nonie

We are for a tour that travels into Cinque Terra - we do NOt WANT Rick Stevens tour. We are looking to stay at nice hotels and do not want to carry our own luggage. We are in our mid-70's and are limited in walking too many stairs.

Brian Kilgore

My daughter was in and out of Cinque Terre half a dozen times in the summer, and my recollections of her visits were that she walked and walked and walked.

I'll see her tomorow, and check out her views on people your age who don't feel like walking too much.

All her pictures showed rough roads, twisty trails, battered pavement.

BAK

Diane

Overall, I remember Italy as being not terribly easy on people who cannot handle stairs. You'll need hotels that have elevators, that's for sure. The Cinque Terre is mostly about walking between the towns, which you will have difficulty doing. Even if you take the train between villages, there will be some walking and stairs. I found the town of Santa Margherita to be somewhat flat and our hotel had an elevator. We stayed at the Hotel Laurin. Santa Margherita was about an hour away from Cinque Terre. What do the tour people say? Did you check with them about how much climbing will be necessary on this tour?

Rex

I might be interested in talking with you further about this, if you care to write to me.

Rex Bickers
Westerville, Ohio

Please respond to the e-mail address listed above, and cc: to [email protected]

Sick

Oh for God's sake Rex, commercial promotion is forbidden on this site, as you well know. Lay off the constant promotion of your tour guiding business or I will write a letter of complaint to Fodor's and encourage others to do the same.

elaine

Perhaps one or more of these websites can help you or point you in the right direction
www.senior com
www.seniors.com
www.aarp.org
www.specialtytravel.com
the following sites are for people with
serious disabilities, but may have some suggestions regarding accommodations
www.fhwa.dot.gov
www.access-able.com
www.jsrd.or.jp/dinf_us/
disability_resources/travel.htm
www.everybody.co.uk
www.accessibleitaly.com
www.disabilitytravel.com

info on Cinque Terre at
http://home.sunrise.ch/avong/
cinque_terre/

Rex

Who said anything about a business?

I have no such business.

Rex Bickers
Westerville, Ohio

fellow

Yeah, old Rex wants to spend all of his time and money planning a trip for YOUR group, simply out of the goodness of his heart! He's not in business, he's just independently wealthy and has all the time and money in the world to plan YOUR tour, no charge!

Wait, now where have we heard these types of denials before? Oh yes, from MauiHeidi the travel agent!

Patrick

I won't expect you to believe this, fellow, but I'm going to say it anyway. Rex has offered tons of information to me and countless others and if he does indeed have anything to do with any kind of travel business it's certainly news to me. I suppose I will be the next to be accused. I am retired and would like to travel 364 days a year, The funds simply won't allow it, but I manage to travel nearly half of that. So in my "off time" I enjoy nothing more than traveling vicariously through the adventures of other Fodorites. I often offer free advice, even mailing maps, hotel brochures, and other folders or pamphlets I no longer use. Sometimes this even costs me money, but not enough to bankrupt me. Call me crazy if you want, but I am perfectly happy to help people plan their trips, and yes it is simply out of the "goodness of my heart." You sound like the sort of person who wouldn't even stop to help an old lady up if she fell off a curb as it would probably take too much of your valuable time and somehow or other might "cost" you something. Hard to imagine but there are those of us who enjoy helping others without getting anything in return. Oh, but by the way, I guess I have gotten even more free advice in return than I have given, so I suppose you could consider than my ulterior motive.

gluck

Nonie, you may want to try Santa Maria Ligure which is close to Cinque Terre, but not as hilly.

I know that Tauck tours takes their people in on a day trip, but bear in mind that the villages are too small to drive people around in a bus. If you visit, you will be walking, and up and down hills.

Laurina

I know that perillo tours offers a tour which goes to cinque terre. I took a tour of theirs last year and had a wonderful time. Everything was included-meals, hotels, transportation, and baggage handling. Tours are very fast paced, but you will see everything. Also, they stay in "first class" hotels. Their website is www.perillotours.com