We will be in a Florence, Lucca, and Ruota in first 2 weeks of April. Seeking tips re events, activities, travel, and best accommodations for this period.
That's a pretty open ended question, and any answer by us is bound to leave out things you might want to know.
Why don't you purchase one of RS's Italy guides, or one by Lonely Planet, and then you can map out what you might want to do in that two week period. Once you have a general idea, this Forum is the perfect place to fine tune your plans.