This post may contain affiliate links. I only recommend excursions, products and tours that I have personally used and purchased myself. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a very small commission at no extra cost to you. All proceeds go to running this blog and your support is truly appreciated! All opinions are my own. I know the word ‘fairytale’ is tossed around rather liberally when discussing travel destinations. However, there are few places in the world that have truly emoted the serenity and storybook whimsy that Gruyères Switzerland does. Many travelers go to Switzerland and skip Gruyères. And you know what? I’m kind of secretly happy that’s the case. Because this little town has yet to be spoiled by the masses. Certainly, when you get a glimpse of the sweeping blue skies enveloping Gruyères castle, the scenic rolling green hills as far as the eye can see and the cobblestone town square that looks like an untouched relic from the Medieval ages, you will hope it never is. Let’s keep the secret of Gruyères, Switzerland between you and I. Enjoy. This, of course, depends on where you’re coming from. But the nice part is, if you’re already in Switzerland you can literally get almost anywhere in Switzerland by train. Glorious, right? However, you can always drive, if you’re on a Switzerland road trip. However, most commonly, you’re not going to have a rental car… and… trust me, traveling everywhere via train is a delight. Tip: Although, if a Switzerland road trip sounds like it’s right up your alley, or you find it will be more cost effective for your specific itinerary, you can find the right vehicle for you to embark on this adventure: here. First, I’d love to share with you where I stayed. This is one of my all time favorite hotels. It’s a quaint boutique hotel, with a medieval flair. Aside from how centrally located it is (literally in the center of town), the hospitality and food are spectacular. Like, our stay was flawless in every way. The service was doting and demonstrated a sincere desire to make us feel at home and cared for. The hotel is fairly priced for the value provided. Tip: read all about my stay at Hotel Fleur de Lys – here. Find out if this is the stay for you! If I don’t stay at Hotel Fleur de Lys on my next visit to Gruyères Switzerland, I would definitely consider Le Saint George. It’s just a few doors down from Hotel Fleur de Lys. While I have not stayed at Le Saint George, I did have dinner at its hotel restaurant and it was such a wonderful experience. First of all, look at that view. If you dine at Le Saint George’s restaurant, definitely sit on the covered patio, which provides sweeping panoramic views of the Swiss Alps. While we were eating dinner, some Gruyères locals decided to come out for their dinner as well. Yes, as I gazed off into the horizon, countless deer decided to mosey down the hillside for their evening meal as well. Tip: make sure to try the double cream meringues when in Gruyéres, as it is a specialty of the region. Similar to the Matterhorn being the star of the show in Zermatt, one might argue that Gruyères Castle is the main event in the canton of Fribourg. Although, it has stiff competition with the abundance of chocolate and cheese at every turn, which easily might steal your attention. That being said, it would be unfathomable to visit Gruyères and not visit Gruyères castle. I mean, just look at it. I really enjoyed having a slow day, meandering Gruyères Castle. We explored every square inch of it, thoroughly took in the museum exhibits and enjoyed the garden and scenic views. How much time you need at Gruyères castle really depends on you. While guided tours are available, you can explore on your own, at your own pace. You could easily spend a half day here, however, you could also breeze right through, if for whatever reason that is more suiting for you. While the entire property serves as an ‘open-air museum’ of sorts, there is an area of the castle that is an actual museum exhibit. Tip: You can download the Château de Gruyères app on your smart phone for free and it will provide narration for a self guided tour of the castle. If chocolate is involved, it certainly is not a hard sell for me. Are you the same? In any case, I’m sure, while you’re in Switzerland you have to be just a bit curious about Swiss chocolate, right? Right?! If you’re not feeling compelled to devote a half day to visiting Maison Callier, you can always go to Chocolaterie de Gruyerés. It’s a lovely little locally owned Chocolate shoppe right by the bus station at the bottom of the hill. Despite being very tiny in comparison to Maison Callier, you can see the chocolatiers hard at work, crafting their sweet delights. Pop in for a treat… or two? Personally, I love all things cheese. What about you? Does a charcuterie board or fondue night sound like perfection to you too? As I am originally from Southern California, for many years there was a café in South Pasadena that made the freshest, most incredible Gruyère baguette sandwiches. They were worth the drive. It was these sandwiches that made Gruyère one of my favorite cheeses. So, as you can imagine, when presented with the opportunity to actually see how this delicious, delicate delight is made, I was not about to pass it up. Turns out, after