Autumn is a wonderful time to take a stroll through the vineyards where the finest wines in Switzerland are made. Take in one of the many traditional autumn festivals happening across the country or go foraging in the forests for wild mushrooms and juicy autumn berries. More than any other season, autumn transforms Switzerland into a veritable cornucopia of delicious local produce - just in time for those long winter months ahead.

Find out about the fruits to be savoured in Switzerland on our partner portal ch.ch, and discover more about traditional autumn festivals with our special DVD: "Customs and traditions in Switzerland".

The closing ceremony of the 29th Olympic Games in Beijing was nothing short of spectacular. 24th August 2008 also saw the close of the House of Switzerland in the 798 Art Zone of Beijing. Run by Presence Switzerland during the Games, the House of Switzerland was a joint project by the Swiss Embassy in China, Presence Switzerland, the canton of Lucerne and the Lake Lucerne Region. During the 24 days of the Olympic Games, close to 124,000 sporting and Switzerland fans took the opportunity to find out more about this little piece of Switzerland in the heart of Beijing.

Besides the huge numbers of Chinese visitors, the House of Switzerland proved to be a great draw for the entire Swiss Olympics Team, as well as many representatives from Swiss business and political life. The medal celebrations also brought an extra touch of glamour to proceedings. 

Take a look back at Switzerland’s contribution to this year’s Olympic Games and relive the Olympic spirit with our photo gallery. 

After a successful three months, the Swiss Pavilion, run by Presence Switzerland, closed its doors for the very last time on 14 September 2008. It attracted around 390,000 visitors, who delighted at the chance to marvel at the giant sail and take in the Swiss exhibition.

The theme of this year’s exhibition "Under the Lake" was clear to see for anyone visiting the Swiss Pavilion. Besides the exhibition itself, the Swiss Pavilion also served as a platform for a number of innovative Swiss projects on the issue of "water and sustainable development". Not only was the pavilion a rich source of interesting facts and information, it also offered a welcome cool retreat from the Spanish midday sun and the general Expo hustle and bustle.

Find out more about the Swiss Pavilion at Expo Zaragoza 2008 and take a look at our photo gallery. 

2008 is not only the year of major sporting and cultural events, but also the UN International Year of the Potato and Languages. Switzerland is the perfect example of a country which has embraced and nurtured linguistic diversity: it has four national languages, but many more besides are spoken in our small nation. 

As for potatoes, local varieties reflect this diversity, many of which have Italian- or French-sounding names like Agata, Stella and Désirée, to name but a very few! Each of Switzerland’s linguistic regions has its own potato-based specialities. In Ticino there are Gnocchi, while “Gschwellti” (potatoes boiled and served in their jacket) are a particular favourite in the German-speaking Mittelland. In Western Switzerland, boiled potatoes are served as an accompaniment to a rich and tasty cheese fondue, while they are the key ingredient in the traditional Graubünden dish of maluns.

Check out these potato recipes and discover how other countries enjoy this versatile vegetable!