Venice in $430s-$490s RT

Long story short: Venice is not built to handle the kind of crowds it sees in summer. While autumn comes with fewer gloriously sunny days along the canals, it also comes with more sidewalks that you can actually walk down.

Fair trade? We think so!

Plus, those cloudy skies really just add to the moodiness factor. Wander the alleyways, warm up with an espresso, and pretend you're the protagonist of your own mystery novel

For something near Venice but a little further off the tourist track, try Vicenza. It's less than an hour away by train, packed with important (and gorgeous) architecture, and even has a connection to the world's most famous playwright :-)