We are returning to Italy and want to be less touristy - kind of.
we still want to see Rome and Venice. out side these we want to tour smaller lesser known towns en route from north to south , or south to north.
any suggestions on [places to stay and a route to take ? (rental car or train or both are doable)
Is this 8 days not counting flight days? Orvieto comes to mind as a smaller town to visit.
Fly into Venice and out of Rome, take trains going south to any one or two of these towns (among my favorites in Italy): Padua, Ferrara, Orvieto. These are only lesser known compared to Venice, Florence, and Rome, but they have wonderful walkable historic centers and great art and great food.
Ferrara and Padua are definitely less touristed than Orvieto. If you'd rather have fewer locations, Padua is an easy train trip from Venice, and Orvieto is an easy train trip from Rome. Ferrara can be an hour on the train from Venice, if you take the right train. Padua is not at all "small," but will give you that feel I think you are looking for, and has a terrific market, lovely piazze, and of course, the Scrovegni chapel.
Good advice from nancy. Ferrara in particular has a very nice mostly pedestrianised historic centre which gives it a small town feel. https://slowtravelitalyspain.blogspot.com/2023/12/ferrara-trip-report.html
But Padua is definitely worth a visit too
we want to tour smaller lesser known towns
Mantua and Sansepolcro never get mentioned, look into them.
