In Affoltern in Emmental, you can experience cheesemaking firsthand: at the 1741 Stöckli, visitors make their own cheese from 200 litres of fresh raw milk together with a cheesemaker. A 60-minute fresh cheese workshop explains the individual steps involved in making cheese. When planning your time, check the current workshop dates and bookable options.
Cheese, workshops and local cuisine
The tour of the Emmentaler Show Dairy also takes you through nine rooms and into the maturing cellar. It covers the history and production of Emmentaler cheese; you can watch the cheesemaking process and sample different varieties. The site includes several dairy buildings, from the Stöckli dating from 1741 to the dairy built in 1989. This means a single visit can include different stages of cheesemaking.
The show dairy’s restaurant serves classic Swiss dishes made with regional ingredients; the menu and service may change. In the cheese shop, you’ll find local Emmentaler AOP varieties, gift baskets featuring Emmentaler AOP and other regional specialities. The selection of products may also change. Various circular horse-drawn carriage tours go around the show dairy. Reservation and operating conditions may change, so it’s worth checking them in advance.
Hiking and views from Lueg
For a hike with a clearly stated duration, consider the Luegweg: the easy route is 6.6 kilometres long, takes 1 hour and 45 minutes according to the route information, and starts and ends at the Emmentaler Show Dairy. Take seasonal changes in trail conditions into account when planning. A hiking map presented in April 2025 describes five unsigned circular routes: Dorfweg, Luegweg, Panoramaweg, Gemeindeweg and Bärenbrunnenweg. Their stated durations range from 30 minutes to three hours. As these routes are not signposted, factor navigation into your plans.
The Pöli viewpoint on Lueg is 887 metres above sea level and has a barbecue area. From the Emmental photo spot, the view stretches across the rolling hills of the Emmental to the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau; visibility depends on the weather. The photo spot can be reached from the show dairy’s paid parking lot via a signposted ten-minute walk. Check current parking conditions and signage before your visit.
The show dairy is also an official “Rent a Bike” rental station with six FLYER e-bikes. You can rent the bikes for half a day or a full day from April to October. The fleet size and seasonal rental conditions may change. For planning your time, you have several options: the workshop takes one hour, the Luegweg is listed as taking 1 hour and 45 minutes, and the hiking map includes circular routes with varying durations.
Church, memorial and rural heritage
Affoltern’s church was first mentioned in a document in 1275. The present form of the former St Michael’s Church probably dates back to a reconstruction or complete renovation in 1567. Another historic landmark, the Lueg Memorial, commemorates Bernese cavalrymen who died during the Spanish flu in 1918. The municipality’s architectural heritage includes traditional granaries, Stöckli buildings and farmhouses decorated with flowers.
The landscape also shapes the character of the municipality: meadows and pastures define the scenery, while many hills are largely covered with coniferous forest. The Bärenbrunnen fountain was installed in the Rotstalden area beside a 75-year-old peace linden tree. The Bärenbrunnenweg is designated as suitable for pushchairs, although trail conditions may still vary. When planning your trip, you can choose between cheesemaking, historic buildings and exploring the countryside on foot.
Plan your journey
A public transport connection was described in 2021: take the train to Hasle-RĂĽegsau, then bus 471 to Affoltern Dorf. Check the current timetable when planning your journey.
Discover more destinations: Häusernmoos in Emmental
For the main travel overview: Emmental.
