I guess I should add that while my husband wants to see museums...I am a professional photographer a

We also chose La Spezia as our base and did day trips to CT and Portofino however,as Pisa train station has a luggage keeping facility,we family travel destinations did it on the day we left our hotel,while going to Florence-which saved time.
Dear Jean: Thank you for the request for more details. I lived in Milano as a child and did a lot of family travel..was Stationed in Sigonella, Sicily, 2yrs and went to Naples several times (1980s) Since then we have been to Argengo, Lake Como, Venice, Florence, Siena, Assisi, Milano, Bergamo...
Our intent is to use trains....We can rent a car if necessary for day trips (more if cost effective)...had family travel destinations a terrible time returning the car in Florence after a day rental going to Assisi and Siena (return was on a holiday...couldn't find the return lot...what a nightmare!)
I guess I should add that while my husband wants to see museums...I am a professional photographer and want to shoot people and locations....I particularly would like to visit places that are off the beaten family travel destinations track so that my images don't look like every other photographer/tourist. Are there any festivals that would be fun to check out?
From Florence, Arezzo and Montecatini Terme (plus the Alto town) are easy by train. San Gimignano is doable by buses or combo of train/bus but a little more involved. I couldn't spend an entire family travel destinations day in San Gimignano myself, but others enjoy the town. I'm a little surprised you plan to see Parma and Ravenna from Florence because the train rides are close to or greater than 2 hours each way (beyond my personal limit for day trips).
Perugia has great bus service to other parts of Umbria. We especially enjoyed Gubbio and Todi. Some trains to/from Spoleto take about an hour. Tiny Spello is about halfway between Perugia and Spoleto.
Thanks for the suggestions ... It's hard balancing two people's wish lists... I speak some Italian...my husband doesn't... My husband wants to see art that I have already seen....I am trying to balance out the time so he sees what he wants...plus get out away from the tourists... Thanks for your suggestions... We'll have a fabulous family travel destinations time.