Tripologist travel tips and advice: What are the must-do highlights of Italy in summer?

I have a week of personal time tacked onto an Italy work trip in July and so my husband is coming along - neither have been before. We start in Milan and fly out of Rome direct to Perth a week later. Lake Como feels like a must, but what else should we try to see? Views and meals are more important than museums!

J. Mackay, St Kilda Vic

July is problematic in Italy. The cities are mostly hot, crowded with tourists and exhausting and the coast will be packed, and with just a week to spare you want to keep travel time to a minimum. What I suggest is three nights at Lake Como, using the ferry system to explore the villages, the fabulous garden at Villa del Balbianello and lakeside bars where you can sip Aperol spritzes and sigh. Family-run Villa la Mirabella (villamirabella.com) is a favourite, in a prime position overlooking the lake at Tremezzo, close to the famous gardens at Villa Carlotta and opposite Bellagio.

Next stop, Modena, a glamorous mid-sized city in Emilia-Romagna that sees few tourists. Modena is one of the gastronomic capitals of the universe, with the usual northern Italian jaw-dropping assembly of churches, palaces and nice places to sit over an aperitif and watch the world go by. Epicures come to worship at the Michelin three-star Osteria Francescana (osteriafrancescana.it) but it's tiny and you would need to book now. Spend three nights. The fastest trains will get you from Como's San Giovanni Station to Modena in just over three hours with one or two changes.

Last stop, Rome, another three-hour train trip, and a single night in Rome is almost criminal, but perhaps a taster for next time.

I'm fascinated by Tibetan culture and I want to plan a trip to India's Ladakh. Is it possible to do this solo and organise my visit when I get there or should I pre-book a tour?

A. Reynolds, Killarney Heights NSW

You can fly from Delhi to Leh, capital of Ladakh, and Qantas now has several weekly non-stop flights from Sydney to Delhi. It's best to plan an initial couple of days in Leh doing nothing more strenuous than breathing, with very gentle walks. Leh lies in the valley of the Indus River at an altitude of 3500 metres and you'll find even a mild uphill walk leaves you short of breath. And everything is uphill from Leh. You'd do well to have a lung function test before you set your plans in motion,

You need to take a tour. World Expeditions (worldexpeditions.com) has several Ladakh trips which vary from easy to challenging while Banyan Tours (banyantours.com) has a high-end, culturally immersive trip staying in village houses which have been upgraded to Western standards. There are also several Leh-based tour operators, found easily via Google.