Q and A
LEAD:  Visiting Tunisia
Visiting Tunisia
Question: After seeing the glorious Carthage mosaics in the American Museum of Natural History, I am eager to visit Tunisia. Can you provide names of tour operators? - I. S., New York, N.Y.
Answer: The president of African Explorers, Richard Brill, says his company sends more Americans to Tunisia than all others combined. It has a year-round program of Saturday departures for travelers who want a 14- or 8-day trip. The 14-day tour costs $799 a person, double occupancy, plus round-trip air fare between New York and Tunis of around $750. The air route is either via Rome on Pan American or Casablanca on Royal Air Maroc, with a connecting flight to Tunis. The latter part of the longer stay is spent at a beach resort in either Hammamet or Kantaoui. The shorter trip is $599; all meals are included in both programs.
The itinerary includes the ruins of the ancient city-state of Carthage and of Gafsa, and Tozeur, Nefta, the island of Djerba, Sfax, Matmata (noted for its troglodyte dwellings) and Kairouan, among other sites. African Explorers (499 Ernston Road, Parlin, N.J. 08859; 201-721-2929 or, out of state, 800-631-5650) prefers to deal with travel agents.
The British company called Swan Hellenic, which has two departures of a Tunisian tour this year, is represented by Esplanade Tours (581 Boylston Steet, Boston, Mass. 02116; 617-266-7465). The 13-day tour starts and ends in London, and the cost, including air fare and most meals, is $1,800 a person. There is an emphasis on art history and archeology and the trip is led by a guest lecturer as well as a tour manager. The departure dates, from London, are May 22 and Oct. 2. Nights are spent in six cities, including Sfax, Sousse and Tunis.
Regaltours (29-09 Bridge Plaza North, Long Island City, L.I. 11101; 718-786-8033), which organizes fine-arts tours to Egypt, Morocco and other countries for museums and alumni associations, plans to start a Tunisian tour in the fall. It will consist of four nights in Tunisia and six in Morocco and cost under $2,000 a person, with air fare from New York. The company says it will arrange longer visits to Tunisia for people with a serious interest in archeology.
Travelers who want to go on their own may want to check on the cheap flights offered by Millenium Tours (133 Greenpoint Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11222; 718-389-5880). It says it has round-trip tickets from New York to Tunis, via Belgrade on scheduled flights of Yugoslav Airlines, at $663 through June 14, then $788 until Aug. 14 and dropping back to $663 until Oct. 14. The flights leave New York on Thursdays and return on Saturdays.
A Tunisian hotel guide and other brochures are available from the Cultural Office, Embassy of Tunisia, 1515 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005.  Music Festivals
Question: Please advise on the possibility of combining the Aspen and Santa Fe music festivals while we are traveling. - B. M. S., Reading, Pa.
Answer: A Western traveler could certainly attend performances at both since each festival spans several weeks this summer. The Aspen Music Festival will be held from June 24 to Aug. 21; the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival is from July 10 to Aug. 22. In addition, the Santa Fe Opera season is July 1 to Aug. 27.
A calendar of the events in Aspen is due to be ready in early May. It will be available by writing to Aspen Music Festival, Post Offfice Box AA, Aspen, Colo. 81612 (303-925-3254) or the festival's New York office at 250 West 54th Street, 10th Floor East, New York, N.Y. 10019 (212-581-2196). Ticket reservations will be available from mid-May by contacting the Aspen office; the box office number will be 303-925-9042. Prices of tickets vary from concert to concert, ranging from $8 to $22. Most of the performances, by quartets, singers and other solo artists, will take place in a tent on the edge of town. The festival also includes recitals, rehearsals and lectures. There will also be some operatic performances in the Wheeler Opera House downtown, with seats at $18. During the festival there will be at least one and sometimes three events each day.
The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival is already taking reservations for seats and has a detailed brochure, with dates and artists, available. Musicians from all over the world and the United States will be taking part. The brochure can be obtained, and reservations made, by writing the festival office at Post Office Box 853, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504 (505-983-2075 or 800-962-7286). The brochure also has information on accommodations and restaurants. The performances will be given in the St. Francis Auditorium at the Fine Arts Museum. Seats will cost from $5 to $25.  Portugal
Question: I would like advice on which part of Portugal I should visit on an 8- to 10-day trip in late summer. It should be picturesque with local color. - S. G., Manhasset, L.I.
Answer: Several suggestions could be made, but one to consider is the northernmost province of Minho, an area that is cooler than the south, less traveled and one with many attractive villages. Crafts are much in evidence, there are wineries to visit, and, in the Douro Valley, the terraced vineyards on the mountain slopes. There are some wide, sandy beaches, too. Also worth consideration in this region north of Oporto are some pousadas, or government-supervised inns, like the Santa Marinha da Costa, a former monastery in Guimarais, or the Dom Diniz in Vila Nova da Cerveira. Among guidebooks that will help identify the various regions are the Blue Guide Portugal, Frommer's Dollarwise Guide to Portugal and Baedeker's Portugal.  California Wine
Question: Where can I obtain material useful for a trip to the wine districts of northern California? -R. J. S., Kingston, N.Y.
Answer: Wineries and lodgings are listed in booklets available free from the Napa Valley Chamber of Commerce (Post Office Box 636, Napa, Calif. 94559; 707-226-7455) and the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau (453 East First Street, Sonoma, Calif. 95476; 707-996-1090). The Sonoma bureau also sells a $1 guide that includes hotel and motel rates.