BudgetTravel

"The cars are smaller than Americans expect. Rent a van or, if it's in your budget, a couple of cars. Then you can split up and go in any direction you want." --Michael Thiel, Hideaways International

"A lot of people want to be on the beach. Being by the beach itself can be noisy and busy. It's not that bad to be a 15-minute walk or drive from the beach, to be somewhere more rustic and private." --David Kendall, Villas International

"Make whatever amenity you need a priority. If it's air-conditioning--although you won't find it often in Europe--make sure to tell the [rental] company." --Harry D.J. Barclay, Barclay International

"Most villas require a security deposit, which you are required to pay before you get into the villa. How are you going to get it back?" --Harley Nott, Coach House London Vacation Rentals

The Specialists 
 Generalist agencies--Barclay International (800/845-6636, barclayweb.com), Rent Villas (800/726-6702, rentvillas.com), Villas International (415/499-9490, villasintl.com), and Hideaways International (800/843-4433, hideaways.com)--have the widest selection. But if you've chosen a region, country-specific agents who really know their turf can find you a better match. Here are the best of the regional specialists.

France: Gites de France represents 42,000 gites rural--country cottages and farmhouses available for a weekend or longer (011-33/1-49-70-75-75, gites-de-france.fr). Arrange a Parisian pad with Paris Sejour Reservation (312/587-7707, psrparis.com), the France USA Contacts classifieds (212/777-5553, fusac.com), or At Home in France (541/488-9467, athomeinfrance.com), which also has villas.

Italy: Everything from apartments in Venice to Renaissance castles to Tuscan farmhouses are handled by four major agencies: Italian Vacation Villas (202/333-6247, villasitalia.com), Vacanze in Italia (413/528-6610, homeabroad.com), the Parker Company (800/280-2811, theparkercompany.com), and Marjorie Shaw's pricey but excellent Insider's Italy (718/855-3878, insidersitaly.com).

Spain: Spanish rentals range from mansions on the glitzy Costa del Sol to simple cortijos (farmhouses). El Sol Villas does villas and Madrid apartments (610/687-9066, elsolvillas.com). Mijas Villas represents properties on the Costa del Sol (011-44/1744-884-404, mijas-villas.com and estepona-villas.com). Or forgo the agencies and peruse hundreds of villas being rented directly by owners at www.rentinspain.co.uk.

Great Britain and Ireland: Special Places to Stay reviews vacation homes in the U.K. and Ireland (011-44/1275-464-891, specialplacestostay.co.uk). Resireland books Irish cottages (011-353/66-979-2196, resireland.com). Find a London flat with Coach House London Vacation Rentals (011-44/20-8772-1939, rentals.chslondon.com). The Landmark Trust lists British castles and historic manors in their $25 property guide (011-44/1628-825-925, landmarktrust.co.uk).

Greece: Greek rental action centers around Mykonos, where some of the best cliffside villas are listed by Living International (011-39/ 348-0146-466, livinginternational.net). Villas across the Greek Isles are represented by Sunisle Holidays (011-44/1285-750-612, sunisle.co.uk). Check out the Greek Travel Pages (011-30/10-324-7511, gtp.gr) or the classifieds of Kathimerini (ekathimerini.com) for Athens apartments.