We prefer culture, food & wine, music and art to churches and architecture, but we generally include at least one church or cathedral in our trips. We climbed a mountain disguised as a cobblestone street to see this one in Assisi.
Visit an Island
Capri is nice. Plus you get a boat ride and a visit to the beach...
Take day tours
Take a city tour, foodie tour, walking tour, but take a tour. You will usually get to see the highlights if you have a limited time, with less hassle than making all the arrangements yourself.