Customized Trip

You don't have to sign up for anything. Millions of people visit these places on their own. Go on your own (without any "tour"), and you go exactly where you want. Are you sure you really need/want a "tour" rather than just...going?

Why not plan and execute your own trip? Especially since you have been already, it’s easy. And you have ample time to plan. We can help, of course! Do you have the Rick Steves Italy guidebook to help you get started?

You can get around very easily and flexibly by train - certainly no need for a tour.

A trip to Venice and Lake Como would be quite easy to plan on your own. But, if you really don't want to plan your own trip, there are companies that do customized tours (Rick Steves is not one of them). I'm not personally familiar with any of them and I know they are way over my budget. You could just google "customized tours to Italy" to see some that are out there and then check reviews to see if they rate very good. Or there are still travel agents that will plan an itinerary for you.

Hi Fran and welcome to the forums!

What I think you're asking is if the Steves organization arranges customized tours? If so, I'm afraid that the tours you see under "Our Tours" are what they are so you'd go where they go. If none of the Italy tours suit you, it would not be difficult to arrange your trip by yourself, as many of us do. Booking hotel rooms in Italy isn't any more complicated than doing the same for the U.S., and flights aren't either (I might suggest into Venice and out of Milan for this trip). Once in Venice and a location on Lake Como, you can use the boats to get around. Italian trains are not hard to figure out either.

If this appeals to you, then you'll find lot and lots of help with your questions from the gang on the Italy forum:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy

Some time spent with Rick's Italy guidebooks (plus whatever might be on hand at your public library) would be useful too.

If arranging the details yourself doesn't appeal, then a good (emphasis on "good") travel agent is probably the way to go. You will likely pay an experienced professional a fee for their services but it's money well spent if really not wanting to be your OWN agent. :O)

Fran, remember that any packaged tour is designed for the needs of somebody else -- but YOU can figure out what you and your husband will enjoy most, and then do/see/visit just those items, leaving out things that don't add to your enjoyment. Lots of people here would be happy to make suggestions.

You could try Itaky Beyond the Obvious for customized trip planning. Madeline knows Italy well. Very personalized.

We used an online travel agency for a 17 day trip to Greece and they customized the itenariary as we desired. Great trip and service.
Recommend you search the Internet for companies that do that for Italy. Then select the company by analyzing the comments on TripAdvisor. Enjoy Italy.