cindywholbrook1437

just husband and myself
(early 50's, but I am having some health issues...have been on & off again about attempting this trip...-most likely will need to rest in the afternoons...if things flared severely, could even limit mobility)
flying from the USA at 9:25 AM

3 nights. Venice
5 nights in Florence
5 nights in Rome (hubs would like to see pompei....too much?, (long) day trip?, or shift 1 night away from each city & try to stay @ Naples or Ac ???)
flight out of rome next am 10:30

thinking all public trans
could be convinced to rent car between Florence and Rome & maybe stay somewhere more laid back for a couple of days...thoughts?
the number of nights is firm....other details may be changed at this point
any thoughts?
thank you--Cindy

mjs

Hard to advise you because of your health issues. What time of year is this trip? Normally 3 nights and two full days is a decent introduction to Venice but there is a lot of walking involved in touring European cities. It would be normal for me to walk 15000 to 25000 steps a day in these cities. Five nights is fine for Florence and you could include day trips to places like Siena, and Pisa and San Gi etc. Five nights and four days in Rome is also a good introduction visit for most people.

bilboburgler

Time of year?

Tuscany or Umbria can be great after Florence

If high summer you will want a pool. Visiting a dry volcano side (without shade) in mid summer (?) is not really a sensible idea if you are feeling ill. But you could let your husband go.

I'd look into agriturismo as a more Italian style stay in the countryside. They can be near one of the more interesting towns. Hire a car (google ZTL to understand the key problem with cars in Italy). https://www.agriturismo.it/en/

SusanP

You're right, Pompeii is a long day trip, and as Bilbo says, not really a good idea if you have health issues.
What time do you arrive in Venice? If you are leaving the US in the morning, you won't be having much time, if any, in Venice that first day. As much as I like Florence, I would take a day from there and add it to Venice.

Jean

If you need a slower pace, I'd drop the idea of another hotel change between Florence and Rome. You can see how you're doing energy-wise and make a day trip or two from Florence by train or bus... or take a guided tour or hire a driver for a day of exploring. You could do the same re Pompeii... see how you're doing, make your own way by train or take a guided tour or hire a driver. Pompeii is all walking, mostly on uneven surfaces over a large area. There is little to no shade or indoor spaces, so if it's a hot and humid day it can be brutal. You could spend a night in Naples, but I think a hotel change might equalize the effort. You still have to ride the train both ways, but you'd be doing it with luggage and would need to taxi or walk between the train station and hotel.

If the Renaissance treasures of Florence are not a priority, you could drop Florence and stay somewhere in Tuscany or Umbria and have a car for whatever exploring you're up for. Although driving is relatively easy, it does come with a couple of issues. If you're from the U.S., the driver needs an International Driver's Permit, and you both need to learn all about ZTLs (zona traffico limitato). Nearly every town/city in Italy has a zone where non-resident traffic is prohibited most hours of the day, most days of the week. To visit a town, you park outside (in a usually well-signed parking area) and walk in and out. If you have a U.S. handicapped placard, bring it with you. It is valid in Italy and may help with some parking.

KTtravel

I like your initial plan of limiting your trip to staying in three locations. I find every move takes quite a bit of energy and time. I think Pompeii might be quite challenging for you but perhaps your husband can do that solo (he could take a tour from Rome) while you have a more low-key day or perhaps do something you might enjoy more - a cooking class? a small museum that interests you? a day of relaxing with a massage?

I did a quick trip search and found this one that might be worth investigating and doesn't seem physically demanding: https://happytovisit.com/Rome/Full-D...our-t6236-c200.

I've recently heard of golf cart tours of Rome that might be worth checking into. I haven't taken one but they might be a good way to enjoy sights while saving some energy.

