Bicultural Barging in France’s Alsace-Lorraine

The Alsace-Lorraine region of France combines French and German cultures with a long architectural history, all of which make the area a good place for a weeklong cruise aboard the 12-passenger Serenite.

The cruise begins in Strasbourg, a picturesque city that is home to the European Parliament. The itinerary includes Nancy, Lorraine’s historic capital, known for its Art Nouveau museum and its 18th century Place Stanislas; visits to vineyards and towns along Al-sace’s scenic wine route; and an excursion to the Vosges Mountains.

A highlight is the boat lift in the Rhine-Marne Canal at St. Louis-Arzviller, a 130-foot hydraulic boat elevator that replaced 17 traditional locks.

Cost: The six-night cruises range from $2,990 to $3,890 per person, double occupancy, depending on the season, and include accommodations, three meals a day with wine, an open bar, use of all facilities on board, shore excursions, admission fees and use of bicycles. Air fare is not included. The Serenite cruises from April through November.

Contact: Go Barging; telephone (800) 394-8630, https://www.gobarging.com.

Italy: Vegetarian Views

Bring your taste for vegetables on a “Vegetarian/Vegan Culinary Walking Tour” of Italy’s Tuscany and Umbria regions from Oct. 30 to Nov. 6. The tour is hosted by Veggievacations.com and Vegtravel.com. Trip highlights include hands-on Italian vegetarian/vegan cooking demonstrations, dining at Tuscan farms and small village restaurants, and guided afternoon walking trips through the countryside. Stops include San Gimignano, Siena, Pienza, the hot springs of Vignone, an olive mill and an archeological dig. The group will also visit the lead crystal capital of Italy, Colle Val d’Elsa, and stay in a converted Franciscan convent.

Cost: from $2,537 per person, double occupancy, including lodging, transfers, guided walks, cooking demonstrations, entrance fees and tips. Air fare is extra.

Contact: Stephen Abelsohn at Adventure Health Travel; tel. (800) 443-9216.

Vietnam: Winter Escapes

Escapes Unlimited is offering a holiday tour to Vietnam from Dec. 21 to Jan. 5, starting in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) and heading north to Hanoi. On the itinerary are the Cu Chi Tunnels, villages along the Mekong River, the art village of Hoi An, Da Nang, the imperial city of Hue and a boat trip on Halong Bay. The group, which will be limited to 16 people, also will visit village schools to bring supplies.

Cost: $2,699 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip air fare from LAX, hotels, all flights and transportation within Vietnam, all sightseeing, most meals and guides.

Contact: Escapes Unlimited, 17842 Irvine Blvd., Suite 232, Tustin, CA 92780; tel. (800) 243-7227.

Greece: Cruise

The entire family can cruise the Greek Islands aboard a wood-hulled yacht on a tour from ExperiencePlus! In ports, passengers can take off on foot, led by bilingual and bicultural guides, or jump on a bicycle for a half-day guided ride. Activities are geared for all ages. The 11-day trips can be booked year-round.

Cost: $2,795, excluding air fare. Some meals and guides are included. Discounts are available for children.

Contact: ExperiencePlus! Specialty Tours; tel. (800) 685-4565, https://www.xplus.com.

Tanzania: Safari

The Santa Ana Zoo will host a 14-day safari to Tanzania leaving Jan. 27. The tour will visit Tarangire National Park; the Serengeti plain during the annual migration of wildebeest and zebra herds; and Ngorongoro Crater, known as Africa’s “Garden of Eden.”

Accommodations will be at lodges and luxury tent camps.

Cost: $5,995 per person, double, including air fare from Los Angeles, hotels, all meals while on safari and guides. An optional four-day extension to Zanzibar and Selous Game Reserve is available.

Contact: Ron Glazier, director, Santa Ana Zoo; tel. (714) 647-6598.

London: Theater

For the sixth year, the University of Colorado TheatreWorks department will host an 11-day tour of England. The tour, which leaves Jan. 3, features six shows in 10 days, tours around London and into the countryside, lecture/discussions with theater professionals, and lots of free time to explore London. The program is directed by professors Murray Ross and Drew Martorella.

Cost: $2,949 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip air fare from Los Angeles, hotel accommodations, daily breakfasts, extensive sightseeing (entrance fees included), lectures and theater tickets.

Contact: Drew Martorella; tel. (719) 262-3275, https://www.uccstheatreworks.com.

Ecuador: Galapagos

A geography professor will guide travelers through Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands from March 22 to 31. Ecuador’s capital, Quito, will be the base for the tour’s first four days, with excursions to the market town of Otavalo, Cotopaxi National Park, the equator monument at El Mitad del Mundo and Palm Sunday festivities in Quito. After flying to the Galapagos, participants will begin a five-day cruise to Santa Cruz, Floreana, Rabida, Santiago, Bartolome and Seymour islands.

Cost: $3,480 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip air fare from Los Angeles, hotel and ship accommodations, ground transportation, all breakfasts and one dinner in Quito, all shipboard meals, guides, entry fees and taxes.

Contact: Matt Ebiner, El Camino College; tel. (626) 332-2279.

China: By Bike

Discover China on a bicycle, touring in small groups (usually 10 to 12 participants) on scenic paths. The cyclists will begin in Hong Kong, then travel up the Pearl River delta on a high-speed ferry to Guangzhou (formerly known as Canton). They will cycle through Guangdong and Guanxi provinces to Guilin, known for its quartz formations set amid green hills. A four-day extension to Beijing or Xian is available. Tour dates are Oct. 14 to 29, May 6 to 21, June 27 to July 12 and Sept. 12 to 27.

Cost: $1,988, including air fare from Los Angeles, hotels, all meals, museums, sightseeing fees and guide.

Contact: Discover China; tel. (619) 294-4535.

Europe: Holiday Markets

The Tasting Spoon Cooking School of Marina del Rey plans to sample holiday baking on a 10-day tour of Christmas markets in Berlin and Munich, Germany, and Salzburg, Austria, beginning Nov. 23. In the month before Christmas, German cities and towns become holiday fairylands with festive booths filled with gifts and regional treats. Museum visits are also planned.

Cost: from $1,990 per person, double occupancy, including lodgings, tours, wine tastings and some meals. Air fare is extra.

Contact: The Tasting Spoon; tel. (310) 306-8851, https://www.tastingspoon.com.

Mexico City: Architecture

Discover the works of Luis Barragan as well as some of the other fine architects in modern Mexico City on a four-day architecture tour beginning Oct. 25. Highlights include Barragan’s recently restored Tucubaya home and garden; the Satellite Towers; and Convento las Capuchinas. Private homes and public buildings designed by established and emerging architects will also be toured. Participants will stay three nights at the Camino Real Hotel in Mexico City. The tour will be led by Anibal Figueroa, a professor of architecture at Metropolitan University, Mexico City, and Max Underwood, a professor of architecture at Arizona State University in Tempe.

Cost: $989 per person, double occupancy, including hotels, some meals and ground transportation. Air fare is extra.

Contact: Painted Desert Art and Cultural Tours, P.O. Box 2023, Scottsdale, AZ 85252; tel. (480) 991-1442.

California: Wine Cruise

National Recording Artists and Southern Rail will host a three-night bluegrass cruise through California wine country from Dec. 8 to 11. The cruise will depart from San Francisco and will tour Sonoma County and Napa Valley. Guests will stay aboard the Spirit of ’98 and stop at wineries. Musicians will perform nightly.

Cost: $545 per person, double, including meals, taxes, shore excursions and airport transfers.

Contact: Elizabeth Shepherd; tel. (805) 570-3301.

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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.