Switzerland, the USA is the biggest consumer of Gruyère cheese. Germany comes in at a close third. Looks like I’m far from the only American that fancies a Gruyère cheese foodie moment. La Maison de Gruyère is a cheese factory, museum and restaurant located very close to the train station when you arrive in Gruyère. In fact, we were famished upon arrival and ate on the restaurant patio of La Maison de Gruyère, not knowing it was part of the cheese factory. We just wanted to get a bite somewhere quickly. Our server was super sweet, the food was fine, but overall, there are much better meals to be had in the gorgeous little town of Gruyères. Akin to buying food at any attraction, you usually partake because it’s convenient. However, don’t let this deter you from doing the Cheese Factory Tour. It’s fun, educational, interactive and snacks are provided. What more could you want? Tip: La Maison du Gruyère does NOT allow online or advanced purchase of tickets, unless you are a group of ten or more. You buy your tickets upon arrival. Luckily, the museum and factory seem to have a large capacity, and it’s not the type of situation where tickets are likely to sell out. A local told us to go first thing in the morning to catch the cheese making. That’s what we did and it was great, so now I’m passing that advice on to you. Perhaps it may seem a bit random that there is a Museum about Tibet smack dab in the middle of the Medieval town of Gruyères? If you’re thinking this, you aren’t alone. Essentially, Alain Bordier is a Swiss collector whom is passionate about Tibetan and Himalayan art and artifacts. The Tibet Museum is housed in an old, former chapel. If you love museums, this is definitely worth the visit. When you step into the space, you truly can feel supercharged energy. An interesting miscellany of art, statues, jewelry in a space flowing with reverence, novelty and mystery. Let’s just get this out of the way right now: I would not consider this a “kid friendly” museum. While the Swiss artist HR Giger is considered a genius by many people’s standards, a lot of his art is… shall we say… a bit risque. HR Giger, who hails from Chur Switzerland, is best known for winning an Oscar and designing the creatures for the cult classic movie Alien. A considerable amount of pieces in the museum are rather… explicit. Then, there is a special room that you can choose whether or not to go in that is, well, particularly uncensored. HR Giger lived in Gruyère for some time and opened the Giger Museum in 1998. Now, even if you decide to skip the Giger Museum due to your sensibilities, I’d still suggest popping into the Giger Bar for a beverage. They have everything from Absinthe to hard liquor to wine. Personally, I grabbed a nice latte served in a goblet, enjoyed the interesting, intricate decor and, of course, spun circles in the giant skeletal chair. I mean, spinning in the skeletal chair is worth the visit alone. One of my favorite things about the district of Gruyères is how easy it is to get around. In Gruyère village, you can walk everywhere. Most attractions and restaurants are very close to one another, if you’re staying in the village. However, even if you want to explore other villages and towns in the Gruyère area, that is fairly simple too. There is a main bus station near the train station that is pretty easy to navigate even for someone who isn’t used to using public transport. I loved the freedom to get around and explore more of the district and the ease of using Gruyères public transportation. Tip: I showed up to Gruyère and just winged it. Kind of just figured out which towns and villages outside of the main Gruyère village to visit and the bus system on the fly. However, if you feel more comfortable planning your route in advance, you can learn more: here. Are you not the type to go it alone? Don’t worry. You don’t have to! Behold, you can have a full guided tour of Gruyeré village that takes you to the Castle and highlights of the town. Afterwards, off to see the splendor of Swiss cheese and chocolate making. You can check out this tour: here. Maison Callier is a chocolate theme park of sorts, with the crowds to match. Your cocoa filled adventure will first start with a bus ride to the little town of Broc. Broc is a cutesy, small Swiss town home to just under 3,000 residents. Let me tell you, if you love chocolate, you really shouldn’t skip this attraction. Cailler is the oldest Swiss chocolate brand in existence, that’s been around since 1819. In 1929 Nestlè (another Swiss brand) bought Cailler. Visiting the chocolate factory is fun, experiential, interactive and educational. Spoiler Alert: May all your Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Veruca Salt-esq dreams come true at the end of your Chocolate Factory tour. Let’s just say, that there is an assortment of all you can eat chocolate sampling in your future if you visit! Tip: like most attractions or theme parks, the cafè is a bit overpriced. However, it’s still the best place to wait for your entrance time. Grab a hot cocoa and a seat, if you can. There will hardly be an empty seat in the house! It was our last day in Gruyères and our last day in Switzerland. I had the most spectacular time traveling around this beautiful country, however, there was one thing I absolutely