Adventureseeker,
don't be discouraged. You'll have a great time.

We loved Florence, and are going back this summer. I think it's worth it to take 2 nights away from your Tuscan/Umbrian experience.
It's a wonderful place.

On our first visit. we only stayed one night when we went, and only 2 in rome. I believe a taste of the highlights is better than nothing at all.

Have fun planning!
Dina

I'd save Umbria, Rome, Naples and the Amalfi for your NEXT trip to Italy.

Three weeks doing Venice, the Cinque Terre, Tuscany, Florence and Siena would make a full and memorable trip.

I totally agree with AdventureSeeker. For me staying too long at a place is kind of boring. Somehow, I think it's better to leave a place wishing you had stayed longer. That makes you remember the place with nostalgia. However, when you stay too much in a place, even if it's beautiful, you end up feeling bored and thinking you've had enough of it which is not the way I like remembering a place.

Lonelyplanet, Thank you for your post! I find there are 2 types of travelers on forum sites just like these. Those who travel extensively internationally and those who make a "once in a lifetime" special occasion trip. We're from the U.S. and are of the latter. This is our first trip abroad and we're in our 40's! With a young child at home, who knows when we'll be able to make it back. I'd love to say that we'd be hitting Venice for a week next Spring, Taking in Rome for a week next Autumn, but that's a pipe dream for us. Our wish would be to make it back a couple more times in our lifetime and really peel back the layers and explore Italy like she deserves to be explored!

I would go just to see DAVID...

There are two kinds of people, but I would describe different categories.

Ones who like to travel slow and spend more time in less places, and ones who like to travel at a fast pace seeing many different destinations.

There's not a right or wrong... the trick is knowing which you are, and then traveling that way.

If you get bored staying in a place 4 nights, then you have a good itinerary with ~2-3 nights in each of 8 places.

But, please realize, we didn't know that about you in your original post. My reply was, as it can only be, how I would feel doing that trip. That doesn't make me an extensive international traveler (unfortunately)!