In the city of Bern, capital city of Switzerland

 "A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving."

-- Albert Einstein
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(in Switzerland) With fabled mountains covered in year-round snow and lakeside cities that sizzle come summertime, the weather in Switzerland can make it a country of contrasts. That means, picking the best time to go to visit the country depends on whether you’re interested in skiing or hiking. With its fresh game, an abundance of wild mushrooms, chestnuts and grape harvests, late-fall can be exquisitely gourmet in Switzerland. Locals celebrate the feast of St Martin (November 11) with plenty of pork dishes and in the French-speaking Jura, particularly in Porrentruy, where local bars and restaurants have seven-course meals for several weekends through November. Christmas and New Year see serious snow-sports action on the slopes: skiers, snowboarders and spa-goers book their hotels early to secure access to the finest powder. High season for ski resorts is late December to early April, but in a country where every 10-person, 50-cow hamlet has a ski lift, there are resorts to match virtually any taste and ability.

* Featured here is the city of Bern, Switzerland's capital, which is found in in the middle of the country, near the center of the plateau that lies between the Alps and the Jura Mountains. Founded in 1191 as a military post near the frontier between German-speaking and French-speaking areas, the city soon extended its power over surrounding lands before entering the Swiss Confederation in 1353. (Fire destroyed most of the city in 1405.) The city became mostly Protestant as the result of a debate between Roman Catholics and reformers that was held in the city in 1528. Napoleon Bonaparte occupied Bern on March 5th, 1798, and swept away the old ruling aristocracy. In 1848 the modern Swiss confederation came into being, and Bern became its capital. The Universal Postal Union -- now a specialized agency of the United Nations -- was founded here in 1874. A powerful force since medieval times, the Swiss capital is now quite an appealing city. Bernmobil is the capital's transit service. A free bike service is also an option for getting around. The Historical Museum and the Collection of the Bern Museum of Fine Arts house the art and architecture of millennia. The Einstein House and the Paul Klee Center showcase the work of two of Bern's famous former inhabitants. Bern’s flag-festooned, cobbled center, rebuilt in distinctive grey-green sandstone after the devastating 1405 fire, is an aesthetic delight, with six kilometers (~4 mi.) of covered arcades, cellar shops and bars, and fantastical folk figures frolicking on 16th-century fountains. From the surrounding hills, one is presented with an equally captivating picture of red roofs arrayed on a spit of land within a bend of the Aare River.