Visit Venice for sure!

Yeah, we're totally going to Venice!

If I had the choice, I'd pick Rome over Venice.  Rome is history, Venice is tourism.  But that's me. 

Ditto on Venice.

If museums are on your agenda, Florence has enough to fill up two weeks on its own.

Ravenna is a hidden gem "famous" for its intricate mosaics. Makes for a good day trip as a break from the noise of bigger cities.

Bologna is known as the "red city" for the color of brick used throughout its architecture.  Be sure to climb one of the towers for a view of the red roofs from above - lots of stairs but very worth it!

Pisa is a tourist trap and there isn't much there beyond the leaning tower. There are many other (albeit smaller) leaning towers around Italy, espeically in Bologna.

Genoa is, from my experience, sketchy and skippable.

Have fun!

For culture it's Florence and Rome, for beauty, go to the Italian lakes under the Alps. And as long as you're up that way, you might as well cross over to Switzerland and visit the Lucerne Valley.

Venice is unique, but it stinks.

My husband loved Verona (home of Juliet) -- he said it's a quiet less traveled city and he enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere.

My Italian travel is decades back, but we did Rome/Florence/Pompeii/Capri/Rome.  Yes, Rome twice--once for the art (Sistine Chapel!) and once for the ruins.

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Pompeii's supposed to be suffering Yogi Berra's observation:  "nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded."

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But if you're focused on Northern Italy you're going for the countryside and the food, primarily.  The art might not mean as much to you...

Lucca is a beautiful small town not to miss.

Pisa is interesting especially all the prostitutes that hang around the area of the tower. If you want to go inside the tower you need to make reservations, online, at least a month in advance.

Thanks for all the tips!

We bought our tickets last night :-)

Hope you have fun!

Rome is a must!

Too bad you're a pescatarian, dude...  Mmm...  Pork and beef products...  :)