Mountain excursion with cheese and chocolate

Set out on a scenic drive along beautiful Lake Zurich via the city of Rapperswil with its medieval castle to the gently rolling hills of the Appenzellerland with photo stops en route. Discover a typical Swiss farm and taste a glass of fresh cow milk. Find out how precisely this natural Swiss milk is turned into Switzerland's tangiest cheese at the Appenzeller show dairy in Stein AR. Marvel at the imposing cellar storing up to 12,500 wheels of cheese and try to guess the top secret ingredients of the world-famous Appenzeller cheese during a cheese tasting. Board the aerial cable car up to Hoher Kasten at 1,794 m a.s.l. and relish a splendid 360 degree panorama view over the majestic Alpstein massif, the Rhine Valley, Lake Constance, the Principality of Lichtenstein and Austria. Enjoy a regional lunch at the spectacular revolving restaurant before descending to the valley. Follow your tour guide on a walk through the quaint village of Appenzell and learn about the ancient traditions and customs of this region while browsing local specialty shops in the pedestrian zone with its decoratively painted wooden facades. Visit a boutique chocolate manufacture and follow the Maître Chocolatier's explanation of the artisan craft of chocolate making before indulging your senses during a chocolate tasting. Enjoy some time at leisure before heading back to Zurich with a goodie bag full of Swiss delicacies collected at the visited attractions throughout the day.