I hope you do decide to take your trip and have a wonderful time.

michaelpianko

I never understood why people sometimes mention considering Pompeii as a day trip from Rome. Assuming you will be awake for 16 hours in a day, subtract about 2-1/2 to 3 hours one way driving from Rome to Pompeii, that is 5 to 6 hours both ways; 10 hours left, then subtract sitting on the ground a lot at Pompeii due to whatever difficulty walking long distance you may have. Pompeii as a day trip from Rome wouldn't work well. When I went to Italy, I spent 6 nights in Florence (I could have cut that down to 5 nights). My time in Florence included a day trip to Pisa. I spent 5 nights in Rome. I could have occupied myself with an extra night if I could have taken a longer trip. I spent 3 nights in Napes. I saw the art museum the day I arrived (its an out of the way place most travelers skip and I could have been as happy if I skipped it too but I am not unhappy that I saw it), Pompeii in one day, the archaeology museum another day. I wish I had found a way to squeeze in Venice. I skipped Venice. Pompeii is too far away from Rome to be seen properly as a day trip from Rome. Stay in Naples if you want to see Pompei.

KTtravel

I agree that I wouldn't want to do a day trip from Rome to Pompeii but those tours do run daily and people do take them.

This reminds me of the time my aunt and I visited Paris. She wanted to take an all-day (12 or so hours) day trip to the D-day beaches and I did not so we each went our own way that day. I was happy with how I spent the day and she loved her tour. That ended up being her last trip to Europe as her health declined soon afterwards and I am now so glad she did what was important to her.

jan47ete

Remember the lumpy, bumpy, uneven, rutted pavements in all those cities. They will certainly impact your mobility issues beyond those that you are arriving with.

mjs

We are currently in Porto. Reminded that we end up walking a lot while touring European cities. I would guess on average we walk 15,000 to 25,0000 step a day. We arrived Porto on Friday at 1330. Got to our hotel at 1430. Did a walking food tour at 1630-1930 and found we had done 16K. Yesterday we did 21K. If you mobility is an issue you will need more time in each of your destinations or cut out one destination

uktravelover

My partner has breathing difficulties and sometimes struggles with walking so we try to allow for contingencies when planning our trips. In principle I think your suggested itinerary is fine, you just need to be realistic about what is possible in each location.

On arriving in Venice you will probably be a bit jet lagged so you should look for a hotel with a garden or terrace or pool where you can relax. You may even want to consider staying on the Venice Lido. Assume that you will want to eat some lunch and take a walk to orientate yourselves.. See St Mark's Cathedral & the Doge’s Palace the following day and book tickets in advance or possibly book a tour aimed at those with less mobility. For your final day, you could go to Murano.

Transfer to Florence by fast train and then take a taxi to your hotel. I would stay in one of the centrally located hotels. Again look for somewhere with a garden or terrace. How much time you spend in Florence really depends on what you want to see. Rather than hire a car between Florence and Rome, why don’t you look into taking a day trip around Chianti.

At the end of the stay in Florence take a fast train again to Rome. I like Hotel Nazionale close to the Houses of Parliament as it is pedestrianised but a taxi can drop you off outside. There’s plenty to see and do in Rome, however if you want to get out of the city then a coach trip to the countryside and the the Pope’s summer palace is a lovely way to spend the day. I agree with others that Pompeii is a non-starter although Rome to Naples by train is about 1 hr 15 mins and you can then easily get to Herculaneum., so that might be worth considering.

Good luck with your planning. Have a super trip.

alandavid

This group will help you plan a great trip! You'll hear multiple options, pick what fits your interests/ability/budget best!
LIke others asked:
1. Time of year?
2. First time to Italy? (need to see the BIG stuff?)
3. Mobility? Ok to climb 3 flights of stairs? walk 1 mile without sitting to rest?

Although not my preference, there are some good golf cart/driven tours that will save you a lot of time on your feet.

progol

FYI - it’s almost 2 weeks and the OP hasn’t returned. Just sayin’

cindywholbrook1437

The OP apologizes for not replying--
However, the OP is so grateful & has taken something of value from each response!

