The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: April twenty-sixth, with a tale from the town of William Tell.

Interlachen is heart of the Bernese Oberland, the scenically stunning section of central Switzerland. As its name implies, the town is situated on a glacial delta between two lakes, Brienz and Thun. Three of the mighty Alps most famous peaks, Eiger, Jungfrau and Moench, tower to the south. It's a setting that's launched a thousand postcards.

In winter, the Bernese Oberland is a skier's paradise. In spring, when valley snows melt, it's being transformed into a wild- flower-carpeted haven for folks who love to hike the sharp profiles of the high Alps. It's also ideal for visitors who prefer to savor the incomparable views from a cloud-ringed summit without the bother of actually climbing up. The region's amazingly comprehensive and coordinated system of cogwheel trains, funiculars and gondolas make even high peaks accessible to travelers who prefer not to break a sweat. Strolling down verdant valley paths alongside tumbling streams and thundering waterfalls is an agreeable way to pass an afternoon, especially when you can duck into a tiny inn for a traditional feast.

Charming villages like Grindelwald, Thun, Brienz and Meiringen, with their quaint-turreted castles and gingerbread houses, have been attracting visitors for hundreds of years. Traveler poets and musicians like Lord Byron, Felix Mendelssohn, Conon Doyle and Mark Twain have been awed by the landscape's beauty. Though the exploits of this area's most famous son, William Tell, may be mythical, the beauties of the Bernese Oberland are very real.

FMI Contact the Swiss National Tourist Office 212-757-5944 or www.myswitzerland.com

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