Sassafrass

Two dear friends traveled once to France with DH and me, and we had a great time. Every year since, we've made plans and something happened. Last year, I broke a bone in my foot. We were supposed to leave next month for the Amalfi Coast.

One of our friends fell last week and has a severe sprain. She will be able to do easy walking by next month, but not places like Positano. We could possibly use a wheelchair part of the time, but we are none of us young, so it would be good only for museums and evening strolls, not places like Pompeii.

We could go perhaps to Florence and Venice. Tuscany towns would be out, of course, and Rome is pretty hilly. We've also thought perhaps Bruge, Ghent, Amsterdam or a river cruise if we can find one at the last minute that we can afford.

Many of you have much more travel experience than we do. Our tickets can be changed, so we are open to any ideas or suggestions which might save this trip for us. I would be most appreciative.

zeppole

Venice has far too many bridges.

You can probably find last minute hotel deals for the Netherlands and Belgium (lovely places) but do be careful about making sure you get places with elevators.

Antwerpen is another great Belgian destination.

Zoe15

Both Florence and Pienza in Tuscany are flat and well worth considering. If I remember correctly, neither had much, if any, cobble stones, which can be dangerous for people with limited mobility.

linawood

I started a thread several years ago titled "Traffic Free Towns in Italy" looking for suggestions for relatively flat, low traffic towns that would be good for a mobility scooter or wheelchair. There were a number of suggestions to which I would also add Riva del Garda on the north end of Lake Garda. This would be for someone looking for a smallish lakeside town with a nice promenade and handsome buildings in a beautiful setting. I was there last fall and thought to myself that it would be a wonderful place to spend a week if I am laid up with my bum knee again. In addition to the pleasure of the town, there are boats going up and down the lake and excellent bus transportation around the lake. I'm not sure how to link to the thread, but you could click on my name and scroll way down or try searching on the above title.

zeppole

There are of course many towns in Italy that are flat -- in fact, Ravello in the Amalfi is almost entirely flat. Almost every town you you can name in the Emilia Romanga is flat, as are many towns in the Veneto and northern Tuscany (Lucca, for example as well as Firenze).

In the Italian Riviera, Rapallo is mainly flat (and has a cable car to go up and see the views). Camogli, Santa Margerita Ligure and Portovenere have extensive, traffic-free "lungomares" (seaside promenades).

Still, for Italy (and perhaps for Belgium too) there is the issue of cobblestones or uneven walking surfaces. My recommendation is, wherever you, rent a lightweight foldable wheelchair. I'd still pick a place that is more flat than hilly, but that wheelchair might make everything but staircases easy and enjoyable for everyone.

zeppole

PS Sassafrass

If you weren't planning on staying Ravello in the Amalfi, but can rebook there, it might still work for you. There are buses in all the towns, and between them. The point of visiting the Amalfi, in my view, is to find a nice perch and enjoy it, not go gallavanting about. Pompeii is indeed out, but you might ask separately about Herculaneum. Perhaps with a wheelchair, it's more user friendly. It might even be possible to enjoy Capri, or Paestum or Ischia, as well as much of Sorrento or Vietri Sul Mare.

Joanel

amsterdam is certainly a possiblity. I have some walking issues and we managed quite well there.

flat. streets are fairly easy to walk or push a chair on.

there are canal boat rides, including an on- off one - good for a full 24 hours +

Believe I have a trip report posted.

Sassafrass

Everyone,

Thank you all so much for the suggestions. I think it is doable and I would be happy just to relax, sit on a terrace anywhere on the AC and enjoy the view. I just spoke with our friends though, and they are too nervous to take a chance. Also, they travel less than we do, so they want to go everywhere and see everything when they do go. DH and I will now re-plan the trip for ourselves. Thanks again for your help.