Bologna - Ravenna - Rome - Pompeii - Sorrento+

Sorrento is a much better home base for Pompeii than Rome.

This is pretty broad, and there’s a difference between 2 weeks and 3 weeks. In general terms your destinations of Ravenna-Sorrento are far apart and are perhaps best suited for separate itineraries. My hot take? Sorrento/Pompeii/Naples/Amalfi Coast could be a full week or more and you wouldn’t regret a minute. Also, Rome is far from Pompeii, and while some people pull it off as a long day trip I think it’s bonkers.

You know your priorities, but when I see “art history” mentioned I just kind of think of places you haven’t mentioned here. Have you been around the Veneto? Are you set on Bologna, and are you picking that over Florence? Idk, maybe you’ve been to some of these places…

Faenza is workable as a day trip from Bologna. Check Google Maps to see how far the ceramics museum is from the train station; I'd consider it walkable. Keep in mind that your Bologna hotel will probably be some distance from the Bologna station as well. In my wanderings around Faenza I was surprised not to encounter shops selling ceramics. I'm sure they exist; I was probably walking around during the afternoon siesta; I tend not to be an early starter.

As for Ravenna, you can get to the seven most often mentioned mosaic sites on a day trip from Bologna if you're a casual visitor who enjoys looking at beautiful things. I suspect you'd want to spend more time at individual sites than I did (I'm not religious at all), and there are additional things to see in Ravenna--both mosaic-related and not. I'm returning to Ravenna this year to spend two full days there.

Both Faenza and Ravenna can be done as daytrips by train from Bologna and both deserve a full day (even Faenza, because there is more than the MIC - Ceramic museum). Ravenna could be suitable even for a longer stay....
Cervia and the salt pools is a nice visit, like the Comacchio Lagoon. If you like history and churches I can suggest you even Pomposa Abbey (good even for music lovers, because there lived Guido d'Arezzo, who "invented" the musical notes). That locations are more tricky to be visited by public transport and you risk to waste a lot of time. Are much easier to be visited driving a car.

@acraven
Yes, there are many shops who produce and sell ceramic. But is not a big touristy place Faenza, so are small shops and craft labs. Is not like Venice that you find streets packed with souvenir shops! Some artisans make standard painted ceramic (dishes, cups, bowls, jars and so on), but there are even some artists who make sculptures and modern art. If you like it is even possible take lessons (a short touristic lesson, but even long professional ones).

We spent 1-1/2 days in Ravenna and could have used more time. I would stay overnight there. We were there 2 nights.

Month of year?

Not to overstate the case, there are five superb ancient sites on a multi-day Pompeii area ticket. They don't actually "duplicate" each other at all. You strangely omit Naples and Caserta Palace, and maybe UNESCO WHS Paestum. You may choose to omit the Amalfi Coast for time reasons, although there are some beautiful locations, if less art history.

I don't put contemporary pottery in the same box as these influential historical sites, but it's your trip.

Thanks for the comments and questions. Will try to answer all here.

Ewrz...: I have up to 3 weeks. Yes, I have enjoyed Venice, Florence, Milan, Rome, plus. It is time to explore Bologna & south.

Acraven: Appreciating the details of art, I can stay at least twice the suggested times for any museum! I will plan on 2 nights in Ravenna, thank you.

Ricky: taking a class would be rather special. Great idea! Thanks. I am a big fan of Italian Rennaisance majolica and ceramics in general. I do hope to add to my very small (contemporary) plate collection. I have portrait plates of a man and a woman (I think of them as my husband and I, though we bear little resemblance! and would like two others for my son and daughter. Years ago I read there was a market in Faenza for ceramicists and that some workshops were open to the public. I will research the timing for this before leaving.

Tim: Perhaps April or May. I have many details to learn about visiting these areas. I was not aware of the multi-day/multi-site tickets for Pompeii. Thank you. Likewise, I am not familiar with Caserta or Paestum (yet).

Hotel Mercure Bologna Central is quite near the Bologna train station and might be a good home base. I enjoy seeing a place via walking, but being near the train to start is nice!

Open to all your suggestions! I appreciate your comments.

As a reference for shops and labs for Fiance ceramic this website should be the most complete: https://www.enteceramica.it/ceramisti-botteghe/ . Unfortunately is only in Italian. I believe the list there is almost complete.
For something very classic probably you should contact La Vecchia Faenza or Laura Silvagni: https://www.ceramicafaenza.it/ . Or even Maestri Maiolicari (Lea Emiliani): www.ceramicadifaenza.it
For lessons I am not really expert, but I know that this lab do lessons: https://www.mtgg.it/corsi/ . Probably you can contact him to ask for the cost of a short private lesson.

I'd try to find a hotel about halfway between the train station in Bologna and Piazza Maggiore. Bologna is flat, easily walkable and worth spending at least one day sightseeing.

Sorrento is convenient for the Pompeii sites and Herculaneum, less so for the Amalfi Coast. Naples is just as convenient and you don't have to schlep your luggage on the Circumvesuviana (metro) back and forth. There's not much to see and do in Sorrento, it is basically a resort town. Salerno is - IMO - a better base for the Amalfi Coast and by April the ferries will be operating. The AC villages aren't much to roam around in but the views from land and sea are gorgeous. You can get to Salerno by fast train from Naples (and of course points north). Paestum is at most a day trip from Salerno (about an hour each way by bus or train). There are the remains of 3 lovely Greek temples and a fine archaeology museum. Salerno also has a well-preserved historic center. BTW Naples has its charms as well, especially the archaeology museum - a wow.