A visit to the Zotter Experience World

Welcome to the World of Chocolate

Have you ever dreamed of a place where you can taste chocolate to your heart’s content? In the Zotter Experience World, this dream comes true. It’s no wonder that it’s one of the most popular destinations in Styria, and I was incredibly excited to explore this chocolate paradise.

The Zotter Experience World, run by the innovative and sustainable Austrian chocolate manufacturer, is located just two hours from Vienna, in the idyllic Riegersburg region of Styria’s Thermen-& Vulkanland. It’s a true experience for the whole family, as well as for all chocolate lovers and those who want to become one.

In this blog post, I will take you on a journey through the world of Zotter chocolate. I will not only show you how to make the most of your visit, but also share my personal highlights and tips. So grab your tasting spoon and join me on a delicious adventure!

A few tips

Before we dive into the sweet adventure, here are a few tips for your visit to the Zotter Experience World:

• Tip #1: Plan your visit during the week if possible. The Experience World can get very busy, especially on Saturdays.

• Tip #2: Book your tickets online in advance. This ensures that you get a spot at your desired time.

• Tip #3: Allow yourself plenty of time to visit the Zotter Experience World. In addition to the tour of the main attraction – the Chocolate Theatre – there’s also a large outdoor area to explore. I would recommend setting aside 3 ½ hours (including a lunch break). Of course, you can spend more time there or explore faster if you’re short on time – it’s completely up to you.

• Tip #4: If your preferred time slot is unavailable, you can start with the Edible Zoo and do the chocolate tour afterward. Your ticket is valid for the whole day, and the booked time is simply when you need to be at the Cocoa Cinema – the starting point of the Chocolate Theatre.

• Tip #5: During your tour, take photos of the chocolate you like the most. With so many options to try, you might forget which ones were your favorites and which you want to buy in the shop for home. There’s also a free booklet at the checkout – the “Genussguide” – where you can mark your favorites. Or use the Zotter Choco Club app on your smartphone to add your favorites to a wish list using the QR codes at the tasting stations.

All the information about opening times, admission prices, directions, etc., can be found at the end of the article.

The Chocolate Theatre

The name is misleading – you won’t be watching a play here, but rather experiencing a spectacle of delights, a culinary journey in what feels like an endless number of acts. Here, the story of how a cocoa bean becomes what we all love – chocolate – is told! And the best part: the audience is up close and personal, and you can choose the focus of the story. Welcome to the Chocolate Theatre!

Here, you’ll not only get an insight into Zotter chocolate production, but you can also try around 300 different types of chocolate – one-third of which are even vegan.

I would allow about an hour for the tour through the Chocolate Theatre, but how long you take is entirely up to you. If you want more information about each station, you can conveniently use the audio guide on your phone.

Cocoa Cinema

Your visit to the Chocolate Theatre begins in the Cocoa Cinema, where the Zotter family takes you on “A Cocoa Journey Around the World.” I found the 25-minute short film about cocoa farming and production not only very informative but also entertaining.

Then, the actual tour begins! Equipped with the most important tool – the tasting spoon – off you go.

Bean-to-Bar-Factory

In the first part of the tour, you get insights into the bean-to-bar production process, and through the glass windows, you can observe and understand the various steps, such as roasting, grinding, and conching. Particularly exciting: here, you can taste the products at each step like different cocoa beans, types of sugar, and milk powder.

The first chocolate fountain you’ll encounter looks tempting, but appearances can be deceiving – the cocoa mass at this stage is still very bitter. I still found it interesting to taste this pure product!

My first personal highlight was the Choco Refill Station – the name alone made my mouth water.

MY TIP: Create your own mix by combining several flavors. I particularly liked raspberry with milk chocolate.

Then, it’s on to the next floor. Through the large panoramic windows, you get a great view of the Edible Zoo area and a preview of what awaits you there later. But more on that shortly.

Interactive Tasting Stations

Now it’s time to really start tasting the finished products. Many tasting stations are interactive and, typical of Zotter, very innovative. You can sample a variety of chocolates, pralines, sweet popcorn, and both classic and unusual flavors. And the best part: you can try as much as you like. There are no limits to your chocolate discovery journey.

Nashido + Biofekt Robot: Simply select the desired flavor using the touchscreen and the robot will serve you your chocolate or praline. I can only say Almond Nougat Cube – a dream!

And how cute is the world’s smallest cable car that delivers the Chocolate & Praline Duo to you? Truly exquisite!

And again and again, there are glimpses into the production process, allowing you to understand what has to happen before you can buy a bar of chocolate in the store. I can’t possibly list all the stations, but here are a few of my highlights:

Nashido + Biofekt Robot: Simply select the desired flavor using the touchscreen and the robot will serve you your chocolate or praline. I can only say Almond Nougat Cube – a dream!

And how cute is the world’s smallest cable car that delivers the Chocolate & Praline Duo to you? Truly exquisite!

