We will be driving from Cinque Terre to Venice with a one night stop along the way. What town/city should we explore and stay in? Looks like we could stay in Modena, Verona, Padua. Any other suggestions please?
These cities all have ZTL's in the city center, so be careful how you explore if you are taking car.
It depends somewhat on what else you've seen in Italy. I would choose Verona for beauty and youthful vivacity. Parma and Modena both have excellent architecture, art, and sophisticated food. Padua takes longer to appreciate.
Not exactly on the way, but Ravenna is not like the other cities you will be visiting.
How about Verona