Happy New Year from Westwood! We are excited to embark on another fabulous year bringing you exciting travel opportunities across the globe.
How about a cruise to the Arctic with Pulitzer-prize-winning author Jared Diamond, department of geography? Cruise Greenland’s magnificent fjords, and then cross the Davis Strait to Canada’s Arctic aboard the deluxe 152 guest Vega. Discover UNESCO-listed World Heritage sites and Viking ruins, meet with local Inuit communities and enjoy the abundant wildlife.
If a culinary focus is of interest, embark on a sojourn to Tuscany in the fall with Professor Michael Shin, a specialist in contemporary Italian society, politics and cultures. Discover foods famous the world over during visits to a cheese farm, olive mill and country winery.
Or if you’d like to stay closer to home, venture to Ashland for the award winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival, a tradition since 1935. Experience interpretations of new and classic plays, and enjoy presentations from UCLA lecturer Stephen Dickey, department of English.
The options are many, and with 62 tours to choose from, we’re optimistic you’ll find a trip of your liking. Over half of our 2024 tours are now sold out or almost sold out, so don’t delay if you plan to travel this year.
On our homepage you’ll find all of our upcoming tours. We’d love to hear from you, so contact us by phone at 310-206-0613 or email at travel@alumni.ucla.edu. We hope to see you on a UCLA Alumni Travel in 2024!
Regards from Westwood,
Christel Aragon
Director, Alumni Travel
The largest island in the world, stretching from the Arctic to the Atlantic Ocean, Greenland invites discovery. It was the Norsemen who settled Greenland’s southwest shores in the 10th century, followed by the Inuit, who migrated from Alaska in the 13th century, making up the majority of the island’s population today. Navigate through magnificent fjords, incredible icebergs and then cross the Davis Strait to Canada’s Arctic.
Get a taste of local life while strolling through Castell’Arquato and Vigoleno, and visit Orvieto, perched atop a stunning cliff. Savor culinary favorites beloved around the world, including parmesan cheese, prosciutto and Modena’s traditional balsamic vinegar. Sip and swirl locally made wines at a Tuscan winery and hone your cooking skills while learning to make typical regional dishes.
Founded in 1935, the Tony Award-winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival is among the oldest and largest professional nonprofit theaters in the nation. With specially prepared advance reading material, behind-the-scenes access and in-depth lectures, join UCLA lecturer Stephen Dickey, department of English, on one of our favorite domestic travel destinations. This tour is a special opportunity to have the one-on-one experience with UCLA faculty and see the theater in an entirely new light.
FACULTY FOCUS
Join Professor Patricia Turner on our Africa’s Wildlife tour. Turner is a professor in African American studies and world arts and cultures/dance at UCLA; her research focuses on racial dynamics as they surface in folklore and popular culture. The author of five books, her most recent ones are "Trash Talk: Anti-Obama Lore and Race in the Twenty-First Century" and "Crafted Lives: Stories and Studies of African American Quilters." Her work on Africa has largely focused on textile traditions in South Africa.
NOW BOARDING
Find yourself with a little extra time on your hands and nowhere to go? Space is still available on these tours. Check them out!
