I seem to have turned this thread into another tangent - sorry to the original poster. As you can tell though, there are many here who have Europe experience so if you have specific questions, go for it.
Pisa was always a stop along the way. Everything I've read says it's not really worth it for longer so the plan was to hit it on the way to Lucca or as an afternoon when staying in Lucca.
Hiking the Cinque Terre was also assumed in our travel plans.
I am lucky, Mrs Furnace isn't a huge shopper...although there will be a shoe buying event in Florence I'm sure. When last we were in Italy she got a flu so we decided to just head back to Paris fast. We were in Venice, taking the train across, and even though she was sick, we spent time on our stopover in Florence going to the shoe stores.
I had mentioned to 4x4 earlier I found an apartment on Piazza della Rotonda with balcony views of The Pantheon. I believe that will be our Rome home base.
Some of my favourite things about Europe - and traveling in general - is just wandering around the streets getting lost and looking at nothing but just everyday life. The Barri Gotic in Barcelona is perhaps my favourite walking area.
__________________
|