TOURS & CRUISES

GREECE

A trip to Crete for olive fans

SAVOR simple Cretan cuisine and sip local spirits on organic culinary tours of the Greek island of Crete.

The six-day tours, which start Dec. 6 and Jan. 9, coincide with the olive harvest season. The tours are for travelers “who really want to meet the people of Crete and learn about olive oil,” said tour organizer Nikki Rose. “There’s a warmth to ... the community coming together for the harvest that you wouldn’t find [during the tourist season].”

The groups will travel through west-central Crete to ancient sites, organic olive farms and the kitchens of local chefs for demonstrations and tastings.

Accommodations are in villages or on farms. Telecommunications are limited.

Cost: $1,600 per person, double occupancy ($200 single surcharge), including accommodations, meals, demonstrations, excursions and airport transfers to and from Heraklion Airport, Crete. International airfare is not included.

Contact: Crete’s Culinary Seminars, San Francisco; (415) 835-9923, www.cookingincrete.com.

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GEORGIA

Movies and a costume ball

CELEBRATE cinema and Halloween in the garden of good and evil on a five-day trip to the annual Savannah Film Festival.

The Oct. 28 trip to Georgia, led by Los Angeles film critic Steven Farber, will feature screenings, discussions and parties, including a Halloween costume bash. The group also will spend a day exploring historic Savannah.

Cost: $1,570 per person, double occupancy ($400 single surcharge), including hotel, some meals, film-festival pass and excursions.

Contact: Let’s Travel, Santa Monica; (800) 458-7477, Ext. 58, www.letstravel-sm.com.

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ARGENTINA

Dance, dine in Buenos Aires

DANCE the night away on a tango tour of Buenos Aires that begins Dec. 5. The seven-night tour, led by a dance instructor, includes lessons by day and clubs by night.

Participants will rest their dancing feet during an afternoon riverboat ride and dine on steak at a traditional gaucho barbecue north of Buenos Aires.

The group will tour Casa de Gobierno, the president’s palace; Teatro Colon, the city’s main opera house; and other points of interest in Buenos Aires.

Cost: $2,199 per person, double occupancy ($339 single surcharge), including round-trip airfare from Los Angeles, hotels, some meals, four tango lessons, tango shows, dance clubs, hotel taxes, transfers and travel insurance.

Contact: Canyon Travel Inc., Anaheim; (714) 280-1951, www.isram.com/groups/tango.

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BALI

An island singles mixer

MINGLE with singles during a weeklong trip to Bali that begins Dec. 26.

The group will tour the markets of Ubud, known for stone and wood carvings, silver and spices. Other tour highlights include the Taman Kupu Kupu (Bali Butterfly Park) in Tabanan, a visit to the Yeh Panas Hot Springs and Spa and a tour of the terraced rice paddies of Jatiluwih.

The group will celebrate New Year’s Eve with a buffet dinner and party.

Cost: $1,899 per person, double occupancy ($399 single surcharge), including international airfare from Los Angeles, six nights’ hotel accommodations, some meals, ground transportation and excursions.

Contact: Singles Travel Co., San Rafael; (888) 286-8687, www.singlestravelcompany.com.

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NEW YORK

Theater tour goes backstage

RING in the New Year in Times Square during a weeklong theater tour of New York City.

The trip, which starts Dec. 26, takes in three Broadway shows, including “Spamalot” and “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.”

The group will meet with cast members after performances. Also included is a bus tour of Manhattan.

The group is led by El Camino College drama professor Ron Scarlata.

Cost: $1,975 per person, double occupancy ($894 single surcharge), including round-trip airfare from L.A., hotels, most meals, ground transportation, post-performance seminars and airport transfers.

Contact: Ron Scarlata, El Camino College, Torrance; (310) 320-7534.

The Times is not responsible for changes in prices, dates or itineraries. Send information to Tours & Cruises, L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A., CA 90012, or travel@latimes.com.