Hmmm! Let me think about that---I will get back.
But, I do think I would include Lago Garda and Bergamo.

Yes, I would include Lago Garda if you have not been before.
You train to Desenzano on the south end but you do not have to stay there. The ferry system on the lake is very good so you can stay where you want. The north end is far more scenic, so plan to spend an entire day on the lake with stops in Malcesine and Riva--if not more.

After that I am torn. The Citta Alta in Bergamo is very impressive but may not be worth a 2 day stop. I would look at Parma---a place I have always wanted to see. The train from Desenzano is only 2:22 via Brescia. Have you seen Stresa and the Borreman Isles? If not, that would be high on my list.

Good planning--I will be eagerly awaiting your gallery.

From a base in Brescia, you would have a tremendous range of daytripping possibilities: Trento, Bergamo and Lago di Garda, and even Mantova if a 90 minute train trip is OK with you (although I would do that as a day trip from Milan.)

Brescia itself has its extraordinary museums

http://www.bresciamusei.com/

and in July it will not be heaving with tourists. You can find an air conditioned hotel at a moderate price.

So if you can stand the heat in Ferrara in July, you could go to Ferrara for 2 nights, Brescia for 4, Milan for 2 (with a day trip to Mantova).

PS: if you wanted, for your final days, you could go to Milan in the morning, stow your bags at the train station, and switch to a train for Stresa (one hour north). Have lunch and see the Borromean Islands, come back to Milan, go to your hotel. Next day, day trip to Mantova (one hour south).

So basicially you have this

1 - Ferrara
2 - Ferrara
3 -- Brescia -- explore Brescia
4 -- Brescia -- day trip to lago di Garda
5 -- Brescia -- day trip to Trento
6 -- Brescia -- day trip to Bergamo
7 -- Milan -- afternoon on Lago Maggiore (Stresa Borromeo Islands)
8 -- Milan -- day trip to Mantova

or vice versa for days 7 & 8

You could buy even a bit more leisure if you left Ferrara in the afternoon of your second day there and headed to Brescia. You could make two trips to Lago di Garda and see different parts of the lake. It is only 15 minutes by train from Brescia to Desenzano del Garda. But if you get summer thundershowers, the museums and churches of Brescia are world class. Or the weather might be nicer in Trento.

http://www.bresciabedandbreakfast.it/en/index.html

seat61.com/italy hop regional trains
in the north a lot headed there in Aprilour favs
Stresa/Baveno/Isola Bella Area Hotel Grand Dino
Varenna www.bellagio.info area Residence D'Ulivo
Garda www.sirmione.com Hotel Eden
from 100-120 euro per nite booking.com

Have fun!

Thanks for the ideas. I think I do want to see Lake Garda (on previous trips I've been to Lakes Como and Maggorie). I will look into Trento and Brescia some more. But trying to maintain as much of my original itinerary as possible (although I'll have to change all the hotels as the dates will be off) I've come up with this:

Ferry from Rovinj to Venice, then train to Bassano for two nights

Then Verona as a base for four nights to do day trips to Mantova, Ferrara and Lake Garda

Then Milano for two nights with a day trip to Parma.

Does that sound reasonable?

Question - I want to see Asolo from Bassano, is that easily done without a car? If not, is Bassano 'worth' it or would those two days be better off in Trento or Bergamo or Brescia?

i don't think anybody can answer intelligently your question about whether Bassano del Grappa is "worth' it for you as opposed the other places you mentioned -- but that doesn't mean you won't get an answer!

If you actually haven't got a problem staying in Verona again, and you've already looked a Trenitalia to see the length of the day trips you'd be undertaking from Verona and Milano, surely you know better than we do what kind of trip you'd enjoy.

You might consider staying in Asolo and visiting Bassano del Grappa rather than the other way around. Here are some logistics for doing that:

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/asolo/1729010002.html

We stayed at the Albergo Al Sole in Asolo and loved it. Very charming town with some very good restaurants and a nice central cafe.

I liked Bassano---we used it as a base to tour Veneto and stayed 4 nites. The reason I did not include it was the train connections to points west---we had a car. If that works then try to include it.

ekc - did you have a car. I really want to see Asolo and Brassano - this is actually my second trip to the general area that they have been on my 'list' but without a car they seem like they may not be 'worth' the trouble it takes to get to them.

Obviously 'worth' it is relative and will be different for different people. But I value the opinions of fodorites even if they are just that - opinions.

I'll do some more research on Bassano too and maybe post another threat asking for opinions of 'favorite' towns in this region. Thanks again

sorry, that should be 'thread', not threat. That will teach me not to prof read.

Isabel, we had a car which I would highly recommend. We also loved Cividale - beautiful small town with a couple of good small museums. That was one of the towns on the trip where I thought "I could live here" ...

Isabel,

It seems rather easy to get to either Bassano del Grappa or Asolo from Venice using public transportation. Did you read the link I gave you?

I'm having hard time figuring out what you are asking about some place being "worth it" considering the travel time when you are considering it "worth it" to take a day trip to Parma from Milan despite the length of the journey, yet question whether it is "worth it" to go to Bassano del Grappa, when it is pretty much the same time spent traveling.