DrShpilkes

I am researching good places in Europe to visit for myself, my husband and 88 year old dad. He is in excellent shape, walks well but avoids walking uphill, and should avoid crowds, too. He did well last year in western Ireland with a driver, but London proved to be (no surprise) too crowded to manage on foot. He also did well this year in Vancouver and Victoria Island. Thinking about Porto and the Douro river area, but am reading the city is hilly. Would a driver help us here and are there other destinations Fodorites would recommend? We enjoy culture, great food, scenery and new experiences.

thursdaysd

You might look at Lisbon. Also hilly, but excellent public transport - buy a pass and no need to walk. Taxis are cheap too.

Depends some on when you are going - I love Nice, which is mostly flat, is a great base, but will be very crowded in the summer - I go March-April.

Christina

I would think any place that was not such a major city or tourist destination would fit your bill of not having a lot of crowds, and you can seek flatter areas.

I'm most familiar with France, of course Provence or Burgundy would fit that description, if you don't stay in the center of say, Avignon or Aix (where there are more crowds). And don't pick out the most perched touristed villages, either, but those would have hills. But there are many other places and the scenery is beautiful, and many areas are fairly flat enough. I'm sure you can somehow get a driver.

I'm sure there are similar areas on many other countries, I just can't give you specifics as much (like Germany). Netherlands is real flat, probably not too crowded outside Amsterdam. And Belgium, also, if you don't stay in Brugges, the most touristy small village, most likely, in that country. Even Brussels doesn't seem that crowded to me, but any major capital will have relative crowds in the main areas of tourist interest, of course. Vienna, Austria seems to have a lot of wide open spaces to me, and isn't particularly hilly, and a drive in the countryside would be scenic.

Who knows what great food means, depends what you like, you can find good food anywhere, as far as I'm concerned, but if you don't like a particular cuisine, doesn't matter how well it is cooked or prepared. I admit I'm not crazy about typical food in Germany and Austria, even if well prepared, of course, you can find any kind of restaurant.

annhig

Dr Sh - for my mum's 80th, we went to the Netherlands, which worked very well. We didn't go to Amsterdam, which could have been crowded, but we saw the tulip fields and the wonderful displays at the Keukenhof Gardens, Delft, Maastricht and quite a few more places, and of course it is very flat.

another place I've been to, [though not with my mum] which might work is Vienna - wonderful things to see, it's pretty flat, and there's excellent public transport - all of underground stations have lifts for example.

Thinking about Spain, Barcelona is flat [mainly] but sadly far too crowded, but IMO Valencia is just as lovely and has far fewer tourists.

I can't help you with Porto - I'm still waiting to get there myself!

thursdaysd

Trouble with Vienna is crowds. I was there in November last year, which you would have thought would be off season - weather not so good, and too early for Christmas markets - and inside the Ringstrasse it was wall to wall people. Seems that anywhere that is near a cruise port, ocean or river, is likely to be crowded these days.

Having said that, I was just in Barcelona, and while the old town and the Ramblas were crowded, the Eixample area was not (aside from popular restaurants at popular times). By buying advance tickets and sometimes premium tickets I was able to avoid the worst crowds at the sights.

DrShpilkes

Thanks for the input! Vienna is definitely a possibility and on the short list. I am concerned about the crowds there, though. We plan to go in May, when dad turns 89.
I have been to Barcelona twice, my favorite European city, but dream of going to San Sebastian--does that town seem like a good idea for dad? Have also been to Lisbon and the Netherlands. Thinking about a resort outside of Lisbon and then to Porto and the Douro...

bilboburgler

porto very hilly away from the river valley.

Took my 80 year old dad on a boat on the canal du midi, flat all the way

thursdaysd

I just spent two days of a planned five day stay in San Sebastian. Unless your dad likes sitting on the sands I can't think that it would be a good destination. (I will post a piece on SS to my TR today or tomorrow.)

WeisserTee

We were in Vienna in March for about 8 days and it was not crowded at all once you got away from the Kartnerstrasse/Graben area. We stayed in the lovely Spittelberg neighborhood at the K&K Hotel, which has wonderful service and very comfortable rooms (they are a bit business-y in style rather than classic Viennese or ultra modern, but we're fine with that). Spittelberg is definitely uncrowded except on special occasions but has excellent access to the Kartnerstrasse central area. This was my 12th trip to Vienna since 2000 (my husband's first) and I still enjoy the city very much.

You really can't escape the throngs around Kartnerstrasse/Graben most of the day, but otherwise, Vienna is a great choice. And there are many places where you can get away from the crowds. I took my parents to Vienna for their 50th anniversary and we had an excellent time.

WeisserTee

We were in Vienna in March for about 8 days and it was not crowded at all once you got away from the Kartnerstrasse/Graben area. We stayed in the lovely Spittelberg neighborhood at the K&K Hotel, which has wonderful service and very comfortable rooms (they are a bit business-y in style rather than classic Viennese or ultra modern, but we're fine with that). Spittelberg is definitely uncrowded except on special occasions but has excellent access to the Kartnerstrasse central area. This was my 12th trip to Vienna since 2000 (my husband's first) and I still enjoy the city very much.

