Munz and Minor, each for 1 to 4 people. An overnight stay with breakfast includes a family ticket to Chocolarium and access to Säntispark's pools, slides and sauna facilities for the entire stay. The drive from the hotel to Flawil takes around 15 minutes. Book directly with the hotel.

More information from SwissActivities:

• Säntispark – the leisure centre in Eastern Switzerland for the whole family

Chocolate hen party

Make and decorate your own milk chocolate high heel, with a welcome glass of sparkling wine and a private tour of Chocolarium. The course lasts two hours, plus the tour, and is for 8 to 12 adults aged 17 and over. It costs CHF 49 per person. It's also a fun outing with friends, even if you're not celebrating a hen party.

Public Globi moulding course

With expert guidance, children make and decorate a chocolate Globi. The course lasts around two hours, is held in German and costs CHF 40 per place. Children aged 4 to 8 need an adult companion, who must also book a place. The Chocolarium tour is not included, but can be added on.

Moulding courses for groups

You can book a private moulding course for groups of 10 or more:

• Make your own chocolate bar: Create a bar of milk, dark or white chocolate with ingredients of your choice. 45 minutes plus tour, 10 to 25 people, CHF 28 including admission.
• Sweet chocolate figures: Make and decorate a figure such as a little monkey, dog or whale. Around two hours, 10 to 16 people aged 6 and over, CHF 40; tour optional.

Chocolate fondue at Minor Café

Enjoy a fondue with milk, white or dark chocolate, served with fruit, marshmallows and biscuits at Minor Café. For 2 people or more, CHF 30 per serving. From May to October, booking at least three days in advance is required.

Available from SwissActivities:

• Chocolarium Flawil moulding course

Minor Café and Shop

The Minor Café is a self-service café, open from Tuesday to Sunday. It serves coffee, sandwiches and light refreshments, as well as chocolate fondue on request. The shop stocks the full range of Munz and Minor products, souvenirs and gift ideas from the confectionery, as well as chocolate at factory shop prices.

Combo deals

• Chocolarium & Walter Zoo: Family ticket for 2 adults and up to 3 children for CHF 90 — around 20% cheaper. You can visit Walter Zoo in Gossau within 7 days of your visit to the Chocolarium. Tickets are only available from the Chocolarium ticket shop or reception, not at the zoo ticket office.
• Chocolarium & Show Dairy: The combo ticket also gets you into the Appenzeller Show Dairy in Stein AR, with a 20% saving. The journey takes around 30 minutes, and the ticket remains valid for the show dairy for another 7 days. Adults CHF 23, children CHF 14, families CHF 56.

Combo tickets cannot be combined with other discount cards.

Visit during the week or on a sunny day

The Chocolarium is usually quieter during the week and on sunny days. You can sample your way around the chocolate fountains and tastings without queuing. During the week, you can also watch the live production.

Come hungry

Don’t arrive on a full stomach. Snacking is very much encouraged on the tour.

Walk the Schoggiweg

From Flawil railway station, it takes around 40 minutes to follow the signposted Schoggiweg through Botsberger Riet. You’ll arrive with a good appetite.

Make the most of discounts

Admission is free with the Museum Pass or Swiss Travel Pass — just show your pass at the Welcome Desk. Raiffeisen MemberPlus members can get discounted tickets for adults and children with a promo code. Discounts are also available with the Oskar, Bodensee Card PLUS and Echt Bodensee Card guest cards. If you travel by train, the RailAway offer gives you discounted admission.

Chocolarium is in Flawil, near St. Gallen, at Toggenburgerstrasse 41. It takes less than 50 minutes to get there from Zurich, Constance or Bregenz.

By car

Flawil is easy to reach via the A1 motorway. Chocolarium has parking spaces, including 2 wheelchair-accessible spaces, 2 electric car charging stations and 6 spaces for coaches. Parking is limited, so Chocolarium recommends travelling by public transport.

By public transport

From St. Gallen, take the train to Flawil, then the PostBus to the «Maestrani» stop. Alternatively, walk from Flawil station via the Schoggiweg; it takes around 40 minutes.

From Zurich, take the train to Uzwil, then the PostBus to the «Maestrani» stop.

Chocolarium is in the South Zone of the Lake Constance Ticket. The journey is included with the relevant ticket.

Guided day trips from Zurich with Swiss Activities:

• From Zurich: Chocolarium and Appenzell Show Dairy coach tour
• From Zurich: coach tour to Rhine Falls, Chocolarium and Appenzell Show Dairy
• From Zurich: Zurich city tour, Chocolarium and Appenzell Show Dairy