EUROPE

CROATIA
Costume Party
Score an exclusive invite (attendance is by invitation of the mayor only) to the Grand Masquerade Ball in Rijeka during Carnival. Each year, the mayor symbolically hands over the keys to the city to the master of ceremonies, who leads Rijeka in outrageous revelry for several days before Lent. At the ball, held in the seventeenth-century Governor's Palace, you'll mingle with heads of state, politicians, ambassadors, and representatives from around the world. The next day, watch from the City Hall balconies as the parade of colorful delegations from around Croatia and as far away as Japan goes by. Cost: $3,400, including three nights' accommodation, breakfast, airport transfers, and a donation to the Grand Ball Charity of the Year. Source: Wanda S. Radetti, Tasteful Croatian Journeys (718-932-6893; wandasradetti@visitcroatia.com; visitcroatia.com). BEST FOR: Party people who want an upscale, old-world alternative to New Orleans or Rio. BUT BEWARE: You'll need to have elaborate costumes and masks made that relate to the year's theme.

FINLAND
Husky Helper
Spend a day at a husky breeding and training farm in Saariselkä, 150 miles above the Arctic Circle. You'll get to follow the caretakers as they feed and groom the farm's 250 dogs, and drive a team of six huskies. Cost: $1,800, including one night's accommodation and all meals. Source: David Rubin (see also "A Royal Birthday Bash," India). BEST FOR: Those with some prior large dog experience—although you will of course get husky instruction. BUT BEWARE: You'll be outdoors in frigid temperatures.

FRANCE
Art on the Riviera
Take a VIP tour of the art scene in St-Paul-de-Vence, a famous artists' colony outside Nice. You'll start at the private home of the owner of Angle Gallery, one of the most respected sources of modern and contemporary art in town. Here you'll see pieces by Warhol, Cézanne, Miró, and David Lachapelle. After lunch at La Colombe d'Or, the restaurant's owner will show you his own art collection and explain how his grandfather and father acquired the pieces from Picasso, Matisse, Utrillo, and other artists. Cost: $750, including a three-course lunch with wine. Source: Anthony Bay, Abercrombie & Kent (33-4-92-35-59; france@europe.abercrombiekent.com; abercrombiekent.com). BEST FOR: Lovers of twentieth-century art who want to admire works without being pressured into buying. BUT BEWARE: This experience is available only from April through October.

Looking Good
Take a private tour of the Paris fashion world with a guide who specializes in the history of fashion. You'll start with a VIP visit to an haute couture fashion house such as Chanel (the exact boutique will vary based on availability), where you'll be greeted by the manager and given a behind-the-scenes tour. Then you'll visit the Pierre Bergé–Yves Saint Laurent Foundation and have access to the private archives of the famous designer. The final stop will be Louis Vuitton's flagship boutique. Cost: $3,020, including afternoon tea. Source: Anthony Bay (see the preceding). BEST FOR: Fashion addicts who care about today's styles and where they came from. BUT BEWARE: Dress appropriately (no sneakers); many shops close in August.