Exploring the Musical Heritage of Vienna

Celebrate the end of winter with a tour of the Meyer House in Vienna, where Beethoven composed music, and a Mass in the Hofburg Chapel featuring the Vienna Boys’ Choir. The directors of the Bard College Music Festival in Annandale on Hudson, N.Y., will host an eight-night tour beginning April 1 called “Vienna: From Beethoven to Schonberg.”

The tour group will explore Vienna’s musical and artistic heritage from the Beethoven years to the Expressionist period at the turn of the century.

The group will venture out to such architectural treasures as the Schonbrunn palace and gardens, visit museums, stroll along the elegant Karntnerstrasse and see the lodgings where Haydn composed. Also on the tour will be an excursion to the spa town of Baden, site of the Beethoven house and the town where both Beethoven and Mozart composed major works; a visit to the Secession Pavilion, with Gustav Klimt’s massive fresco glorifying Beethoven; and a leisurely trek through the Belvedere Palace complex, whose attractions include the Orangerie, housing the Museum of Medieval Art, and the nearby Museum of Baroque Art.

Viennese scholars will add their insights to those of the festival directors, who will be on hand to provide commentary on the music and the city. The group will also attend at least five major musical performances, including a private recital by the Altenberg Trio of works by Beethoven and Schonberg, and tour the Schonberg Center.

Cost: $4,599 per person, double occupancy, including hotel room, daily breakfast, special dinners, performance tickets, transportation, porterage and a $1,000 tax-deductible contribution to the Bard Music Festival. Air fare is extra.

Contact: Matthew Moran at Goodspeed & Bach Inc., telephone (888) 446-1789.

Mexico: Baja

From March 25 to April 2 travelers can watch whales and see cave paintings on a tour of northern Baja California with Teri DiFiori, a biology professor at Pasadena City College. Travelers will see exotic desert plants (boojum trees and giant cardoons) and marine mammals that are unique to this ecological zone. They will be introduced to the uses of indigenous desert plants at the Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve in Catavina.

Small boats will take guests to meet the calving gray whales in Scammon’s Lagoon and search for other marine mammals in the Bahia de Los Angeles, where adventurers will get close to sea turtles at Operation Tortuga. A visit to the San Ignacio mission and prehistoric cave paintings in the Sierra de San Francisco are included.

Cost: $2,500 per person, including van transportation from Los Angeles, lodging, all meals, boat trips, the excursion to the cave paintings and entrance fees to all missions and museums.

Contact: Vanessa Acosta at Cultural Arts Tours & Workshops; tel. (323) 344-9064.

Japan: Festival

Festivals and garden and architectural tours are highlights of a spring tour beginning April 10 hosted by Yoshino Japanese Antiques in Pasadena. The nine-day tour begins in Kyoto, Japan’s ancient capital, then travels north to Takayama to experience the spring Cherry Blossom Festival. During the festival, large decorated floats are paraded through the streets. The tour continues on to Kanazawa near the Sea of Japan coast to visit a garden. The last several days will be spent sightseeing in Kyoto. The final evening, the group will have a send-off dinner hosted by geisha. There is an optional opportunity to stay two nights in a ryokan, a traditional Japanese hotel.

Cost: $3,400 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip air fare from Los Angeles, hotel accommodations, ground transportation in Japan, some meals and all exhibition hall and museum entrance fees. The optional stay in the ryokan is limited to seven spaces and is an additional $315 per person including daily breakfast and dinner.

Contact: Gary Myers at Yoshino Japanese Antiques; tel. (626) 356- 0588.

Britain: Spring Fling

A “Spring Fling” to Scotland and England from San Diego Acacia Travel will depart April 12 for 11 days. Participants will begin their tour in Edinburgh, Scotland. Activities will include visits to St. Andrews, the historic Scone Palace and a visit to a distillery to sample whiskey.

The tour continues to England’s Lake District, visiting charming villages along the shores, as well as the homes of some of England’s best-known authors and poets.

After a visit to the medieval walled city of Chester, the journey continues by express train to London for a four-night stay. In the British capital tour members will spend an evening at the theater, go on walking tours and have time for shopping. Individual extensions will be provided on request.

Cost: $2,995 per person, including air fare from L.A., motor coach and rail, accommodations at first- class hotels, sightseeing excursions, theater tickets, airport transfers, three dinners and all breakfasts.

Contact: Acacia Travel, 3272 Rosecrans St., San Diego, CA 92110; tel. (619) 225-1233; ask for Marilyn Nunn at Ext. 133 or Roxie Seales at Ext. 129.

Mexico: Copper Canyon

A new first-class train, the Chepe, with spacious reclining seats, full dining car and lounge car service, connects Los Mochis and Chihuahua in northern Mexico. It carries visitors to the popular Copper Canyon, with stops along the route in Bahuichivo, Barrancas and Creel. Farr Discovery Rail Tours is offering a trip departing March 27. Guests fly from Los Angeles to Los Mochis, stay overnight in El Fuerte and travel by rail to Bahuichivo, with two nights in Cerocahui. They will continue to Barrancas and stay overnight at El Mirador Hotel on the canyon rim. Then they will return to Los Mochis by train for an overnight stay before the return flight home.

Cost: $1,299 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip air fare from Los Angeles, rail fare, five nights’ hotel accommodations, sightseeing with guide services and most meals.

Contact: Farr Discovery Rail Tours, 25201 Paseo de Alicia, Suite 100, Laguna Hills, CA 92653; tel. (800) 225-8728.

Ensenada: Carnival

Mexican Mardi Gras is a home-grown street party complete with costumes and parades in Ensenada--the city’s last chance to kick up its heels before the somber days of Lent.

Baja California Tours offers a two-night Ensenada Carnival tour departing March 5.

Cost: $167 per person, double occupancy, including a guided tour of the Carnival Parade; a tour to La Bufadora, Ensenada’s sea geyser; lunch at Casamar restaurant; dinner at El Rey Sol restaurant; two nights’ accommodation at Hotel Villa Marina and round-trip motor-coach transportation from San Diego.

Contact: Baja California Tours, 777 Herschel Ave., Suite O, La Jolla, CA 92037; tel. (800) 336-5454.

Costa Rica: Eco-Tourism

A 13-day eco-tourism tour of Costa Rica for seniors highlights San Jose, Can~o Negro Wildlife Refuge, Tabacon Springs, Monteverde Cloud Forest, Tortuguero, a painted cart factory and guided boat trips.

In Tortuguero, guests will view macaws, falcons, sloths, monkeys, crocodiles and possibly giant green turtles.

In San Jose, members will tour the Plaza de la Cultura, the national theater, the national museum and Lankester Gardens.

Cost: $1,829 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip air fare from John Wayne Airport in Orange County, hotels, transfers, 26 meals, all attractions and bus transportation.

Contact: Ruth H. Sorge, president, Irvine Senior Travelers; tel. (949) 559-6137.

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The Times is not responsible for changes in prices, dates or itineraries. These should be confirmed with travel agents or tour operators.