I took my mom to Italy and we skipped popular spots, like Rome and Venice. The smaller cities we chose were much better.

• My mom and I went to Italy to celebrate her retirement and tried to avoid the most touristy spots.
• We skipped popular cities like Florence and Rome and visited smaller ones, like Ravenna and Padua.
• They were relaxing and had few crowds. Next time we're in Italy, we'll visit other smaller cities.

When my mom retired, I wanted to celebrate with her in a big way. She wasn't interested in a traditional retirement party, so we planned a vacation instead.

Traveling with my mom has been one of my favorite ways to spend quality time together. Since we live on opposite sides of the country, it's a great way for us to see each other and explore the beautiful places around the world.

Since we had such a great trip to Italy last year, we decided to visit the country again for her retirement vacation. This time, however, we opted to skip the big cities in favor of less-popular destinations.

Rather than visiting places like Rome, Venice, and Florence, we traveled to smaller cities, like Padua and Ravenna.

By going off the beaten path, we hoped to find a more authentic Italian experience away from the crowds — and that's exactly what happened.

Cities like Rome and Venice can get overwhelmingly busy, but Italy has so much more to offer

When I brought my mom on her first trip to Italy last year, we prioritized visiting many of the country's main attractions, from the ancient ruins of Pompeii to St. Mark's Square in Venice.

Yet my mom's favorite moments from that trip were far away from the busy tourist areas. She enjoyed visiting crowded places like the Colosseum, but preferred our four-night stay in Sicily, where we had a peaceful getaway in Cefalù.

She loved sipping espresso in peaceful piazzas, strolling the waterfront promenade at sunset, and shopping at local markets.

Compared to the hustle and bustle of Rome, Cefalù's small size and lack of crowds was a breath of fresh air.

So, when I planned her retirement trip, I looked beyond the best-known destinations. I searched travel blogs for the "best day trips" from cities like Milan, Bologna, Venice, and Rome.

I wanted to find small cities with convenient access to the country's biggest airports and train stations, as this would make it easier to travel from place to place.

After some research, I booked stays in the small cities of Ravenna (about 50 miles from Bologna) and Padua (just over 20 miles away from Venice).

Not only do the cities have convenient access to Italy's major transportation hubs, but they also offer plenty of historical and cultural sights to discover.

We loved the quaint, local feel of Italy's smaller cities

Throughout our trip, I felt confident that we made the right choice by skipping Italy's big cities.

Our first stop, Ravenna, is known for its fifth- and sixth-century Byzantine mosaics.

My mom and I were awestruck by sites like the Basilica di San Vitale, which features floor-to-ceiling mosaics with spectacularly intricate designs.

Ravenna welcomes a lot of tourists, but most seemed to be visiting on day trips from nearby cities, such as Bologna.

Many of these tourists left Ravenna as the afternoon hit, leaving a local feel on the city's streets by evening. There were few crowds, and we never had to make dinner reservations — not even in the middle of the historic center.

In Padua, we encountered a similar scenario. Sites like the Basilica of St. Anthony and Scrovegni Chapel were busy in the morning, but most tourists seemed to be gone before it got dark.

Since Padua is only a 30-minute train ride from Venice, I also assume most visitors were on day trips.

As crowds dwindled in both Ravenna and Padua, my mom and I spent our evenings trying local cuisine and sipping cocktails at outdoor bars.

We loved tasting Ravenna's famed cappelletti pasta, and never missed an opportunity for an Aperol Spritz, which originated in the city of Padua.

Visiting smaller cities gave us the best of both worlds, and I'd do it again

Italy is among the most visited countries in Europe.

For context, Venice alone typically receives well over 10 million visitors a year. (Though growing in popularity as a tourist destination, Padua sees a fraction of that.)

There's merit in visiting super-popular places like Rome and Florence on your first trip to Italy. After all, sights like the Sistine Chapel and Duomo are world-famous for a reason, and you could spend weeks in each city without running out of things to do.

Yet for my mom and me, the downsides of these big cities outweigh the benefits.

Though the attractions are noteworthy, they're often overshadowed by overwhelming crowds, especially during the peak summer season, which coincided with our trip in late May.

Visiting Ravenna and Padua, on the other hand, gave us the best of both worlds. We made wonderful memories together while exploring each city's historical attractions, and loved spending quiet evenings wandering around picturesque city centers.

Next time we visit Italy, we'll be sure to skip the big cities again to discover even more of the country's lesser-known destinations.