1. We did postpone our Italy trip, hopefully, to the end of May/early June next year!
Will be our 30th wedding anniversary
2. 1st time to Italy
3. limitations: mobility-able to climb stairs, could walk a slow mile or 2, but pain more likely to flare as steps increase or muscle fatigue sets in, but sometimes if sit too long...????
limited energy, weakness, low blood pressure- (pots) --working on optimizing, treating as much of this as we can...painfully slow, process & still worsening in some ways, so may not get to go next year either, but I would like to plan a sensible trip and use as motivation & reward to do all i can to maintain and maybe improve, as well as learn to LIVE wisely withing the limitations I'm experiencing. My health coach for disability suggested a wheelchair if possible (?) in museums, etc--to save steps, sit on a bench & people watch, pacing, afternoon rest, etc

I do keep coming back to read insights and am learning so much--
Eye-opening uneven pavement (duh), heat, realistic # of daily steps.
I had considered heavily the toll of traveling (flying, crossing time zones, overnight)...not so much those challenges DURING the trip & how to minimize them.

Also, the ideas of choosing separate things occasionally, taking advantage of transit tours, golf carts, drivers, and valuing a balcony/garden/pool to enjoy the "downtime" at our accommodations, are really helpful to me as I try to figure things out. Loved the report of the dear Aunt--doing what was important to her <3 even as you didn't join in...the freedom & the reward.
(on the smaller trip we did take---I was mindful of practicing some of the accommodative suggestions,
communicating ahead of time and also at the moment as plans needed to change;
and hope to grow as an individual & couple in the ability to plan to experience new places together (which I LOVE)
in a way that makes it doable and enjoyable for both of us)

perhaps most of all, I will carry the thoughts of
do PLAN to go--as reasonably (slower pace, more days/fewer moves, less time on feet, more space for refreshment) as we can based on what's important and meaningful to each of us. I can see research, communication, and asking input from others (like you) will be key to laying out a realistic & satisfying trip
do GO--(if humanly possible/wise) but as we go, see how we're doing & be willing to flex with that "contingency plan"
be thankful for whatever we get to experience!

Agritourismo or hill city stay looks enchanting...(& less expensive?)
but maybe better to stay in Florence and venture out as we could?
If any of you have a trip report or would share your way of doing this leg of the trip?

really, we could change things up on any front
--will know more when air booking opens up.
most likely in or out available for Rome, Milan, or Venice.
had thought overnight arriving in am might be best?
the original flight was overnight from US arriving in Venice 9:45 AM.
would you choose to start in Venice and end in Rome, or reverse, or ???

enough questions for now...
I will be back, so any effort to help will not be wasted!

Thanks again!
Cindy

SusanP

Just a couple of things:...
You definitely want to fly into your first destination and fly out of your last one...when searching for flights, look for multi cities. Don't want to have to spend money and time to get back to the first city.

Very important for limited mobility: Even if the hotel has an elevator, many times there are steps to get into the hotel or even steps once inside to get to the elevator, so check that out.

In Rome, you can get around a lot by bus. At each bus stop, it shows where each bus stops. Just have to keep in mind that it shows the street name, not the name of the site (except maybe the Colosseum).

bilboburgler

Physical limitations on holiday takes a bit of planning. I'll just lob some ideas into the hat

Venice, pay for the water taxi from the airport to either your hotel (if up market) or near your hotel if more normal. You might even consider staying on one of the smaller islands in the lagoon for the some of your or all of your stay like Burano or Murano.

The vaporetti or water buses are going to be more challenging getting off and on especially and can become crowded. Bridges are also a bit tricky but some have disabled zones that might help https://www.sagetraveling.com/Venice-Disabled-Access

My favorite go to place in town is https://www.guggenheim-venice.it/ as beyond the art is a small garden with seating where you can sit on the Canal and watch the world go by. Yes you have to pay to get in but once past the guarding stone lions there is a haven of tranquility.

My favorite time to walk around, which might work for you is 6-8am and 8-10pm the crowds are gone, the cool is in the air and there are more places to sit

Train access in Italy is good, the old days of having to climb high into the train are gone and you can take taxis to hotels. https://havewheelchairwilltravel.net...-rail-network/ le sale blu, the blue rooms, are your friend on the trains and at major stations. Seat61.com is a help too

Florence, south of the river is a maze of little pavements, cobble stones and parked cars, it is an area I like but avoid. North of the river, where most of the best famous bits are is easier. Sage travel cover this pretty well and other cities https://www.sagetraveling.com/florence-disabled-access

bvlenci

You've had some good ideas. I'd just like to offer a few more.

