When I started going to Italy with just my wife many years ago before I started Custom Tours of Italy, we would move around a lot by trains and try to see as many things as possible for the obvious reasons of being younger and the mindset we would miss things if we didn't "try to do it all" in 2 or 3 weeks there. Things change when you get experienced and you slow things down and try to soak in Italy the way they want you to experience it - slower and more appreciative.
When I travel guide folks now I try to adhere to a minimum of 3 nights in one place, some places like Rome or Florence or a Farm Agriturismo can even warrant a longer stay for longer, on our travel days either by train or car I NEVER schedule a set tourist reservation later in the day just in case there are travel curve balls thrown at you by Italy (which is very common) and then you chance missing a reserved, paid for tourist activity. Italy simply is not as much fun if you're rushing through it - THEY CERTAINLY ARE NOT rushing through life, and you will see this! My philosophy is you're not going on a "sprint" on your vacation but a "marathon" at a slower pace.
Most hotel or Farms will want you checking out by 11am or 12 noon latest and your next destination doesn't allow you to check in by 3 or 4:00pm - so the time in between should be your travel time to your next destination - this is traveling smartly. Sure, we may stop off in a town on the way in order to sight-see on the way to your next location, we'll have lunch there along the way and the aim to arrive in the later afternoon where we'll stay for 3 nights or more. There will be things to do in the new location that aren't scheduled that first night but are iconic to the town or city,.....free things that you don't need to be scheduled such as the stroll before dinner to get an Aperitivo drink during our walk called the "passegiatta" - this is where locals are all out walking and meeting each other, checking in with each other out for the latest news in town, the latest gossip,....then it's off to dinner. This is "slow Italy" at it's best, and also noted, when you go to eat dinner, that is not usually before 8pm at night and when you're there-there's no rushing through dinner, it can easily be 2 to 3 hours with all the courses followed by an after drink like Limoncello or Amaro....this is part of the beauty of why you picked to go Italy - their lifestyle and this is traveling smart to not rush through things while there!....often time we use the phrase "il dolce far niente",....
translated means "the sweetness of doing nothing".....
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