10 Nights in May- Help!

Sounds relaxing and interesting and fun! You'll be in Italy!

Padua will certainly keep you occupied for 2 days, leaving time for day trips to Verona, Vicenza and Venice.
What time is your flight from Venice airport? There is an hourly bus from the bus station next to the padua train station, but the first one is at 7:15 in the morning and it takes 1 hour and 5 minutes. That will not do if you have an early morning flight, so think about getting a hotel by Venice airport if that is the case.
https://www.igi.cnr.it/ITPAmhd-ep2014/sites/default/files/attachments/Bus%20Timetable%20from%20Padova%20terminal%20to%20Venice%20Airport.pdf

Stayed there 2 nights a few years back, but we arrived at Venice airport and took the bus from the airport. The Scrovegni Chapel is the high light of the town. Get a timed reservation form their website.
http://www.cappelladegliscrovegni.it/index.php/en/

Central market squares and the University of Padua tour including the historic Anatomy Theater.

There is a tram that runs from the train station through the historic city center to the south of the city. Fare is nominally 1.30 EUR, a carnet (10-pack of tickets) is 12 EUR, but 2 EUR for tickets bought on board.

Edit - I see you are on the 11:55 am flight to Philly, so staying in Padua and taking the bus is fine.

They say the food in Bologna is especially good. And it's a centralized location to do day trips out of if you have wheels. It's about 1 hour north of Florence.
American Airlines starts flying into Bologna June 6th out of Philadelphia. You can also fly to other gateway European airports from there.

Your itinerary sounds great! I loved Padova. In addition to what Sam suggested, I recommend the Botanical Gardens, the Prato della Valle, and just wandering around downtown, particularly in the evening. Fun scene. Also, keep an eye out for informal graduation festivities - Rick Steves describes them in a video. In addition to the day trips you've already proposed from Bologna, you might want to think about Ravenna, to see the spectacular Byzantine mosaics. Enjoy!

Good plan.
Bologna is also a good base for Ravenna and Ferrara. Both easily reached by train.
Like the others have said, Padova is in the category »overlooked«. Nice city with one of the oldest universities in Europe.

Another vote for Padua. Scrovegni Chapel. Large historic district perfect for aimless wandering. Much more. And I do highly recommend Ravenna. Charming architecture as well as the incredible mosaics.

Ferrara is another good side-trip, according to several people on this forum who have been there (which I have not). There are several morning trains that will get you there from Bologna in a half hour or less. It usually takes longer from Padua but is still workable as a day-trip.

I was underwhelmed by Padua and fell in love with Bologna. Others have had opposite impressions. I was in Bologna in mid-May about 4-5 years ago and there were very few tourists. It's more of a college town.

I toured the universities of Bologna and Padua, enjoyed Bologna's more.

Bologna is a good base town to visit other areas (Florence, Siena and others) but Bologan can be seen in 1 or 2 days. Florence is a must see and you will need 2 days there to see most of it.

Thanks for the encouragement.
with 4 days in each city it's not a lot of time.

Bologna for day or 1/2 day trips
1. Milan- last super/Doumo/Shopping center
2. Florence- have been but my wife hasn't and its a great city.
3. Modena or Parma- for food or does Bologna enough food to satisfy
4. Ravenna, although I have been for mosaics many years ago.
and I though one full day to enjoy Bologna

Padua
1. Venice since its Venice and so close to Padua and its 30 minutes by train.
2. maybe Verona or Vicenza
3. rent a car and drive to some villages?
4. enjoy Padua for 2 days.

Flight is at noon. so I think enough time if we take the 8 am bus.
Just enjoy Italy

thanks

Relax. Take a deep breath. I think your itinerary is good. My inclination would be to stay in Venice to get the early and late parts of the day all to myself with doing some of the less frequented sites during the day to stay away from the crowds, and take a day trip out to Padua, Ravenna, Verona etc... (maybe 2 days) with some of your other days. You could also of course do trips to Ravenna and Verona from Padua, so do what feels right to you.

I would not attempt Ravenna as a day-trip from Venice. That would be about 6 hours on the train.

Padua is very well situated for day trips but I too felt a little underwhelmed with the town itself. I only stayed there two nights and it rained a lot so that probably colored my impression of Padova itself. Consider a visit to nearby Ferrara, either from Bologna or Padua, or the little town of Monselice. I went to Ferrara this past spring during a 3 week trip to Italy and liked it very much. I also liked Verona very much and stayed there three nights, but be prepared to see loads of tourists there. Ferrara felt relatively tourist free and I heartily recommend a visit or stay there. I chose Ferrara to visit based on recommendations I read here on this forum, especially from Zoe, whose recs were always spot on. If Verona were your base, your daytrip choices could include beautiful Sirmione on Lake Garda (we took the public bus there and back for a daytrip - the bus stop is a little outside of town so be prepared for a fair amount of walking but the town is so scenic and pretty), Vicenza, Mantova, etc.

I just did a search for Zoe posts an sadly she has passed away.

My opinion is a day trip to Venice would be a mistake.
You would be one of the tourists you mention who is packing the place.
If you STAY in Venice you can be out and about early, see the major sights before they all show up and then go elsewhere in the city or on a day trip as the day gets older.

I was in Piazza San Marco early one morning last year, along with a flock of birds and maybe 10 people to start with. Around 8:30am, I saw 2 MASSIVE cruise ships and a smaller one sail past, meaning Piazza San Marco would likely be assaulted by more than 5000 people within a few hours. I went to Burano and saw the colorful buildings there. Returned to Venice later and enjoyed the places in town tourists with short scheduled don't/can't get to.
The next day, I was across the lagoon atop the campanile at San Giorgio Maggiore and looking at Piazza San Marco, I could see it was wall to wall people.

The trick to Venice is to see the major sites early or late - when the day crowds have departed -- and see other parts of the city when they're all in those places.
You cannot do that very well with day trips.

Venice is magical. I loved every minute of every day each time I visited. I will go back on my next trip, as well.

Ravenna is VERY worthwhile. I wish I'd stayed longer (2 nights). I do not recommend that as a day trip from Venice.

Another vote for Monselice a Charming little town 15k south of Padova by train. with a car you could visit the beautiful wine country of the Colle Euganei just south of Padova.

I loved Verona- lots of shops and restaurants, Church and the Arena is older than the Colosseum in Rome- “Giuletta’s Balcony” and statue is fun- you can mail a letter to Juliet and you will get a answer if you put your return address in the letter!! I also had the best meal of my life in a family run restaurant called Osteria II Bertoldo- if you go to Verona you must eat there its amazing!!
http://www.osteriailbertoldo.com/

Happy Travels💫✨