When walking down a circular staircase as is common in Europe, do not walk on the inside hoping to save time because it is shorter. Walk on the broad steps on the outside of the circle. I am recovering from rolling down five stairs because my foot didn't quite make the inside narrow wedge stair.

Better: take the lift (Americans can take the elevator).

Sorry to hear about your accident, H

I <b>loathe</b> circular staircases. I know it's just a matter of time before I take a tumble like you did. Scary.

The circular staircases are so interesting to look at, but, I agree one has to be so darn careful. The last hotel I stayed at in Paris had a slow lift, so I often took stairs, and on the inside curve they are only like 3 inches wide.
So sorry to hear about your fall.

Look where you're stepping. Step where you're looking. Pretty simple! Just be aware

The most interesting part of the circular staircases is when they're in ancient buildings - and don;t have any sort of handrail - as well as steps worn into odd shapes by hundreds of years of wear.

yeah, like those bell towers, especially hate it when people going up meet people coming down... and sometimes there's just a grimy rope to hang on to as you climb.

Stairs in Amsterdam hotels are steep, windy and narrow too.

And be careful on old marble stairways, they can be very slippery.

Be careful if you climb up the Tower of Pisa. My daughter slipped and fell when walking down. Fortunatly by some miracle she was not hurt but she was sure shook up.

I hope you are all right humanone.

Good reminder (sorry about your fall humanone - yikes!).

People here post worried about pickpockets and such, but I think a fall like this, or stepping of a curb wrong, etc. is probably a more likely type of negative situation to encounter in your travels.

And it may seem goofy, but going down them backwards (facing the same way you went up them) at least assures that you won't fall too far. My husband had to do that with his walking cast (for the foot he broke going down plain old American stairs).

And please, wear &quot;proper&quot; shoes! I've seen women wearing high heels hiking Mt. Vesuvius. Accidents waiting to happen. Actually, it was one woman.

Thanks to those of you who express sympathy for my fall, and to clear up the other comments: no lift or elevator in that hotel and I was indeed wearing sensible shoes, both good suggestions. But I bristled at the &quot;agile&quot;person who suggested I look where I was walking, without knowing my age, my encumbrances etc; yet another case of &quot;blaming the victim&quot;. I attempted not to make this reply, hoping Agile would learn compassion as he/she got older, but I lost that battle, my flaw.

kelliebellie - walking backwards down stairs may not be such a goofy idea - I find walking backwards very useful when negotiating a down hill loose surface - however, not recommended in the company of teenage offspring for whom such parental eccentricities are guaranteed to inflict acute embarrassment.

Truly, people used to a circular stair will know that the &quot;point&quot; of the tread is not made for stepping (or even for a slinky) ...

Those unused to them often learn fast.

Think of the poor servants who spent lifetimes toting everything up and down them - no wonder they emptied the chamber pots out the windows.

Hi humanone, I think if was very generous of you to think of others and post a warning. It was something good and I thank you for it.
I do not know if they meant to blame the victim but it is true that unfortunately this happens so very often in our society.
Get well, and thank you for thinking of helping others, like me for instance, I shall be double careful from now on.