Indecision - Advice Please - Where to go besides Florence & Rome?

Simply going to say Venice is intriguing and worth your time.

Get away from St Marks Square and you’ll see what I mean.

I stayed in an apartment near the Peace Park and throughly enjoyed walking about that end of the island. Few tourists.

IMHO Como is boring.

After two cities, a nice, smaller, town might be nice. Since you will be in the region, maybe Sienna, Orvieto, Assisi, Ravenna, some place like that. Bologna is not smaller, but less touristy, but Parma and Modena fit the bill for smaller.

Places like Amalfi Coast, Sorrento, Cinque Terre, might be a bit dreary in March, not quite sun and beach weather, the mountains a bit still snowy. Not sure what Lake Como will be like, it is more a Summer destination, time on the lake and outdoor stuff, but I have been surprised, things seem to be crowded nearly year round anymore.

Venice is very special and deserves a visit. Yes, lots of tourist love to go there, but don't miss it.

Venice is somewhat unique in that most of the city has no streets, just canals and pathways. It is very historical.
A bit of history tells a lot about the city.

At the end of the Western Roman Empire in the late 5th Century, Northern Italy was being overrun by Huns and Barbarians that were destroying cities and more. Venice was founded by people that created a city in land and marshes off the Adriatic coast. Piles of timber were drilled into the land to support the city with canals running through out it. The Venetian Republic was a piece of civilization that survived the fall of Rome and endured until the early 19th Century.

The sites in Venice are many, but St. Mark's Cathedral and the tower nearby are a must as well as a gondola ride. There is a lot more in the city.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g187870-Activities-Venice_Veneto.html

There are other options as well. Orvieto, between Rome and Florence would be worth a couple of days. Also, Siena, which is close to Florence. Lucca and Pisa are good.

Where are you flying into and out of?
I could easily spend four nites in Venice, and you could do a day trip, to Padua, for example.
I love Lake Como, and will return, but if you haven't been to Venice, I'd go there.
We stay in the quiet back canal area of Cannaregio. There are no crowds there, just beauty and quiet. Yet, you are a ten minute walk to a vaporetto stop on the grand Canal. We love Hotel Ai Mori D'Orient.
Safe travels!

I just saw an earlier post of yours. Are you still flying into Zurich?

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/switzerland/one-stop-in-switzerland-best-home-base-for-4-nights-in-late-march

Hi Pat - Yes, flying into Zurich, spending a few days in Switzerland and then heading south to Italy.

I'm currently trying to decide where I should fly out of. :)

If you haven’t been to Venice that would be my recommendation

Another would be Verona
Or Bologna for the food

Bologna is quite different from the two places you're going and not as crowded (at least the last time I was there). Lucca is very comfortable for solo travelers and quite beautiful. I enjoyed Parma, I took a half day food tour where we visited an artisan producer of parmegiana and another or prosciutto -- really fun! Orvieto is a lovely hilltown and so easy to get to from Rome or Florence.

And March should give you a good look at Venice with fewer crowds.

You've all convinced me that I should visit Venice. Of course, I also now have a long list of other recommendations to visit on another trip! Thank you for your insights!

Did your trip to the Amalfi Coast include Naples and Pompeii? Those two would be at the top of my list.

Easter is late March this year, so there will be March crowds in the tourist areas.

I stayed in an apartment near the Peace Park and throughly enjoyed walking about that end of the island. Few tourists.

@Claudia: I'm having no luck locating Peace Park on the map or in a google search. Can you help me locate where you are speaking of please?

@Allan - Yes, I loved Pompeii!!! I still need to spend more time in Naples.

Highly disagree with Claudia as Lake Como is beautiful, perhaps she was referring to the city of Como, which is boring as well as ugly. Have you considered Bergamo for a visit? It’s a beautiful city, often overlooked by tourists spending time in Lombardia. Also I’d second Venice, being that you’ll be there in a low season, although judging from what my Italian friends and family tell me there is no low season as of 2022.

Naples. A gritty and gorgeous city. The historic center has Naples underground tours, four gorgeous churches and via tribunal is interesting to walk. It can be chaotic but it is so full of life. A walk along the waterfront is wonderful past the medieval, Castel Nuovo to the Royal Palace, Palazzo Reale di Napoli, for a sightseeing visit. Day trips to Herculaneum or Pompeii; Vesuvius; Amalfi Coast and Capri.