Tour Operators

* Visit Italy Tours, 800-255-3537, http://www.visititalytours.com. Native Italians, who are "specialists in all things Italy," plan your pleasure, from the Amalfi Coast to Sicily, arts and architecture tours to biking, luxury to budget, custom trips to escorted travel. Villa stays in Tuscany and Siena are an option.

Netherlands

* Viking River Cruises, 800-304-9616, http://www.vikingrivercruises.com. This popular company's "Tulips and Windmills" 10-day package cruises past tulip fields and other Holland landmarks and into Belgium, returning to Amsterdam. Book individually, but you'll be part of the group.

* Gate 1 Travel, 800-682-3333, http://www.gate1travel.com. Escorted, independent, custom and cruise tours are all available, but this large operator is especially known for its good deals for independent travelers. Its six-day Amsterdam package includes flights and hotels and the option to tour on your own or add affordable bus and boat tours as you like.

* VBT Bicycle Tours, 800-245-3868, http://www.vbt.com. See Holland by bike with this bicycle tour operator, in business since 1971. Biking and barging tours through the Netherlands are available, with departure dates from April through October.

Poland

* American Travel Abroad, 800-228-0877, http://www.amta.com. Since 1946, this company has specialized in tours of Eastern Europe and Russia, with a focus on Poland. AMTA tours are all-inclusive motor coach trips, ranging from overviews to religious or spa focuses.

* Exeter International, 800-633-1008, http://www.exeterinternational.com. Luxury tours to Poland are not common, but Exeter provides exactly that, in small-group tours that travel to cities in Poland and other Eastern European cities, and in specially designed tours for individuals visiting Krakow, Warsaw and Gdansk.

Portugal

* Abreu Tours, 800-223-1580, http://www.abreu-tours.com. Opened in 1840, Abreu handles escorted and independent packages, golf tours and river cruises. Offices in New York, Portugal, Spain and Brazil.

* Central Holidays, 800-935-5000, http://www.centralholidays.com. This Mediterranean travel specialist's focus in Portugal is on tours for independent travelers, fly-drive packages and river cruises.

* UniWorld Grand River Cruises, 800-733-7820, http://www.uniworld.com. UniWorld offers 30 itineraries on 12 rivers in 20 countries. In Portugal, UniWorld is most famous for jointly operating the Douro Queen, a luxury river cruise ship that travels between Lisbon and Porto.

Russia

* Exeter International, 800-633-1008, http://www.exeterinternational.com. Luxury small-group escorted tours travel to "Hidden Russia" and "White Nights" cities. Exeter also works with individuals to design independent tours.

* Picasso Tours by Picasso Travel, 800-995-7997, http://www.picassotours.com. This tour operator's Nordique Tours department offers seven trips to Russia in 2008, including a three-night "St. Petersburg by Train" package. Picasso has an office in Washington.

* Tour Designs, 202-554-5820, http://www.tourdesignsinc.com. This small Washington-based company custom-