Walking problem and Venice
Oct 30th, 2004, 10:42 AM
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Walking problem and Venice
We would like to visit venice in early May for 4 days. (arriving from london monday leave friday). planning to stay at hotel Ala. One of us has a walking problem. can do stairs, can walk, but not long long distances, and need to take sitting breaks occasionally. (not in a rush to fit lots of thngs into one day). Would like to see the main attractions in venice, the square, secret tour ( if not overly long). jewish ghetto, art museum, guggenheim maybe, etc. can we do this with a combination of walking and vaparettoes, etc.?
Any suggestions would be helpful.
Any suggestions would be helpful.
Oct 30th, 2004, 11:04 AM
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We just returned from Italy which included 2 nights in Venice. A WONDERFUL place.
My father is 79 yrs and is not in great shape, including bad knees.
He did just fine walking around Venice. Actually, it was easier than most places...flatter. Plenty of places to sit and rest as well.
If you took off from one area intending to walk around and decide you can't you can always take a water transportation.
Venice isn't that big so walking from one place to another did not take long.
I'm not sure the temps in Venice in May but I do know that if it had been much warmer that might have been a concern in conjuction with the walking.
My father is 79 yrs and is not in great shape, including bad knees.
He did just fine walking around Venice. Actually, it was easier than most places...flatter. Plenty of places to sit and rest as well.
If you took off from one area intending to walk around and decide you can't you can always take a water transportation.
Venice isn't that big so walking from one place to another did not take long.
I'm not sure the temps in Venice in May but I do know that if it had been much warmer that might have been a concern in conjuction with the walking.
Oct 30th, 2004, 11:30 AM
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Joanel - You are never far from a vaporetto stop in Venice so when you get tired of walking you can hop a vaporetto back to your hotel area. There are also plenty of places to stop and rest so you can do Venice at your own pace. We were in Venice in early April last year and the temperatures were cool but not cold. The year before we were there in midMay and it was quite pleasant. Usually did not even need a jacket during the day but did need a light jacket at night. Enjoy your trip!
Oct 30th, 2004, 01:01 PM
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joanel, I agree with the other posters. Venice is flat, some stairs to cross bridges etc. but if one can walk all should be fine.
And if weather is anywhere near to normal your 4 days in early May should be just beautiful.
Besides vaparettos you will find cafes all over whereyou can sit, relax, enjoy the scene, have something nice to sip on etc. Also as one wonders around I have found "somewhere" to sit whenever I just wanted to relax.
I think you will have a beautiful trip.
And if weather is anywhere near to normal your 4 days in early May should be just beautiful.
Besides vaparettos you will find cafes all over whereyou can sit, relax, enjoy the scene, have something nice to sip on etc. Also as one wonders around I have found "somewhere" to sit whenever I just wanted to relax.
I think you will have a beautiful trip.
Oct 30th, 2004, 06:12 PM
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Just back from Venice myself, and my knee was killing me the whole time there, so I was more limited than I normally would be. There is a lot of walking, and stairs everywhere, but there are also plenty of places to sit and rest for a few minutes.
The Secret Itinerary Tour might be a little difficult, but he can just take it slow. Some of the rooms have a place to sit while listening to the guide.
Take it slow and easy, which is the best way to see Venice!
Anne
The Secret Itinerary Tour might be a little difficult, but he can just take it slow. Some of the rooms have a place to sit while listening to the guide.
Take it slow and easy, which is the best way to see Venice!
Anne
Oct 31st, 2004, 08:35 AM
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My husband and I just returned from Venice and Rome, including a good stay at the Hotel Ala. There is a Vaparetto stop (for the #1, the Grand Canal "local"- makes all stops) just one block from the Ala, but the hotel staff did not mention it. Turn right immediately upon exiting the hotel and go down the very narrow alley. It ends at the vaparetto stop. I hope you enjoy Venice as much as we did.
Oct 31st, 2004, 09:08 AM
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It might be hard to find a place to sit down everywhere, but there are lots of piazzas, and if you're going to the major museums, they'll have spots inside.
In Piazza San Marco, you can sit on the boards they have for high water (when not in use), if you don't want to eat at one of the many, many tables there.
Buy a day pass for the waterbus. You can get on and off as often as you like for 24 hours.
There are a lot of bridges, but the steps on those are fairly easy. The museum in the upper part of the Basilica is a steep climb upstairs, and no real place to sit down.
The Doge's Palace has a lot of stairs, but plenty of places to sit down (except for the seats they specifically tell you not to sit on). If you're really concerned about the walking, the prison part may be a few too many stairs, but you can decide that when you're there. You're not forced to go the whole route.
The Rialto is really easy to walk up. There are stairs on the outside lanes, but an easy incline on the inside lane where the shops are.
In Piazza San Marco, you can sit on the boards they have for high water (when not in use), if you don't want to eat at one of the many, many tables there.
Buy a day pass for the waterbus. You can get on and off as often as you like for 24 hours.
There are a lot of bridges, but the steps on those are fairly easy. The museum in the upper part of the Basilica is a steep climb upstairs, and no real place to sit down.
The Doge's Palace has a lot of stairs, but plenty of places to sit down (except for the seats they specifically tell you not to sit on). If you're really concerned about the walking, the prison part may be a few too many stairs, but you can decide that when you're there. You're not forced to go the whole route.
The Rialto is really easy to walk up. There are stairs on the outside lanes, but an easy incline on the inside lane where the shops are.
