The Ramseier Adventure World – an excursion tip for April weather days

Advertising: Contribution in cooperation with Ramseier

When March spoils us with (too) many spring-like sunny days, I am always “overwhelmed” by planning euphoria. The motto: Out into nature – out into the blooms. I tend to forget that April is still a pretty capricious month ahead of us, which sometimes thwarts the outdoor plans forged full of anticipation with wind, rain and snow. For exactly these April weather days, we recently scouted out a new excursion tip and – no joke – made our way to the Ramseier Erlebniswelt in Sursee on a snowy first of April.

April, April – a wintry spring excursion to Sursee

And yes, the snowfall was announced. But while we take the train from Zurich via Olten to Sursee, the snow flurry gets thicker by the minute and in Sursee we are greeted by big, big snowflakes. What a picture! It feels like it hasn’t snowed so heavily in the lowlands all winter. Is the actually planned tour through the alleys of the old town even worth it in this weather? Of course!

Passing the striking swan graffiti, which is located directly at the train station, we follow the one-kilometre-long Bahnhofstrasse into the lower town. Not exactly the most leisurely walk in snow flurries, but all the more refreshing. In 2003, the city of Sursee was awarded the Wakker Prize by the Swiss Heritage Society for its high-quality settlement development and upgrading of the old town.

Indeed, the cobblestone streets of the old town surprise with many pretty corners and striking buildings. Behind the Catholic parish church, for example, the Sankturbanhof Museum bridges the gap between history and the present. The small, charming French bistro ChezBe is hidden on the Mühleplatz and two steps further on, even in the thickest snow flurry, you can guess how charming the charming Surengasse with the open course of the stream is on nice days!

The Ramseier Adventure World – the perfect excursion destination for rainy weather

Admittedly – if the April weather had been a little less nasty, we would probably have stayed a little longer in the alleys of the old town. But the wet and cold soon drive us back to the train station. There we follow the clearly visible signs to the opposite side of the tracks and after a five-minute walk along Pilatusstrasse we are in front of the entrance to the Ramseier Erlebniswelt.

The long-established Swiss company operates one of two cider factory locations in Sursee (the second location is in Oberaach in eastern Switzerland). In the summer of 2020, the production site, which is not open to the public, was supplemented with a visitor centre – the “Erlebniswelt”. The aim is to convey knowledge about apples, traditional fruit juice production and the history of the Ramseier company in an interactive and entertaining way.

informative and interactive exhibition landscape

The result is convincing. We are welcomed by “Bruno de Moschter”, who worked in fruit juice production for more than 40 years and has himself put a lot of heart and soul into the exhibition. He is the leading figure in the exhibition. In addition, you will meet other Ramseier employees in the world of experience. However, we have to pause for a moment and let the scenery work its magic on us. As the name suggests, the world of experience is its own little “cosmos” and visually incredibly “amächelig”. In addition, there is a sophisticated soundscape with birdsong, distant dog barking and tractor noise.

The first part of the exhibition deals with the facts surrounding fruit production. Guessing the different apple varieties depicted on a “giant apple” is particularly exciting. Did you know that there are over 1,000 varieties of apples in Switzerland alone?

The second part of the experience is dedicated to fruit juice production. On the one hand, the traditional craft is explained step by step. On the other hand, you will learn how new products are developed at Ramseier – from the idea to the development process to marketing.

And last but not least: What would a world of experience be if all the senses were not addressed? And so we can try our way through the Ramseier drinks in the “farm shop”. I’m a big fan of the Ramseier Huus tea brewed from Swiss apple mint and sweetened with fruit juice – wonderfully refreshing after a hike!

Right next to the farm shop there is also a photo station. The token for the souvenir photo is included in the entrance ticket (one per adult). If you like, you can stick the photos on a postcard and throw it in with a greeting message. At the end of the day, the Ramseier crew empties the mailbox, stamps the postcards and sends the World of Experience greetings.

Tarte flambée and apple strudel in the Erlebniswelt-Bistrot

In order to read everything, try it out and – most importantly – crack the solution word of the children’s quiz (which, by the way, also requires us to have some brains), a good two hours have to be planned for the world of experience. After the tour, the small bistro in the entrance area invites you to stop for refreshments. If there aren’t thick snowflakes dancing from the sky, you can also sit outside. My tip: the classic tarte flambée to share and then a piece of fruity, sweet apple strudel. The perfect end to an entertaining excursion.

Practical tips for your trip to the Ramseier Erlebniswelt

• Apart from special holidays, the Ramseier Erlebniswelt is open all year round from Wednesday to Friday between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. and Saturday/Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• The entrance fee for adults is 12 CHF. Children from 6 to 15 cost 5 CHF. There are also special family rates for families. Further information can be found on the website of the Erlebniswelt.
• A visit to the Ramseier Adventure World can be extended to a full-day excursion as a half-day excursion or in combination with a stroll through the old town of Sursee or a detour to the nearby Deer Park Oberkirch (within walking distance of the World of Experience).

 

Feel free to take a look at my article on excursions in rainy weather.