Paris to Venice Trip 26 nights in May:Updated Trip plans

Generally, it is a good plan. I have been to all the places that you mentioned.

I think you have too much time planned for the three places in the middle of your trip.

It will take a day to see Strasburg and another to see Baden Baden. Yes, there are other places to visit in the area, like Colimar, Basel, and the Black Forest (check out Titisee). I suggest going with 4 nights.

Lugano and Lake Como, are great, but five nights is too much. Consider spending some time in Interlakken, Switzerland.

Verona or Padua are fine, but no way five nights. You could do both in 2 days.

Venice in 4 and Paris in 5 nights are good.

key for me of non stop flights from Philadelphia and better prices

It that is a deal breaker, so be it. However, as a general rule, Venice is not the easiest place from which to fly back to the states. Verona and Padua are both close to Venice could be done as day trips from there. The only reason that is offered as food for thought is that a lot of time is lost each time you make a permanent change of location. But since you appear to have the time for longer stays in each place and going at a slower pace, I'd say go for it.

I agree about too much time in smaller cities. I wouldn't be spending so much time in the Black Forest when the most incredible vistas are close by in Western Austria (Tyrol) and Switzerland. There are just so many important places, like Florence, that could be substituted.

As mentioned earlier, I would fly into Venice and home from Paris. Since Venice does not have direct flights to the US, your most likely schedule will be a very earlier flight from Venice to a connecting airport elsewhere in Europe. But if coming home from Paris you will options for direct flights back to the US at a reasonable morning, early afternoon time slots.

American Airlines has a non-stop from Venice to Philadelphia. This may be what the OP was referring to when he/she said non-stop flights were key.

my flight from Venice to Philly is 11:30 Am on a Thursday. It is a small airport but I flew out of Rome 2 years ago and I didn't like Rome airport much.
For me flying is not a great experience and connecting flights are always an issue. Also long flights on packed planes put me in a bad mood.
I am not trying to get everywhere and see everything just enjoy Europe at a slow pace and not uprooting ourselves every 2 days.
So I like to stay at least 4 or 5 nights to enjoy the city/area. That being said.
Strasburg sounds great. We like the idea of the Spas in Baden Baden also the Faberge Museum there.
We are visiting a cousin in Lugano and I have always wanted to stay on Lake Como.
Also, I think staying one or two towns in Italy, on our way to Venice, is a good idea. Florence is busy and been there but no ruling it out.
I also don't want long train trips between cities.
Please keep the ideas coming...

I don't have a problem with the lengths of stay originally proposed. I have a feeling I could spend two days in Strasbourg (I like museums as well as pounding the pavement in historic districts) and I know I'd want a full day in Colmar (the Unterlinden Museum is excellent). Then you have Baden Baden (I know others prefer different spa towns) and some of the smaller wine villages around Colmar. That sounds like 5 nights to me.

As for Padua/Verona, I felt Padua had more than a day's worth of sights, and the nearby Vicenza is worth a side-trip. Other people speak very highly of Ferrara, which is accessible from Padua. And then there's Verona (which I haven't seen but know many others like). That adds up to 5 nights. No way would I visit those places from Venice, paying Venice hotel rates. To me it makes a lot more sense to stay in Padua.

Certainly one could question 5 nights in Lugano/Lake Como instead of the Swiss Alps, but perhaps the poster prefers lakes to mountains or is not interested in paying five days' worth of Swiss hotel rates (and Swiss rail fares) on this trip. However, I'd seriously consider peeling a night off this stop and adding it to Paris, especially since Day 1 in Paris is likely to be only marginally useful due to sleep deprivation and jetlag.

Edited to add:

One other thing: You cannot be sure of warm, sunny weather in May, especially north of the Alps. It may be positively lovely, but no guarantees.

hi gtl646
in paris; check out alcoves&agapes.com there is a private studio hosted by marie-francoise, that has a kitchenette and small terrace, along with other services (guided tour, cooking class).
in venice: check cabadoer-veniceflat.it years ago we stayed in the west studio for a week, loved the place and owners (ketty & peter) so nice. let us keep luggage in office, small elevator, nice and breezy, in the middle of venice but very quiet except for church bells from frari church. look at rooms they have and send an email. also look at booking.com we always like to have a place with terrace to sit with vino and relax. we also did a private prosecco tour, rode train to susegana - guide picked us up and off we went on a fabulous day, tour tasting, photo ops, gorgeous countryside and villages and lunch. of interested let me know. you can also check cross-pollinate.com for other places, read fine print, some are cash or credit cards, some can leave luggage, some are high floors with no lifts/elevators.
got this from friend and another poster, if in verona: labottegadeltortellino.com
we stayed 2 nights on lake garda in the town of bardolino for wine festival. the lake is absolutely pretty and small villages, shops, cafes along the way. just some ideas for you to ponder.
aloha

Well an update as I have refined my trip details as follows:
trip is now 26 nights
I have not finished planning the 6 nights for Lugano an Lake Como area
( we have a relative in Lugano and I have always wanted to go to lake Como. I am considering just one place here for 5 nights..)
1. Paris 6 nights
2. Colmar 4 nights
3. Lugano 3 nights
4. Lake Como 3 nights in Menaggio or Bellagio

5. Bologna 5 nights
6. Padua 5 nights
train routes for most are an hour
Colmar to Lugano 4 -5 hours

Sorry, I have been to Bologna, its OK, but five nights is too much.
We liked Ravenna for a day.

Do you have a guidebook for Italy. That might help your planning. Why not Florence, it is wonderful.

There are many good day-trips to be made from Bologna.