Doesn’t “Eight-Cylinder Nougat Pump” sound heavenly? How are you supposed to choose just one flavor? Luckily, you don’t have to – you can try all eight.

But the other creative tasting stations also fascinated me – the Choco Nougat Paternoster, Endorphine Roller Coaster, and the First Aid Station were just a few of the creative attractions along the way.

Just when you think you’ve seen and tasted everything, it’s time to sample the drinking chocolates. Fifteen flavors, ranging from classic to creative ones like green tea or chili, with milk or vegan with rice drink.

The Gastronomy

After all that delicious chocolate, it’s time for something savory. Right at the entrance to the Chocolate Theatre, you’ll find the spacious outdoor area with:

• The Organic BBQ – everything fresh from the BBQ – burgers, club sandwiches, or Cevapcici
  
• The Organic Sausage Stand – offering bratwurst, cheese krainer, Zott-Dog (also vegan), Leberkäse, and fries
  
• And indoors, the Organic Coffee Shop & Deli: offering, among other things, cold cuts, appetizer variations, and toast

All restaurants/cafés also offer vegan dishes.

We made ourselves comfortable at the Organic BBQ and tried a Bergl Club Sandwich and a Wagyu burger with fries, both of which were delicious and can be highly recommended. We also enjoyed house-made Zotter fruit juices for a refreshing finish.

MY TIP: The gastronomy area can also be visited without an entrance ticket.

The Edible Zoo

Right next to the building, the Edible Zoo awaits you. This is a huge area with numerous animals and fun attractions that you might not have seen before, but it also offers space to relax. Giant slides, an adventure playground, a motor skills course, an art park, and what I found particularly amusing – farmer’s golf. Have you ever played it? Instead of hitting a golf ball into a hole, you have to hit various targets with rubber boots – so entertaining and not as easy as it sounds.

A highlight, of course, were the animals, and especially the petting zoo, where you can meet alpacas, donkeys, and pigs.

I also found the Cemetery of Ideas funny, where ideas or products that have been discontinued are “buried,” including chocolate varieties like red cabbage with sour caramel or the sausage mustard praline.

MY TIP: Plan about 2 hours for your visit to the Edible Zoo – there’s so much to discover, and it would be a shame if you didn’t have enough time to explore the entire area.

The Choco Shop

Before you head home, be sure to visit the Choco Shop. Where else will you find such a wide selection of Zotter chocolate? You can choose from around 500 varieties and even create your own praline box – the perfect souvenir or gift for your next celebration.

The Choco Shop can also be visited without an entrance ticket.

MY TIP: On Sundays and public holidays, the shop, like the Experience World, is closed, but there are vending machines outside the store where you can buy Zotter products around the clock. So, if you ever have a chocolate emergency, you’re covered.

Information for your visit

Here is some general information – but to be safe, check the Zotter website before your visit for any last-minute changes:

OPENING HOURS 

Zotter Experience World and Choco Shop

• Monday – Saturday from 9 AM – 7 PM, last entry to the Chocolate Theatre: 5 PM
• Closed on Sundays and public holidays.

Gastronomy

• Opening hours vary, so please check before your visit.

DAY TICKETS (as of June 2025)

• Adults: € 21,90
• Teens: 11 -17 years: € 17,90
• Children: 6 – 10 years: € 13,90
• Children: 4 -5 years: € 7,90
• Children: 0 – 3 years: free

The day ticket includes entry to the Chocolate Theatre with tastings and the Cocoa Cinema, as well as access to the Edible Zoo.

MY TIP: Book or reserve your tickets online in advance!

HOW TO GET THERE

• Address: Zotter Experience World: Bergl 56, Riegersburg, Styria

by car

• about 2 hours from Vienna
• Free parking is available directly at the Zotter Experience World.

by public transportation

• From Vienna Central Station take the train to Graz and from there take the train to Feldbach,
• change to the regional bus 406 to Altenmarkt Zotter (duration: approx. 4 hours from Vienna Central Station

AUDIO GUIDE

• You can listen to the audio guide on your cell phone.

CLOAKROOM

• is available

I think you can tell how enthusiastic I was about the Zotter Experience World and I can absolutely recommend a visit. It’s a great day trip where you not only spend time in the Chocolate Theater and learn a lot about the production of Zotter chocolate and can taste as much chocolate as you want, but with the Edible Zoo you also have a great outdoor area where you can spend several hours. Endless snacking combined with interesting information and entertaining activities, there is something for everyone. The fact that the gastronomy is also highly recommended rounds off the whole experience.

MY TIP: Add another 1-2 days and explore the Styrian Thermen-& Vulkanland, and visit Riegersburg Castle, for example, hike along the Kaskögerlweg or the Genusswanderweg or discover the Vulkanlandroute 66 with all sorts of interactive factories and authentic family-run businesses