Two months in Italy next March and April. Which "base" cities to choose?

How about Ravenna? I've been there a couple of times, and liked it a lot. People on bikes, good food, what seems like a decent civic spirit. I live in Perugia part of the year, and it reminds me a little of Perugia in the way of civic pride, etc. Except that it's flat and in Romagna. People we've met are really friendly, and there are some seriously cool restaurants and music venues.

If you want to have a base in northern Italy for a portion of the time, I would recommend Padua (Padova). It's a really vibrant university city with a lot of medieval history and charm as well as really good transportation connections. The main train line from Venice to Florence (and south) goes through Padua (as does the main line to Milan and west). Vicenza and Venice are really short (~15 minutes) hops and Verona is only about 45 minutes away. If you don't mind driving, the Asiago Plateau and Dolomite Mountains are a relatively short drive but the Dolomites might not be very accessible until later in your trip.

Also close by Padua, Ferrara and Mantua.

I was pleased with my choice of Padua as a base for several days in 2015. I liked it a lot; the historic district is rather large though it didn't feel as massive as Bologna's. There's a large central produce market.

Ravenna (which I visited from Bologna) is really stunning and has a more intimate feel to it. I don't remember seeing a large outdoor food market but wouldn't be surprised to find that one does exist. I was stunned at how few travelers were rattling around the city on the Sunday I was there in mid-July. Do check the rail timetables, though. I think you'll find Ravenna isn't quite as convenient if you want to make a lot of side-trips, though I suppose it depends on precisely where you want to go. [Edited because I attributed a Vicenza deli to Ravenna.]

The Piedmont is a real surprise both in sophistication and history. There is no Italy without it. Turin is a pleasure to visit and stay in with many places to see and experience and a great transportation network. Acraven's suggestion of Padua is good as it is wonderfully situated for all kinds of experiences.

Salerno is a bigger town than you're aiming for, but could be an option, particularly if you schedule it for later in your trip when the ferries will be running. I have only visited for day trips but others on the forum have used it as a base, and their reports have been positive.

Thanks to everyone! Some great info and food for thought. I will look into Ravenna, which may be a bit small. I did love going there for a day, on the train tho. Padua is new to me, and looks promising. Salerno looks really beautiful, on the coast. Probably go to that area first to avoid tourists, then North.

I love Alba and Siena

Hi Dalem
Did you consider Reggio Emilia as a base for your Emilia Romagna tour? It's a city in the Middle between Modena and Parma, without tourists. There is a nice historical center with shops and tipical restaurants, it's less expensive than parma or padua.
Reggio Emiliahas an high speed train station and you can go to bologna in 20 minutes, to' Milan in 40' and to Florence in 1 hour. There is also the central station with a lot of local trains to other cities.
It's an university town and the bus service is not bad for tourists. Around the city there is a beautiful countryside and hills.