Galleries, Workshops of India’s Artisans

A 22-day tour focusing on India’s artisans, past and present, will depart Los Angeles Jan. 22, journeying along roads less traveled to observe private collections and enjoy the creative works of traditional sculptors, weavers, dancers, craftsmen and architects. Tour members will get preferred seating at the Republic Day Parade in New Delhi, viewing the mounted Camel Corps, turbaned dancers, folk dancers and musicians in leopard skins. Agra’s Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary and the cities of Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur are on the itinerary before participants drive to Mt. Abu’s Jain temples. Guests will stop at ancient carved step wells, workshops of the patola caste of ikat weavers and an 11th-Century sun temple.

Arriving in the cultural center of Ahmadabad, group members will get personal tours through museums and artists’ studios. The journey concludes with a tour of Bombay and a farewell dinner in New Delhi.

Cost: $5,350 per person, double occupancy from Los Angeles, including international and domestic air fare, hotels, most meals, sightseeing, transfers, guides and an American tour manager. Contact: Glorious Adventures, 10007 Gaynor Ave., North Hills, CA 91343; telephone (818) 893-9030.

A Capital Christmas

Learn how the White House decks its halls for the holidays and catch a glimpse of other Yuletide traditions in Washington and Old Virginia during Learned Journeys’ eight-day study tour sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Beginning Dec. 19, the itinerary includes the Great Hall at the Library of Congress, diplomatic reception rooms at the State Department, the National Christmas Tree and a private tour of the White House. Participants will also attend a performance by the National Symphony Pops Orchestra at the Kennedy Center.

Along the Potomac, participants visit Woodlawn Plantation, Gunston Hall and Mount Vernon, where an 18th-Century Christmas is recreated. In Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia, village shops and homes trimmed with garlands and candles can be explored.

Cost: $2,385 per person, double occupancy, including accommodations at the Stouffer Mayflower Hotel and Tides Inn, porter service, admissions, ground transportation, 20 meals (including a Christmas Day lunch cruise on the Rappahannock River), and the services of a study leader and escort. Not included: air fare and transfers. Contact: Learned Journeys, P.O. Box 30626, Santa Barbara, CA 93130; tel. (800) 682-6191.

Myths and Culture

“Lost Atlantis” is the theme of a 21-day tour June 1-22 to Greece. Participants visit Athens, Crete, Santorini and Mykonos. The story of Plato’s lost continent (Santorini) will be told.

Cost: $2,995 per person, double occupancy, including accommodations and some meals. International air fare not included. Other trips with a mythology theme offered include, Jamaica, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam and Italy. Contact: David Cupples, 1505 Secrest, Santa Ana, CA 92704; tel. (714) 545-0812.

History Down Under

History professor Joseph Jeppson of Can~ada College in Redwood City will lead a study tour to New Zealand, Australia and Fiji on Dec. 27 for 20 days. In Auckland, New Zealand, tour members will learn about the history of the Maoris and about the discovery voyages of Abel Tazman and Capt. James Cook. Rotorua is the setting for a closer look at the Maoris, featuring a feast and native dances.

Guests then fly to Queenstown, take a luncheon-cruise on Milford Sound, and an overnight at the base of Mt. Cook (12,349 feet), before visiting Christchurch and departing for Australia. In Sydney, guests visit the Australia Museum, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, take a sightseeing tour and tour the Sydney Opera House. On the way home, tour members relax for three days on Fiji.

Cost: $3,995 per person, double occupancy, including air fare from California, accommodations, some meals and entrance fees. Contact: Joseph Jeppson, History Department, Can~ada College, 4200 Farm Hill Blvd., Redwood City, CA 94061; tel. (800) 527-3137.

Study Art in Italy

El Camino College in Torrance is offering a three-month study program in Florence, Italy, from March 1 to May 31. Classes will include painting, drawing, art history and the Italian language. The semester is conducted by artist Andy Fagan. Side trips to Rome, Pisa and Lucca are included.

Cost: $4,800 per person, including air fare from Los Angeles, accommodations in an apartment or with an Italian family, and classes at the Scuola Leonardo da Vinci. Not included: college registration fees and most meals. Contact: Study Abroad Program, El Camino College, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance, CA 90506; tel. (310) 660-3824.

Shopping Spree

Find holiday bargains in Milan, Florence and Rome, Italy, on an eight-day tour that departs LAX Dec. 3. The group will board a minibus for a short trip to Pettenasco, a small town on Lake Orta, just south of Lake Maggiore. This area is known for the production of stainless steel tableware and kitchen utensils with factory outlet stores for name brands.

Outlets here give discounts of 40% to 60% off prices in the United States. The next two-day stop is in the countryside south of Florence. Guests will stay in a villa, enjoy a Tuscan dinner and spend a full day shopping in Florence. Arrangements have been made to visit a leather factory and guests may purchase directly from the factory at 50% to 70% off retail prices. Also, a gold jewelry laboratory will sell directly at 50% less than the retail shops in Ponte Vecchio.

From Florence, the tour heads to Rome to shop for end-of-the-year specials, as well as visit several factory outlets. A Roman feast is included as well as ample time to sightsee.

Cost: $1,795 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip air fare from Los Angeles, lakefront hotel accommodations, daily breakfasts, three dinners, ground transportation and guides. Contact: Discovery Travel International, 700 S. Flower St., Suite 1100, Los Angeles, CA 90017; tel. (213) 892-6381.

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