24 Hours in Zurich with Kids: Chocolate, Cheese, and a Surprise Sausage Stop
- Little Luxe Family Travel
- Apr 26
- 4 min read
Our 24 hours in Zurich were a glorious blur of schnitzel, sugar, and sleep—and yes, somehow in that short amount of time, we managed to do (and eat) a LOT. If you're flying into Zurich with kids and only have a day to explore before moving on to your next Swiss adventure, here's how to make it memorable (and delicious).
Morning: Touchdown & Tuck In (To Food)
We landed in Zurich bright and early, checked into Hotel Wellenberg (full review coming soon!), and immediately dropped our luggage like it was hot. Because guess what was hotter? Our hunger.
First stop: Zeughauskeller—a traditional Swiss restaurant that serves up beer, bratwurst, and the best wienerschnitzel outside of Austria. It’s historic, cozy, and the portions? Let’s just say no one left hungry. Travel Tip: Make a reservation unless you enjoy watching other people eat sausage while you wait in the cold.
Afternoon: TukTuk Tours & Ferris Wheel Feels
To fight the jet lag monster, we knew we had to keep moving. Enter: chocolate sampling and a TukTuk city tour(booked via GetYourGuide). Yes, a TukTuk. In Zurich. And it was the perfect combo of quirky and cool.
Our 90-minute electric ride came with a fantastic guide-slash-photographer who made sure we saw the best sites and looked great doing it. Along the way, we lucked out and found a pop-up Ferris wheel set up for the upcoming holiday. The views from the top? Absolutely worth the extra sugar rush it took to get us up there.
Evening: Fondue, Foot Rubs (Mentally), and Falling Asleep Fast
After a quick hotel refresh (aka 20 minutes of pretending to unpack), we made our way to Swiss Chuchi, located conveniently across the street from our hotel because, frankly, our feet were done.
Fondue was the star of the show—our kids tried it for the first time and fell completely in love. (Cheese + bread = magic.) Travel Tip #2: Again, make a reservation. This place fills up fast, and you do not want to miss the melty magic.
Morning: Sausages, Sweet Dreams & Chocolate Bunnies
We woke to birds chirping and the charming views of Old Town Zurich—which sounds like a Disney movie but was, in fact, our reality. The beds at Hotel Wellenberg were super comfy, and the room fit our family of four perfectly. (More on the hotel in our full review here.)
Breakfast was downstairs and included, which gave us just enough fuel to… yep, eat again.
We wandered the streets, tasted more chocolate (it’s called research), and stumbled upon a local butcher shop around the corner that quickly became our favorite secret spot in Zurich: Zum Chalte Brunne.
This place had the best sausages we’ve ever had. Bold statement? Yes. Accurate? Also yes. We loved it so much we went twice—once for sausage, once for hamburgers (on their house-made bread). Add it to your list. Trust us.
Final Stop: Lindt Chocolate Class = Sweet Ending
The Lindt Home of Chocolate is just a hop, skip, and a jump from Old Town Zurich, and there are several ways to get there. We had planned on taking the train but ended up grabbing a $14 Uber instead. It worked out to about the same price, and the driver dropped us off right at the front door — highly recommend! No one had mentioned this transportation option to me, so I wanted to make sure to pass it along.
There are also several ways to experience the Lindt Museum. We decided to skip the museum portion because we were on a schedule, and instead, I snagged tickets to their Easter Bunny Chocolate Class. Let me tell you — making your own chocolate bunny and custom pralines with your kids is next-level bonding. Sticky fingers, chocolate-covered faces, and so many laughs... it’s a memory we’ll always treasure. My favorite part? The aprons and hats they gave us to wear. Made for an epic family photo!
If chocolate making is not for you, or you want to do both, here are some options on how to book tickets:
On the way back to grab our luggage, we took the lake ferry back to Old Towne. The boat was scenic, peaceful, and a great way to say goodbye to the city. And with the Swiss Half Fare Card, the boat ride for the adults was half off, and the kids were free!
Pro Tip: With the Swiss Half Fare Pass, the boat ride back to Old Town was half-price—and kids ride free. Depending on how many places you plan to visit and how you’re getting around, you’ll want to look into either the Swiss Half Fare Card or the Swiss Travel Pass. The only way to know which one is the right option for you is to price out your travel plans ahead of time. For us, the Half Fare Card was perfect — all of our tickets for trains, buses, and most boat rides were half price, and the kids traveled free with us!
For more on the Swiss passes, check it out here!
We grabbed our bags and headed to the next stop: Lucerne! (Check out our full Lucerne guide here!)
Final Thoughts: Zurich in 24 hours is totally doable—and totally delicious. With the right plan (and maybe a nap built in), you can hit the highlights, eat like a local, and still be in bed by 8.
Your chocolate-fueled dreams await.
Link to Lucerne guide is not active - is it still a work in progress?