Oct 31st, 2004, 11:24 AM
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We just came back on Saturday morning. We did the Secret Itinerary tour. On our tour was a woman who had difficulty walking. There are many many stairs involved in the tour and seeing the Doge's Palace. The woman passed out, stopped breathing and I had attended to her. It took rescue 30 minutes to get there. If you can not walk well and climb many steps, do not do the Secret Itinerary tour.
Oct 31st, 2004, 11:44 AM
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robbiegirl, how scary!! Hope the woman was alright. 30 minutes is a long time when someone is that ill.
By the way, did you have terrible storms etc. while you were in Venice. Just heard weather has been really bad there these last days and also high flooding. What did you encounter?
Hope your trip was a good one.
By the way, did you have terrible storms etc. while you were in Venice. Just heard weather has been really bad there these last days and also high flooding. What did you encounter?
Hope your trip was a good one.
Oct 31st, 2004, 11:49 AM
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Hi, Loveitaly.
It was a scary experience. The woman passed out and was left to lay there. When i went to turn her over as she was on her side, they asked me to leave her alone because she might have hit her head. I responded we needed to check her airway and straighten her out in case we needed to do CPR as she was blue at that time. Turning her to her back was enough to stimulate her and get her breathing againa although her pulse was very weak and thready. I asked them to call an ambulance.
By the time they got there she was totally responsive and oriented. She was there alone in Italy although on a tour she was not with her group.
I am very happy to say that we saw her in the airport the next day. She did go to the hospital whereupon they did some testing and told her she was ok to fly.
As for the weather, we were quite lucky. It misted for all of an hour during our whole ten days in Italy. It was warm as well.
There was some high tides coming in the last two days but nothing we could not deal with. We did not see any flooding. We left here on October 29th, Friday.
It was a scary experience. The woman passed out and was left to lay there. When i went to turn her over as she was on her side, they asked me to leave her alone because she might have hit her head. I responded we needed to check her airway and straighten her out in case we needed to do CPR as she was blue at that time. Turning her to her back was enough to stimulate her and get her breathing againa although her pulse was very weak and thready. I asked them to call an ambulance.
By the time they got there she was totally responsive and oriented. She was there alone in Italy although on a tour she was not with her group.
I am very happy to say that we saw her in the airport the next day. She did go to the hospital whereupon they did some testing and told her she was ok to fly.
As for the weather, we were quite lucky. It misted for all of an hour during our whole ten days in Italy. It was warm as well.
There was some high tides coming in the last two days but nothing we could not deal with. We did not see any flooding. We left here on October 29th, Friday.
Oct 31st, 2004, 02:32 PM
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We recently returned from a trip with a tour group that included Venice. Two of the women in the group had portable seats that folded up that they carried along with them, and they always had a place to sit whenever the group stopped for a lecture. The things weren't very big nor were they heavy. They got them from Magellen. That might be a help for someone who needs frequent sit-down breaks.
Oct 31st, 2004, 03:43 PM
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Will, yes it is disconcerting. Although I am healthy as I know, I was happy to be leaving the next day! The 30 minutes was not at all an exageration.
It turns out they let us go on the next English speaking tour and by this time, the medics were taking care of her.
Rachel, what a great idea those seats are!
It turns out they let us go on the next English speaking tour and by this time, the medics were taking care of her.
Rachel, what a great idea those seats are!
Oct 31st, 2004, 03:59 PM
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Joanel,
Not a problem from Hotel Ala to Piazza San Marco....leaving hotel turn right and immediatetly is a bridge crossing a minor canal...steps up and steps down...after that is flat. The rest of any distance or difficulty perhaps hire a watertaxi, they can pull right into Hotel Ala...thought not cheap but real convenient.
Not a problem from Hotel Ala to Piazza San Marco....leaving hotel turn right and immediatetly is a bridge crossing a minor canal...steps up and steps down...after that is flat. The rest of any distance or difficulty perhaps hire a watertaxi, they can pull right into Hotel Ala...thought not cheap but real convenient.
Nov 1st, 2004, 11:26 AM
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robbiegirl, how fortunate for the poor woman that you were there at the time. I had an experience once with a client that collapsed. Years ago but will never forget it.
His wife got hysterical and ran down the street leaving me to deal with it. And I know nothing about first aid I am ashamed to say.
A nurse stopped by, took his pulse and said "oh, he is not going to make it" and left. That was not a big help.
My friend tried to get a blanket from the dept. store that was right there and they refused.
Finally, after about 20 minutes the FD and ambulance arrived.
The gentleman did make it thank goodness but it left me shaky the rest of the day.
I am glad that the weather was alright when you were there. Have been in Venice with storms and flooding but not the extent it seemed to be these past days.
His wife got hysterical and ran down the street leaving me to deal with it. And I know nothing about first aid I am ashamed to say.
A nurse stopped by, took his pulse and said "oh, he is not going to make it" and left. That was not a big help.
My friend tried to get a blanket from the dept. store that was right there and they refused.
Finally, after about 20 minutes the FD and ambulance arrived.
The gentleman did make it thank goodness but it left me shaky the rest of the day.
I am glad that the weather was alright when you were there. Have been in Venice with storms and flooding but not the extent it seemed to be these past days.
Nov 1st, 2004, 02:25 PM
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This is the second time this year this has occurred.
We were at the Sea Watch in Ft. Lauderdale when I overheard a gentleman say to his friend " I do not feel well, I have to lay down". End of the story is that we called the medics and he was transported to the hospital. Luckily it only took 3 minutes for them to arrive.
We were at the Sea Watch in Ft. Lauderdale when I overheard a gentleman say to his friend " I do not feel well, I have to lay down". End of the story is that we called the medics and he was transported to the hospital. Luckily it only took 3 minutes for them to arrive.
