Bargains to tempt the traveler to Central and Eastern Europe

THIS year the fall and winter bargains to London, Paris, Dublin and Rome are so spectacular that they tend to obscure values just as remarkable to Central and Eastern Europe. The prices aren’t simply good -- they’re historic. Here are some travel opportunities to consider:

* Prague, Czech Republic: Prague has kept its architectural heritage intact and unaltered through centuries of upheaval. Crowds flock here in the expensive summer season, but visiting a little later reaps financial rewards. Including airfare from LAX, $808 -- per person double occupancy -- will buy six nights at the centrally located Hotel Orion from Nov. 1 to Dec. 12 and Dec. 29 to Feb. 28. Airport transfers, daily breakfast and a city tour are included. Call Tatra Travel (800) 321-2999, www.tatratravel.com.

* Budapest, Hungary: This city is the bustling Baroque gem of Central Europe, with 2 million people, a famed opera house, a twisting cobblestone castle district and impressive bridges draped across the Danube. It is the heart and soul of Hungary. From Nov. 1 to Dec. 12, Paul Laifer Tours, (800) 346-6314, www.laifertours.com, combines six nights at the 130-room Metropol Hotel with Czech Airlines flights from Los Angeles or San Francisco for $889 per person, double occupancy. For October departures, try www.go-today.com, or call (425) 487-9632 (there is a $20 fee for phone reservations), for a six-night package with airfare from Los Angeles for $1,209.

* The Baltics: This holiday reunites two former Soviet Union sisters: St. Petersburg, Russia, with its wide boulevards, vibrant arts scene and ornate palaces; and Riga, Latvia, an intriguing city with a lively market and a castle that dates to the 1300s. From Oct. 1 through Dec. 14, $1,352 is the price per person, double occupancy, for Lufthansa flights from Los Angeles, daily breakfast, two nights at a tourist-class hotel in Riga, a sleeper compartment on an overnight train to St. Petersburg, and three nights in St. Petersburg. Check www.offpeaktraveler.com (no phone bookings).

* Croatia: The Croatian coast is a mix of dramatic cliffs, sleepy villages, azure waters and fortified old cities. Overlooked until recently by tourists because of troubles in the early ‘90s, Croatia is back in the swing of things and is especially budget-friendly during its temperate late fall and winter. From Nov. 1 through Dec. 12, Croatian specialist Travel Time, (800) 354-8728, www.traveltimeny.com, offers six nights in the walled city of Dubrovnik, four nights on the island of Hvar and two nights in Split or Makarska starting at $1,310 per person, double occupancy, with airfare from Los Angeles. Two daily meals, lodging and ferry tickets are included.