wanted to do that I hadn’t done yet. Ride a mountain coaster. Thrill seeker that I am, I just simply couldn’t come to Switzerland and not ride a mountain coaster. So, we consulted with one of the innkeepers at our accommodation, Hotel Fleur de Lys, and he let us know that the closest one to us was in Molèson. So, off we went. Luckily, I was starting to get pretty confident navigating the region’s bus system. Molèson is only three bus stops or roughly 11 minutes away from the main part of Gruyères. And honestly, its impossible to get lost because (assuming you get on the right bus), it’s the absolute last stop on the line. The thing about visiting places in the off or shoulder season (in this case, in April), is not all attractions may always be open. In this instance, the Molèson gondola was closed, but the mountain coaster and restaurant was open. Truth be told, those are the only two things we needed for this day trip! This honestly is one of my favorite travel memories of all time. I mean, this thing was so fun. Admittedly, I was a bit nervous at first. This was my first time going on an Alpine coaster. You can either ride solo and one ride costs CHF 6 or you can ride in tandem and its four rides for two people (so, two rides for you both total) CHF 22. Confession: it was our last day in Switzerland and we went on the Alpine coaster like five times. Several times together and then I finally went solo a couple times. Careening through the Swiss Alps while crisp, fresh air hits your face and runs through your hair as you wind through the trees and take in the scenic views is truly… unforgettable. After all that exhilarating adventuring, you’ll definitely work up an appetite. The restaurant is attached to a hotel of sorts. You can book a room at the Guesthouse accomodation if you’d like to stay in Molèson. By my estimation, this only makes sense when Molèson mountain and the gondola lift are in season and open. Otherwise, Molèson is pretty isolated and there isn’t much more to do than snow sports (when they’re open), go to the top of Molèson, ride the Alpine mountain coaster and dine at the restaurant. But, when exploring Gruyère, it’s definitely worth it to take the bus to Molèson for a daytrip. I’m not really sure how, but one day we ended up in a town called Bulle for the day. Turns out, what do you know? It’s the capital of Gruyère. The thing about Gruyéres, it’s like ridiculously easy to catch the bus and it’s very easy to navigate. The stops are straightforward. So, I think we kind of felt adventurous and said, “hey, let’s just get off in the town of Bulle to explore and have lunch.” Only, here is the plot twist: the whole entire town shuts down for hours in the middle of the day. So, if you’re headed on a day trip, not sure lunch is on the horizon for you unless you have an early lunch (like before noon). Every place in town from a casual sandwich shoppe to nice elevated dining closes down and doesn’t reopen until 5 or 6pm. Thankfully, we found the one open cafè and bakery that had a wide assortment of baked goods and beverages and not a single empty seat in the house. When I find myself in Switzerland again, I’d definitely revisit Bulle and spend a bit more time there. It’s a very walkable city, and I spotted some foodie -friendly restaurants I’ve already deemed as a “must return to visit.” Overall, Gruyère is one of the most scenic and beautiful corners of the world I’ve visited. I really do hope we meet again someday. Once you arrive in the district of Gruyères, you can get pretty much anywhere within the district by a very inexpensive bus ride or on foot – transportation is very budget friendly, here! Credit card is widely accepted almost everywhere – especially within hotels, museums and restaurants Other than your accommodation, Gruyères village is not somewhere you have to fret about booking or planning out everything in advance. Particularly if you visit in the off season (early spring). One of the appealing aspects of visiting this district is the ease of exploring without a rigid itinerary and still seeing everything to fullest. Tipping is not mandatory, obligatory or expected in Switzerland. However, some say if you are happy with the service you can round your bill up. For example, a Fleur de Lys hotel employee took such great care of us, we gave her a cash tip upon departure. While this is not expected, she made great efforts to make us feel at home. She also wears many hats: waited on us in the restaurant, helped with luggage, would grab an elevator for us. You don’t have to do this, but we just really appreciated er efforts. Have you visited Gruyères Switzerland? If you have questions about visiting, drop them in the comments below! Check these out! Want to know how I travel so frequently? By booking jaw-dropping flight deals that are often so low you’d have to see ’em to believe it. The best part? They’re sent right to my inbox. You can try it out for free: here. I exclusively use this site to book all my stays. I get 20% off on all my stays plus additional perks from their loyalty program. Check it out! Get reliable travel medical insurance for your trip, for just $2 a day – here Looking for a flight on a specific date? Use this search engine and start earning rewards! Need to book your excursions and tours? This company is my favorite. This is another marketplace for tours, that is especially great for Europe. Renting a car for your adventure? Discover the right car for your journey: here. Do you love train travel as much as I do? Get your train tickets here! Want to travel in comfort and have lounge access around the world? Get that right here. You know what I love to do when I visit a new city? This!Gruyères Switzerland is your Storybook Moment come to Life
