I know several of you are aware of my impending trip (two weeks from now) with my mother and sister to Rome. Well, Sis and I were talking tonight about how nice it would be to take a day trip one day. We have about five full days in Rome and I know that's enough to only scratch the surface, but IF we decided to give Mom a taste of the Italian countryside (perhaps even Tuscany), what would you suggest?

Bear in mind that Mom will be in a wheelchair for a lot of the time since she can't walk far, but I just think that if we were so inclined to make a daytrip to see "the other side of Italian life outside the big city," what would you recommend that is not too terribly far from Rome, yet would allow us about four or five hours to explore with a wheelchair bound traveler?

You've asked a touch question because most of what draws people to the countryside in Italy is the ancient hilltowns, and you need expert advice about which if any of them are wheelchair accessible.

If you have it in your budget, hire a car and driver and go for a drive. Tuscany would be extravagant unless you first take a train to someplace like Firenze and hire a car and driver there.

You might find some help by posting your question on the Slow Travel website.

Statia - How about Assisi? Or Orvieto?

Steve

My goodness - NO! Tuscany, Orvieto, Assisi - all of them are BY FAR to distant from Rome to make sense for a pleasant (rather than a record-race) one-day-trip!!! And a hilltown as steep as Assisi, in a wheel-chair? Excuse me, but you can't be serious about that!
The perfect daytrip from Rome is Ostia Antica, the ancient port of Rome. It's merely 30 kilometres away, you can go by taxi if this is convenient for your mother. The excavations are maybe the most underrated all over Italy - they are almost Pompeii's equal! And 90 percent of it is easily accessible in a wheel-chair - the site is as flat as a sheet of paper, there are only some buildings where you (but not your mother, obviously) can still climb up the stairs to the first floor (yes, Ostia's ruins are preserved that perfectly!). Ostia is real fun, and a great experience - a complete ancient working-class city (it was ancient Rome's harbour). Less fancy buildings for the rich than in Pompeii, but the insight that it gives you into everyday Roman life simply has no equal. Only restriction: it's not exactly the example for the tranquil countryside - it's still near Rome, and you feel that.
As far as tranquility, my choice would be the Pontine plane south of Rome: two major monuments there, plenty of countryside solitude - and a plane, of course! The two marvellous sites are 1. the Cistercensian monastery of Fossanova, one of the best examples of the Cistercensian gothic style; and 2., a truly bewildering spot, Ninfa: the ruins of a medieval city given up in the 16th century for justified fear of malaria (the plane was a giant swampland, then). Between the ruins, the private (aristocratic) owners have laid out a wonderful botanic garden in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Open on summer Saturdays and Sundays only!
If you want to see one of the hilltowns, choose Alatri (not far north from Ninfa). It's a really beautiful example, and it's a hill with a broad FLAT top, i.e. the town center is easily accessible for your mother. Alatri has the typical (I mean typical for that region) Cyclop walls from the 4th century BC (yes, BC!!), still preserved as if built ten years ago.

Statia, I don't know when exactly you're going to be in Rome, but Ninfa is reopening on April 1st, and maybe that would be working for you. Check this website: http://www.aptlatinaturismo.it/ninfa.htm - it's in Italian only, but the pictures are giving a good impression, and of course you'll be understanding the dates when Ninfa is going to be open (scroll a little down that webpage).

I second the suggestion of a day trip to Ostia Antica. You can even take a boat trip from Rome down the Tiber to Ostia if the weather is nice. I would only do it after the trees leaf out as the shoreline can be rather stark otherwise.

Thanks so much for the suggestions. I've printed them out to look into further.

I know my sister was really wanting to get into Tuscany and since Florence is only 2 hours away by train (and I'm familiar with that area), I figured somewhere in the surrounding countryside nearby might be an option, but perhaps it might be better to stick closer to Rome and hire a private driver.

Anyone have any suggestions of drivers/guides for the day?

