My fiance and I are looking at Italy as a wedding destination. He has MS, and although he is not in a wheelchair, he has difficulty walking any significant distance and on uneven ground. I have been reading the recommendations about different locations in Italy (notably Tuscany and Amalfi), but I wonder if these places would be too hilly and difficult for him. The best thing would be a location without too many steps and a hotel that has the services to offer cars, carriges, etc as needed. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The main part of the town of Amalfi is level enough, but anywhere else along that coast, to my knowledge, would means lots and lots of steep steps, cobblestone streets, etc.

Tuscany, also, is known for its hill towns, and to further complicate things, the narrow streets inside the walled towns would make it difficult for driving to see the sights.

I'm sure someone else here will come up with suggestions and solutions. There has to be a wonderful place in Italy that would suit your needs. Have fun planning, and best wishes to you on your wedding!

Are you planning on being married in a church? If so, the Duomo in Amalfi is on top of a huge flight of STEEP steps. The Duomo in Positano is also reached by several levels of steps and ramps. If you plan to be married at a hotel, the Sirenuse in Positano is on the main road and has elevators to all floors. But it would be a shame to be in Positano and have your fiance not be able to enjoy the town fully as it can be challenging even to those in prime physical condition. The Hotel Santa Catarina in Amalfi is on the coast and relatively accessible.
The center of Florence is virtually flat and the main tourist areas have smooth paved sidewalks rather than cobblestones, although this is not true for the whole city. Many churches in Florence are at street level or only up a few steps. Hotels overlooking Florence like the Villa Cora, Torre Belosaguardo and Villa San Michele would also be good choices.

The city of Sorrento is not all that hilly. You could stay at one of the hotels ( Bellevue Syrene, Tramontano, Excelsior Vittoria) that have huge restaurant terraces and rooms overlooking the Bay of Naples. My only hesitation is that the streets of the city are narrow, and I can't quite imagine how the hotels would deal with the cars needed for a wedding. But it might be worth looking into because Sorrento is a very easy place to base from on the Amalfi Coast. There are excellent transportation connections, and/or you could hire a private driver to take you on daytrips to Amalfi,Ravello, Pompeii, and anywhere else your fiance can go.

Another suggestion would be the northern lake country ( Maggiore, Como, Garda). We stayed in a lakefront hotel in Stresa two years ago that had astonishing views of the Alps. Stresa has a wide main thoroughfare, and is not particularly hilly. From there, you could hire a water taxi to take you out on the lake, and visit some of the Borromean Islands. It's an amazingly beautiful place.

Good luck, and congratulations!

Just a suggestion.....and never having been to Venice, I could be totally off base with this, as far as a disability is concerned....but what about getting married in a gondola, in Venice?

Also, apparently getting married in Italy requires a HUGE amount of paperwork, and a lot of it must be taken care of WELL IN ADVANCE of you flying to Italy.

See here for more information (I assume you are American, so everything is geared in that direction. Sorry if I am mistaken!):

http://www.italcons-sf.org/marriage_...an_citize.html

http://chicago.wedding-club.com/travel/italy2.html

http://www.florence-weddings.com/req...quirements.htm

http://www.weddingitaly.com/About_us...eq/usareq.html

http://www.destination-weddings-in-i...s_citizens.htm

I have a friend with Ms and asked him--
Tuscany and Amalfi would be too hilly....

Is it possible to change locations and do the Lakes District of England , or possibly the Cotswolds...There, everything is flat, or able to get around by car VERY easily....

I use a cane to walk around due to a bad car accident and knee injury-- I cannot even do Florence without sitting a stopping every so often...and long walks get to me really really bad....

But I was able to do ENGLAND super easily, and was also able to use my handicap sticker in ENGLAND--it is universal....and England honors it...

A terrific town to get married in would be Chester--the hotel we stayed at was super elegant- the Chester Grosvener...and the town is level and walkable , filled with neat shops ( so your guests will have something to do during the day.....)...

Just an alternative suggestion....

Or you could do ROME-- and get married near the Borghese Gardens....and have great car service from some wonderful limo companies....

Hope it helps!

KathyBeau - You might want to contact a wedding organiser on the Amalfi Coast. They should be in the best position to advise you, - I'm sure they could recommend a venue with easy access.
Here's one I found recently:
www.lacalla.it

This one covers various regions in Italy including Tuscany and Campania, which might give you ideas:
www.weddings-in-italy.net

Venice certainly seems an alternative. I'm also wondering about Liguria, e.g Santa Margherita?

I hope you get lots more ideas here. Good luck and ... congratulations!

Steve

I am using La Calla for my daughter's wedding in Positano. You might want to email them. Le Sirenuse will do a wedding dinner up to 22 guests in March or April only. It has street access and an elevator and is so beautiful you won't want to leave the hotel. It has the best views in town, a spa, and a pool. I think Florence would be a great location too! All the sights are very close together and it is so romantic at night! We are having our wedding celebration in the gardens of the Murat in Positano. It is very close to the church, but you still have to walk quite a bit to get there from the street. Let me know if I can help with your planning. I have found it to be a lot more difficult than I thought it would be.

Just as an FYI....

Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality

http://www.sath.org/

Hi,

I too have MS. My husband and I went to both Tuscany and Amalfi last year for vacation. There are a lot of steps in Positano, but, managed. I did a lot of walking, we would stop and have wine, coffee etc. There is a bus that will take you around town and has many stops. I had no problem in Florence and Sienna. Best wishes.

I want to thank all of you who have written with helpful suggestions about a wedding in Italy. As you can imagine, a disability makes things much more difficult, but with the help of people like you, we hope to make it work.

Some things to clarify: We would like to married in a church and that is possible in Italy. Other countries are much more difficult because the residency requirements often require that you are there for several weeks.
We are not set on any one part of the country, and are open to other suggestions besides Tuscany or Amalfi.
We will probably have 50-60 guests who need to be able to stay close by, even if not in the same hotel/inn. Finally, I have contacted a wedding planner and have explained our situation. I hope to talk to her this week and see what she can suggest.
Once more, I can't tell you how thankful I am for all the help.

I wish you and your future hubby all the best, Kathy. Have a wonderful time in Italy! (And hey, let us know how it goes, ok?)