TOURS & CRUISES

Island-hopping throughout the Aegean Sea on a yacht

Go Greek this summer on a weeklong island-hopping cruise through the Aegean Sea.

The yacht cruises, departing each Friday through October, are aboard classic Greek motor sailers, small boats that have 10 to 20 cabins. Their size -- each is between 125 and 175 feet -- gives them more flexibility than large cruise ships, said tour representative Jim Warfel.

“We sail three to four hours each morning, moving from one island to the next. Then we dock. Passengers have the rest of the day and night to explore the island. It’s a great way to learn about the culture and people of Greece. And you don’t have to fight crowds like you do on a big cruise ship.”

The yachts visit Santorini (Thira), Kea, Ios, Delos, Tinos, Paros, Mykonos and Syros. The tour includes two nights’ accommodations in Athens.

Cost: $1,395 per person, double occupancy (single supplement $600), including cruise, two meals daily, yacht transfers and English-speaking tour director. Round-trip airfare to Athens is not included.

Contact: Viking Tours of Greece; (800) 70-VIKING (708-4546).

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IDAHO

Ladies, view the Grand Tetons from a saddle

SAddle up and explore Wyoming’s Grand Tetons this summer on women-only five-day trail riding adventures.

The horseback trips, available July 22 through Sept. 2, are designed to appeal to riders of all skill levels. Participants can stay in tents at a base camp or a high-altitude camp or overnight in hotel rooms at the Powder Valley Resort.

Cost: $1,135 per person, including tent lodging, three meals daily, all equipment, guides and experienced trail horses. Resort trips cost $1,335 per person. Transportation to base camp, near Driggs, Idaho, is not provided. Participants can fly into Jackson Hole, Wyo., or to Idaho Falls, Idaho.

Contact: Bar H Ranch in Driggs, Idaho; (888) 216-6025, www.tetontrailrides.com.

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ITALY

Language, culture and cuisine, all

for college credit

Study Italian and spend 12 weeks exploring Florence and the countryside of Italy on a fall semester-abroad program offered by Pasadena City College.

The Sept. 2-to-Nov. 30 program offers up to 20 credits. Students share apartments in Florence, study with Pasadena City College faculty and explore the culture and customs of the country. Trips to Rome, Venice and other cities are included. There will also be a 10-day break to allow time for other European travel.

Participants must be enrolled in PCC classes, including Italian and humanities, literature or anthropology. No previous Italian language experience is necessary.

Cost: $6,599 per person, including airfare, transfers, housing, some meals, field trips, cultural events and insurance. Financial aid is available for qualified students. Application deadline is Saturday.

Contact: Pasadena City College Study Abroad office; (626) 585-7203.

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MEXICO

Celebrate the grape harvest on

a day trip to Baja

STOMP grapes -- or just drink wine instead -- during a daylong trip to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the grape harvest in Baja’s Guadalupe Valley.

The Aug. 16 event at L.A. Cetto Winery includes the blessing of the grapes, a wine tasting, a grape stomping contest, bullfights, dancing and a banquet. Participants depart San Diego at 10 a.m. and return at 11 p.m.

Cost: $149 per person, including bus transportation from San Diego, lunch, dinner and events. Transportation to San Diego is not included.

Contact: La Jolla-based Baja California Tours; (800) 336-5454, www.bajaspecials.com.

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FINLAND

Lakes, castles

and farms where

the days last long

Step off the beaten path this summer on a nine-day, seven-night escorted tour to Finland, where daylight hours are long and more than 187,000 lakes await visitors.

The trip, which has departures through Aug. 15, includes visits to the capital city of Helsinki, along the southern coast, and the village of Porvoo, one of Finland’s oldest towns. The tour stops at the Retretti Art Center in Imatra, the largest such center in the northern countries, and in Savonlinna for a visit to Olavinlinna Castle, the best-preserved medieval fortress in Scandinavia.

In Joensuu the focus is on Karelian culture and traditions, and participants will visit a farmhouse and see examples of architecture, arts and crafts. There will be a tour of the Kalevale village and a trip through Kuusamo. Rovaniemi, the Arctic home of Santa’s Workshop, is also on the itinerary.

Cost: $2,542 per person, double occupancy (single supplement $299), including round-trip airfare from LAX to Finland, accommodations, daily breakfast, six lunches and dinners, sightseeing, entrance fees and tour escort.

Contact: Los Angeles-based Nordique Tours/Norvista; (310) 645-7527, www.nordiquetours.com.

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