For Venice, I would stay near the Piazza Maggiore. You can see quite a lot of Venice just a short walk from there.
As an alternative, staying on the Lido (the beach of Venice) isn't a bad idea, and it would give you a few days to relax and recharge your energy. Then one day you could take a vaporetto or water taxi to San Marco ( the Piazza Maggiore) which might be enough of Venice for you.

If you want to see some of rural Tuscany, there are good wine tasting tours that usually visit two or three Tuscan villages and include lunch at a vineyard. I've never taken one of these tours, but my daughter did and enjoyed it very much even though she doesn't drink wine. Just be sure to take a small group tour. You can organise the tour with your hotel when you arrive.

Rome is a much bigger city than either Florence or Venice, so I think the golf cart tour is a good idea. You should stay in a hotel in an area where you can relax and enjoy the ambience.

Rather than Pompeii, I suggest that your husband visit Ostia Antica, an even larger, but less famous, ancient Roman city.
https://www.ia-ostiaantica.org/news/english/

It does involve a lot of walking, over ancient paving stones, but maybe you could take a tour for disabled people. They do have an accessible route, but it doesn't cover a great deal of the site. Another advantage of Ostia Antica Is that there is more shade than at Pompeii, and you can catch some sea breezes.

bvlenci

This is a better website for Ostia Antica.

Ostia - Harbour City of Ancient Rome

I was mistaken about the one I posted previously.

mbrevitas

You all should probably know that, as of this month, every third Sunday of the month there's a direct Frecciarossa (high-speed train) from Rome (Termini station) to Pompeii (the mainline railway station, 10 minute on foot from the Anfiteatro entrance to the archeological area, and a 5-minute shuttle bus ride from the Porta Marina entrance). Outbound at 8:53, inbound at 18:40, it takes about 2 hours (a bit less outbound, a bit more inbound), quite comfortable (nice reserved seats, no driving or parking, no changes).

Without that train, it's a lot of travel time to do a day trip, but it's perfectly feasible taking a high-speed train (Frecciarossa or Italo) to Napoli Centrale and then the Circumvesuviana trainto the Porta marina entrance (Pompei Scavi station). I've actually done this day trip once by regional train (because I was traveling with friends who had Interrail passes and did not want to pay extra for Frecciarossa reservations); that I do not recommend.
I do agree that Ostia Antica is well worthwhile, as is staying in Naples and visiting the city itself. In the Ostia Antica archeological area there are also other sites outside of Ostia Antica itself, most notably the Roman imperial port facilities next to the airport in Fiumicino (including a former artificial harbour turned artificial lake by the silting up of the Tiber).

KTtravel

The end of May/early June should be a nice time weather-wise. If possible, I would aim for May rather than June but I have more energy in cooler rather than warmer weather.

I think someone else mentioned the https://www.sagetraveling.com above. There is a wealth of information on that website.

Although I usually like to travel independently, sometimes being on a tour (not a fast paced one) or using a travel agent that arranges for transportation, guides, drivers, etc. frees you up to just focus on fun while having extra help.

Rome will be getting warmer earlier than Venice so I would likely start in Rome.

I would stay in the city of Florence so you can easily return to your hotel if you need a break. We often return to our hotel mid-day to drop off a sweater or a purchase, refill a water bottle, take a little rest, nibble on a snack, etc.

I like to arrive in the afternoon or early evening, if possible. We fly from San Francisco so are pretty tired by the time we arrive. On arrival day we want to: have our hotel room be ready, take a quick shower to refresh, do a bit of strolling or brief sightseeing if there is time, grab a light dinner and get a good night's sleep. If you arrive too early in the day, your hotel may not be ready for you to check in. I also find it hard to stay awake all day due to jet lag.

I have traveled twice while having my foot in a boot. There were times when I decided to relax on a park or museum bench while my husband did a bit more sightseeing which made us both happy. I did find bringing a cane or walking stick really helped with walking up uneven stairs or on cobblestone streets and now bring one even when not having foot issues.

I do hope you get to take your trip!