I am going to Rome in 3 weeks for the first time. Lost my leg last year and have a prosthesis, so I can walk and climb stairs, but I need to sit frequently and eventually I wear out. Are there places to sit and rest a bit at the major tourist sites? Am I crazy to try to do the sights on my own (without a tour guide)? I will be by myself most days as my husband is there on business. Just how good is the public transportation between tourist sites and how do I go about getting bus tickets, timetables, etc? Can I book tours for specific sites onsite? Any ideas on who to use (and who to stay away from)? Right now we're booked at a hotel near the Vatican. Any suggestions for one in the center of the city that's $200 or less a night? Thanks in advance for guidance!

Hi Sara!

A lot of folks do Rome solo, so I don't that in itself is a problem.

The public transportation is said to be very good. I found their site here:
http://goeurope.about.com/gi/dynamic...ma%2FHTML%2FEN Hopefully that will give you some ideas.

There will be others who can provide you with more specific answers. You might want to also do a search on the Europe board for information regarding hotels, tours, etc.

I took my mother, who has mobility issues, to Rome this past March. I would say that we did find many places to sit (cafes, fountains, ledges, etc.), but at times they were crowded with other people. Of course, I think this scenario would depend on what time of year you go.

What was a lifesaver for us is the fact that my mom brought along a walker with wheels and a fold down seat. That way she could walk as far as she felt able, then sit at any moment she needed a break without having to find some place for her to rest. It worked out wonderful and I don't know what we might have done at times if she didn't have the walker.

I know you are in a bit of a different scenario and can probably walk farther and longer, so I suppose getting around by yourself all day just depends on how comfortable you feel with touring Rome on your own during the day. I honestly don't think you would have a problem if you are comfortable going solo during that time.

We found that many people in Rome were very helpful to us when they saw my mom's walker. We were often taken to the front of the line at various places, cabs stopped on the street for us (rather than having to go to cab stands), people opened doors, etc.

In order to be in the most central part of the city, I would highly suggest seeking accomodations near Piazza Navona or Campo dei Fiori. I can't make hotel suggestions because we stayed in an apartment, but this area is ideal to be near many sights and be in a comfortable area for getting around alone, IMO. The Vatican is a bit out of the way to other areas of the city and therefore I wouldn't recommend staying there in order to get around the sights easily.

Sorry I can't comment on public transport since we mainly walked and used cabs on occassion. Cabs were quite affordable, though, and made for ease of getting door to door.

Although her needs are a bit different from yours, you might also get a lot of good info from Mary Murphy-Hanson's travel tips for Rome with disabilities, aka "Accessible Rome."

http://slowtrav.com/italy/accessible/rome/index.htm

Good luck in your planning.

May I also suggest you post your question on the general Europe forum here at Fodors. I think you will get a lot more traffic and some very helpful advice there. Many people who check that forum are very well traveled in Rome.

Sara, As mentioned above I also encourage you to cross-post over on the Europe forum.

There are many more readers there than on Solo Traveler. Since your question is as much about Rome as traveling by yourself, I'm sure you could pick up some useful information there.