You can also do Tivoli, Villa Gandolfo as well as Ostia Antica. We spent the day at Ostia a year ago, it was awesome. We just hopped the train and did it on our own. Great Adventure. Tivoli and Gandolfo can be done with many tour companies if you don't want to make your own way there.

I think Tuscany is do-able, but it seems a long haul for a day trip, IMHO, as one poster said.

Depending on how far you want to go, if you really want a Tuscan town, I would hire a private driver and go to Pienza. It's about a 2-hour drive, so maybe farther than you want to go, but the reason I suggest it is that it is fairly flat inside the town. I saw three different people there in wheelchairs.

If I recall correctly, your Mom can walk a little, is that right? She could easily get into the Cathedral in the center square (just two little steps) and the Church of San Francesco (one of the oldest Franciscan buildings in Italy). There is nice shopping (Pecorino cheese, olive wood utensils, pottery, etc.) and a gorgeous view of the Tuscan countryside from the walk along the south wall. A perfect place to sit a little while and enjoy a gelato.

Also, since you would have a driver, he could take you outside of town to The Hermitage (hermit monks, 11th-18th Centuries). It's not far outside of town, but down quite a hill, so you would want to drive.

That's a great idea, SusanP. Thanks for the info.

Orvieto is only an hour by train so would be easy enough.

Florence is 95 mins. Assisi 2hrs ...

Any of those are viable as a day-trip.

Assisi is a hill town, yes - but is quite manageable (- I took my own mother in a wheelchair).
Just get off the bus (- or taxi) at the top of town rather than at the bottom ... and walk down.

Tivoli (Villa d'Este) is more difficult as there are rough paths and steep slopes. We did it ... but it was a struggle.

If you prefer to stay closer to Rome, Castel Gandolfo/Lake Albano or elsewhere in the Colli Albani would be a nice trip.

For a limo service try:

www.limoservicerome.com

Hope this helps ...

Steve

Went went to Tivoli to visit the gardens - it was great - lovely and the people are wonderful - nice change from the hecticness of Rome and just a bus ride away !! Go to Tivoli and ENJOY !!

Statia-you might consider another post like "Have you visited Italy in a wheelchair?" or the like so that you can hear from folks who can share their experiences.

Statia, In case you decide to go to Pienza, here's a great place for lunch:
Osteria Sette de Vino in Piazza di Spagna. If you're standing in the central square with your back to the Cathedral, go down the street directly ahead of you (a short walk). Tuscan bean soup and Pecorino with bacon are both wonderful!

Hi Statia,

I agree with Steve and Susan that Orvieto and Pienza are good options. Pienza is flat and Orvieto is nearly flat once up on the tufa mesa. Orvieto also has a small town shuttle bus, but I think you wouldn't need it.

Assisi would be more of a challenge, but they also have a small town shuttle bus that goes between the main piazza and the basillica. The town tourist office could probably provide a schedule.

My vote would be for Orvieto.

Tivoli (Hardian's Villa and Villa d'Este would be very difficult with a wheelchair. The gardens of the villa with all the fountains are steeply terraced and are quite a hike.

Buon viaggio!

Thanks so much for the further info, everyone. I've contacted a private driver and we are currently working out the details according to his schedule availability. I think that with my mom's situation, a private tour is going to be easier than hopping trains, although I love taking trains myself.

Hi Statia,

If you choose Orvieto, the driver can go right up to a parking lot next to the Duomo for a drop off/pick up.

If you are considering Pienza, perhaps you might build in time to see the Abbey at Sant'Antimo. This area is also in a flat valley, surrounded by lovely Tuscan hills and vinyards.

http://www.antimo.it/

If you don't make it out of Rome, there is a very peaceful place - the Thermae of Caracalla - which feels like an oasis unto itself. Probably you would want to take a taxi with your mother. The ruins are impressive, the grounds are green and peaceful with many umbrella pines for shade. My husband and I packed a lunch and had a great afternoon wandering among the ruins. The grounds are flat and have benches for seating.

Best wishes!

Thanks, Susan!