Late to this party and you have lots of excellent advice already. And so , I will mostly limit this reply to a high level.
First, sounds like you have lots planned already. We loved Cinque Terre when we were there back in 2003, before flood damage and rebuilt trails. We were there just two nights. But as to ‘not much to do there,’ I would respond two ways. First, we absolutely loved taking the boat from Vernazza to Riomaggiore and then walking all the way back, along the Via Amore to Manarola and then on through Corniglia where we had a beautiful lunch and finally back to Vernazza. Second, I remember it as the day ‘I died and went to heaven.’ So … not much to do vs. lovely to simply be there and enjoy.
Now, to my main thoughts.
First, hold open the idea that you’re young enough to go back to Italy, later if not sooner. We’ve now been three times since age 50 … first in 2003, then 2015 and most recently in April 2024.
Second, small towns and small cities offer so much. The Scrovengni Chapel with art by Giotto in Padova, Signorelli frescoes in the Duomo in Orvieto, Etruscan history and beautiful alabaster carvings in Volterra … just to mention some that we have enjoyed. Padova is very convenient to Venice. BTW, as I recall, there are trains from both Florence and Rome that go right to Orvieto and a funicular from the train station there goes straight up the hill to the old, walled hilltop town.
Third, even though you’re not big on art or museums, consider that modern western history and culture was reborn with the magnificent rediscoveries of classic Greek and Roman art and philosophy that originated in Florence and spread to Rome, Venice and other parts of northern Italy in the late 1300s to early 1500s. If you’re put off by the crowds that go to Florence’s Uffizi and Academia and Rome’s Vatican museums, then instead go to churches in all cities and towns that you visit. You will discover frescoes and statues by Michelangelo, Botticelli, Donatello, Ghirlandaio, Fra Angelico, Bernini, Titian, Tintoretto, Massaccio and others. So much of that art was created, site specific for churches and really cannot be moved. The churches are less crowded than museums and timed entries generally are not an issue. I should add that the DK Eyewitness City Guides are superb for planning city walks and sights such as churches to visit. Ditto for Michelin Guides.
Fourth, you can never do it all. On our 2015 trip, I had hoped to get to the Dolomites, but with just 17 days and stops in Rome, Orvieto, Florence, Venice, Padova, Verona, Lake Como (Bellagio) and Milan, we could not fit in a few days in the Dolomites. If we had, then Lake Como would not have made the cut. It was a tough choice.
Fifth and final observation. Be open to the unplanned and unexpected. For us, that included Simcha Torah services in Florence’s synagogue (2003), the Gelato Festival in Orvieto (2015), Piano City music festival (jazz and classical) in Milan (2015 — we learned about this from a local couple we met on the street on our first evening in Milan), and a surrealist art exhibit (Miro, Dali, Magritte, and Ernst) at the Castello Carlos V in Monopoli (2024).
Whatever you do, Buon Viagge.
