My wife and I are planning one last trip to Italy. We're currently looking to travel for around 3 weeks in the July/August 2014 timeframe. The destinations we really want to get back to see include:

Venice *, Bellagio on Lake Como *, Portofino, Cinque Terre, Lucca, Florence *, Siena, Sorrento *, Pompeii, Capri, Sicily *

*Overnight stays

Does anyone know of a travel agency that has a tour (or combination of tours) that would include the towns listed or does anyone know if there is a web site where you can post the destinations you'd like to visit where travel agents monitor?

You should look at the escorted tour companies to see if any of them fit your criteria. I really doubt that you can find a tour that only covers the exact locations you've specified. Not all tour companies work with travel agents.

I don't see the point in recommending a travel agency that is not local for you. If you live in Utah, why would you want a travel agent that is in New Hampshire? Best to find a local travel agent whom you can visit and speak with in person.

To be compliant with your request for the name of a travel agent, you can try Liberty Travel.

The best way to travel is to get yourself to a location and use local guides either private or group day tours. That way you will get to the places you want to see and avoid visiting other places that do not interest you.

My favorite tour company is Rick Steves. I have been on four of those tours. GREAT trips!

A lower-budget tour company that I have been on twice is Gate1.

This includes some of the places that you mentioned. There are other Italy tours available, too.
http://tours.ricksteves.com/tours/italy/best-italy
http://tours.ricksteves.com/tours/italy/south-italy

You can browse around this website: http://www.affordabletours.com/ and see what might fill your criteria. You could also just do a google search and see what combination comes up. For me, much of the fun is the planning, and browsing around the internet & learn what's out there. You might look at italiansrus.com, or initaly.com (two of my faves).
Love Rick Steves, too.

My mistake specifying "travel agency". I meant to say "tour company".
Rather than having to search the websites of tour company after tour company to check each Italy tour listed to see if the towns I want are included, wouldn't it be nice to be able to post my itnerary online to have tour companies check my post and reply with their tour that best meets my needs?

I think you would need two different tours to cover all or most of your list. The tough thing would be finding two that are back-to-back or reasonably close.

Sicily in particular could be challenge and may be included in tours of places that are not on your list. BTW, Sicily could be beastly hot in July/August.

You are going to have to check each tour company individually.

I think most tours to Sicily are at least a week. I did one that was 12 days and we didn't get to see everything. Sicily is larger than you think and has lots of see and do. Sicily will indeed be hot and so will Pompeii.

Your itinerary is a bit ambitious for 3 weeks if you want any depth to your trip.

Sicily could easily take three weeks all on its own. Rick Steves also has a Sicily tour.

Friends took the RS Sicily tour last year after 40 years of
extensive independent travel all over Europe. Some apprehension about taking a group expedition but fortunately
they loved the tour - esp. the guides. They've signed up
for the Village Italy tour next June!

Another friend took the longer Italy tour last year - it
started in Varenna and ended in Rome - she is one her way
this week on another RS tour and will be content if this
tour is half as great as her first one!

Certainly working through a travel advisor, depending on your budget, you can build a tour that goes exactly where you want to go - and have guided tours in specific cities, rail transport, private car service, rail tickets, car rental, hotels, ferries, tickets to the Opera, restaurant reservations, etc.

Or, as suggested, you can bundle different tours to achieve the "Journey" you desire. I would agree that eleven stops in 21 days is a little hectic. Certainly doable, but busy.

If you send an note to me (email in my profile) with a ballpark budget I may be able to give you a few suggestions... I think you'd be surprised at ALL you can see! Good luck in your planning.

Hmmm!
That is a bit like solicitation, Ron. I think you know better.

Certainly looks like an ad to me....

Rick Steves of course is very popular.

The Best Italy tour listed above, however, takes you into Rome and to the Dolomites, two destinations that are not on your list. And it does not get you to either Portofino or Lucca.

The following 13 day tour takes you to Lake Como and Bellagio, Venice, Cinque Terre, Lucca, Florence, and Siena. In Tuscany the overnight is in Montecatini, however, not Florence:

http://italiantourism.us/lake-como-v...tours-package/

The Rick Steves link above to the Southern Italy tour is really not what you are looking for either. First it does not include Sicily. Second it takes you to two Italian regions, Puglia and Basilicata, that you did not list.

You may combine the 13 day Italy tour from Lake Como to Sorrento with the following Sicily tour and you have it all in three weeks:

http://italiantourism.us/sicily-tour-package-8-day/

Buon viaggio!

Bob, apologize for that - To clarify, I recommend that TomBMass talk to ANY travel advisor (he can build a relationship with) and he will find that his budget may actually go further when working jointly on an extendedd trip like this.

A good advisor can save you money and make your trip much more enjoyable. It's a fallacy when working with a GOOD advisor that your trip will be more expensive... but many people believe that...

NOW WORKING WITH A BAD TRAVEL ADVISOR... that adage is probably very, very true (and happens way too often).

TomBMass, get on the phone in your area! Good Luck!

Hi

We took a Cosmos tour last year - http://www.cosmostours.com.au/2013/o...ALY-AND-SICILY. It covers a good part of your itinerary. This was the 3rd time we used Cosmos and were again very pleased with the standard. Cosmos use a first class coach and 3 star hotels (a couple of 5 star ones were included). The tour director, Savio, was a hoot.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful feedback