You really can't escape the throngs around Kartnerstrasse/Graben most of the day, but otherwise, Vienna is a great choice. And there are many places where you can get away from the crowds. I took my parents to Vienna for their 50th anniversary and we had an excellent time.

welltraveledbrit

I've travelled a little bit with my mother and aunts over the last few years and have found it's all when you go, how ambitious you are and the resources you have to work with. One time we went to Prague and I arranged a private walking tour so we could go at our own pace and then a vintage car to take us on a tour up the hill to the sights my aunt wouldn't have managed to walk to. She was in her early eighties at this stage.

A few years later we went to Paris, My mother and one aunt in their late seventies and my other aunt was 85. It really took some arranging but we had a great time despite the crowds. We took a lot of taxis and picked one thing to do every day. We avoided the crowds and went to smaller museums like the Jacquemart Andre and the Marmottan-Monet sat in cafes in places like the Place du Voges. Rather than going to the Notre Dame during the day we ate at a restaurant nearby (went by taxi) walked a few hundred yards and saw it all lit up. It helped that everyone had been to Paris many times before.My aunt wanted to see the Eileen Grey exhibit at the Pompidou (luckily not a very busy one) and it was feasible but only because I had a museum membership and we didn't have to wait in line. Everyone loved the trip but it took a lot of planning.

I think when you travel is of course key to getting away from the crowds but certainly where you pick is key. We went to Athens once at New Year and had a great time. The place was empty due to a bout of rioting! I found the Greeks very receptive to anyone traveling with elderly family. Again we used lots of taxis. Staying right on the main square also helped because you felt you had gone somewhere even without leaving the hotel. The view from our balcony was fabulous!

Seville could be a possibility, or if you are happy to drive a rural itinerary through smaller towns in Italy or France could work well. My mother and I had a lovely trip to Venice a few years ago. We went in the off season and stayed away from St. Marks. It's very flat and she did well with the walking but with all the steps I don't know that she would be up for it again. I loved Lisbon but it wouldn't work well for my mother or aunts, yes public transport is good but at this stage we need a place where it's easy to find a taxi!

Porto remains on my list, have you considered a boat along the Douro river valley?

We travel a great deal but the trips with my mother and my aunts have been among those I value the most. I hope you have a lovely time.

DrShpilkes

welltraveledbrit- Thanks for your informative post! I agree focusing on some low key stops and the experience of being together as a family is the way to go. My dad has not done much travel in Europe but DH and I have (including Seville and Venice). I am looking into a visit that includes a boat ride on the Douro, perhaps with a few other stops in the area. I am not a fan of overnight boat voyages but I think we'd all enjoy visiting a few towns in the area in conjunction with the scenic ride. I had not considered Greece, fearing the abundance of steps, but will give it further thought. DH and I have done Lisbon and the Algarve, but loved Portugal and would enjoy seeing the north. Dad is happy wherever he is, and is open to all ideas. We will avoid public transportation on trips with him, given that he will be 89 by the time we set out on our journey! At this point, we are willing to splurge on driver as dad will not be up for Europe forever. I appreciate your time and insights.

thursdaysd

I think a lot of Greece could be problematic. Athens and Crete and Rhodes, maybe?

annhig

relatives of ours did a river cruise on the Douro and loved it, but any river cruise might work as you can see a lot without venturing far. Lots of new people to chat to too.

Saga in the UK is aimed at the "young at heart" [ie over 55].

http://travel.saga.co.uk/river-cruises.aspx?pid=ppsl&utm_source=google&utm_medium =cpc&utm_campaign=River%20Cruise%20Sitelinks&utm_c ontent=Sitelinks&utm_term=Saga%20River%20Cruises&_ $ja=tsid:71709%7Ccid:172733190%7Cagid:12873699030% 7Ctid:kwd-4394855626%7Ccrid:85839574950%7Cnw:g%7Crnd:1165806 5979819405390%7Cdvc:c%7Cadp:1t1&_$ja=tsid:71709%7C cid:172733190%7Cagid:12873699030%7Ctid:kwd-4394855626%7Ccrid:85839574950%7Cnw:g%7Crnd:1165806 5979819405390%7Cdvc:c%7Cadp:1t1&gclid=CNKek8_RgckC FQjgGwodm5kGmQ

Ackislander

I would think that planning for cars and drivers is a good idea as would be staying in hotels with elevators as opposed to country inns, pousadas, and the like. It doesn't take much of an irregularity in a floor or step to send someone sprawling, and the consequences get worse as you get older.

pariswat

Normandy - lots of things to see, mild weather good food, not too much crowded.

welltraveledbrit

All for the splurge!

One thing I would focus on would be the logistics of traveling there and back. My oldest aunt no longer takes long flights she finds them too draining. The time difference has really hit her in the last few years. I don't know where you are flying from (somewhere in the US or Canade, maybe somewhere else?) but the length of the flight maybe key.

For example flying direct from the East Coast to Ireland is a lot less taxing than getting from the West Coast to Vienna with a change of flight.

The relatives I travel with live in Ireland so increasingly I just look at where I can go with a direct flight on Aer Lingus because none of them want to change planes if it can be avoided.