Lucerne Zvieri Tasting Tour: 6 Swiss Food Stops

Six stops through Old Town, tasting chocolate, cheese, ham, schnapps, wine and beer

A 2.5-hour walking tour through Lucerne's Old Town where you stop at six local food and drink venues to taste authentic Swiss regional specialties. Your guide, fluent in English or Spanish, leads a small group through the culinary tradition of Zvieri, the Swiss afternoon snack, sampling everything from mouthwatering chocolate and cheese to cured ham, schnapps, wine and beer. All tastings add up to a full meal.

Step-by-step itinerary

Lucerne Old Town Culinary Walking Tour

• Stroll around Old Town Lucerne
• Visit local culinary places
• Taste Swiss chocolate, cheese, pastries
• Sample aromatic schnapps, beer, wine

The experience

You arrive in Lucerne with a free afternoon and no plan to eat alone in a restaurant. This tour solves that by threading you through Old Town on foot, stopping at six different places where you taste what locals actually eat between lunch and dinner. The guide picks the route based on what's open that day and the weather, so the stops shift, but the tastings stay the same: chocolate, cheese, cured ham and sausages, one glass of local beer with a pretzel, one glass of Swiss wine, coffee or tea, and a small gift of Swiss natural products to take with you. Walking between venues takes you through the medieval streets where these shops sit, so you're not just tasting. You're moving through the neighborhood where the food comes from.

The group stays small, and your guide is a local who knows the stories behind what you're eating: why the schnapps tastes the way it does, what makes the ham different from what you'd find elsewhere, how Zvieri fits into the Swiss day. The pace is unhurried: you stop, you taste, you move on. By the end of 2.5 hours, you've eaten enough to skip dinner, learned how a Swiss afternoon actually works, and seen the parts of Old Town where residents go, not tourists.

What’s included

• All six tastings (chocolate, cheese, cured ham and sausages, beer with pretzel, wine, and coffee or tea).
• a small gift of Swiss natural products.
• a live guide fluent in English or Spanish.
• insight into Swiss food culture and Lucerne's Old Town.

Options for this experience

2 options

Tasting ExperienceGuide in English or Spanish · 13:30Food and drinks tasting tour, 2 hours

Boat trip plus tasting experienceGuide in English or Spanish · 13:302-hour tasting with a 1-hour boat trip: 2-hour tasting experience and 1-hour boat trip

You pick the guide language when booking.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 13:30

Book up to5h before

AgesAdult (16 and older) · Child (6 to 15 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditions

Operated by Passenger Diaries Switzerland Tours & Experiences

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you have a free afternoon and want to eat like a Lucerner rather than as a tourist. The small group size and local guide mean you move at a pace that lets you actually taste and talk, not rush through a checklist.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 15 years); Infant (under 6): free.

What exactly do I taste on this tour?

You sample Swiss chocolate, regional cheese, cured ham and sausages, one glass of local beer served with a pretzel, one glass of Swiss wine, and coffee or tea. All six tastings are included and together they make a full meal.

How long is the walk between the six stops?

The whole tour runs 2.5 hours and takes place on foot through Lucerne's Old Town. The walking is moderate. You move between nearby venues rather than covering long distances.

Can I book this tour if I have a food allergy?

Yes. Let the operator know about any allergies when you book, and they will work with the venues to accommodate you.

What is Zvieri, and why is it Swiss?

Zvieri is the Swiss culinary tradition of a mid-afternoon snack or tea time, eaten between lunch and dinner. This tour lets you experience it the way locals do: tasting regional specialties at the places where they're made or sold.

Does the tour include hotel pickup?

No, the tour does not include hotel pickup. You meet the group in Lucerne's Old Town, and public transportation options are available nearby to reach the starting point.

Can I add a boat trip to this experience?

Yes. One of the purchase options combines the Zvieri tasting tour with a boat trip. You choose that option at checkout if you want both.