Explore the dreamy, medieval namesake town of everyone’s favorite Swiss cheese
How to get to Gruyères Switzerland
Where to Stay in Gruyères Switzerland
Hotel Fleur de Lys
Le Saint George
Gruyères Castle
Gruyères Castle
Tickets: Adults CHF 13, Children CHF 5, Family Pass (two adults & up to three children) CHF 29
Swiss Chocolate
Chocolatier de Gruyères
Rue du Bourg 8, 1663 Gruyères, Switzerland
La Maison de Gruyère
See first hand how expert cheesemakers make Gruyère cheese
La Maison du Gruyère
Pringy, Pl. de la Gare 3, 1663 Gruyères, Switzerland
Ticket prices: Adult 8 CHF, Students & Seniors 6 CHF, Family 12 CHF (2 adults and 2 kids)
Tibet Museum
Alain Bordier Foundation
Tibet Museum
Rue du Château 4, 1663 Gruyères, Switzerland
Ticket prices: Adults – 10 CHF, Seniors & Students – 8 CHF, Children 6-16 – 5 CHF
HR Giger Museum and Bar
File this under, “unique experiences”
The Giger Museum
Giger Museum
Rue du Château 2, Château St-Germain, 1663 Gruyères, Switzerland
Ticket prices: Adults – CHF 12.50, Students, Seniors, Military – CHF 8.50
Giger Bar
Giger Bar
Rue du Château 3, 1663 Gruyères, Switzerland
Getting around in the District of Gruyères
One on the seven districts in the Canton of Fribourg
Full Historic Day Tour of Gruyerés Village
You can always tour Gruyeré with a Guide
Cailler Chocolate Factory
Maison Callier – an activity for Chocolate Lovers in the Town of Broc
Cailler Chocolate Factory
Rue Jules Bellet 7, 1636 Broc, Switzerland
Ticket prices: Adult CHF 17, Students & Seniors CHF 14, Kids ages 6-15 – CHF 7
Adventures in Molèson-sur-Gruyères
This is too fun of a day trip to pass up
Café Restaurant La Pierre à Catillon
Day trip to a town called Bulle
The capital of the Gruyères, Switzerland
Know Before You Go
Headed to Switzerland?
Hotel Zunfthaus Zur Rebleuten – medieval MAGIC unleashedHere is everything you need to know about visiting Chur Switzerland
How to have an epic Zermatt Trip – one of the World’s best Mountain Towns
Looking for a wonderful bargain stay in Valais? Hotel Weisshorn Zermatt
Glacier Express Switzerland: Route, cost, everything you need to know!
Chateau de Bonmont Switzerland – a dreamy Getaway in the Countryside
Fleur de Lys Gruyères – a remarkable Boutique Hotel in the Alps
Travel resources for YOU to plan an epic trip!
Gruyères literally has everything: scenery, history, food, and the Gruyère cheese wheels are a sight! You captured the place well and I’d love to visit when in Switzerland.
Thank you so much, Lucia! Gruyères REALLY does have everything. It’s definitely worth a visit when in Switzerland.
Wow, Gruyères looks straight out of a fairytale! The medieval streets, gorgeous scenery, and of course, the amazing cheese and chocolate make it a dream spot. Hope to visit someday—thanks for the great tips and inspiration!
I ‘d love to visit Gruyères, Switzerland. There are so many things to do. After seeing some of the touristy spots, I definitely want to stop at the chocolate shop.
I have traveled in Switzerland but missed Gruyeres. It looks like the perfect place with the backdrop of snowy mountains, chocolates and cheese and museums. The Gruyeres cheese making factory sounds like a place I would love to visit. Great post!
Oh wow! Gruyeres looks simply charming! It was not on my radar before, but you have inspired me. The charm, chocolate and cheese?! Yes please!
I’ve been to Switzerland before and can’t wait to go back. Gruyeres looks like the type of place I would really enjoy. I love exploring lesser-known destinations and am a foodie, so I wouldn’t resist trying the meringues and chocolate. And taking photos! It’s very picturesque.
Not going to lie, this is really making me want to go to Switzerland!! Not only does it look beautiful, but wow there’s a lot to do as well! Great post 🙂
This was a highlight in Switzerland for me. But, I will tell you earnestly… you will not regret visiting Switzerland. It’s a beautiful country!
Lovely idea! We had a great time💕thank you
I am so happy to hear this Gina! Gruyères is such a special place.
Amanda! I had so much fun on your site! I LOVE Gruyere cheese and had just sat down for lunch to have my grilled Gruyere cheese on sourdough bread with Dijon mustard, red grapes and coffee, Before I took my first bite I realized I’ve had a life-long love of Gruyere and knew nothing about its origins. So I researched it, then found your travel site and off I went to Gruyere in Switzerland! I had so much fun looking at all the views and reading your information about each place there. By the time I was finished with my lunch, I had a much greater appreciation of how Gruyere is made, where it was made, and how loved it is world-wide. Thank you for such good reporting! The only thing missing from my meal was dessert, and that piece of chocolate you held in your hand in front of the Chocolaterie de Gruyeres would have done nicely!!