# One week in Oct starting in Rome... what would you do?



## BocaBum99 (Feb 8, 2013)

My father wants to go to the Vatican.  He's 72 years old and walks with a cane because of severe arthritis in his hip.  My sister and I want to take my mom and dad to Europe (just the 4 of us without our families) so that we can spend time together.

If you had a week in Oct that starts in Rome, what would you do with this group?

I think the main choices would be:

1) A cruise.  The biggest benefit is that it would be easy for my dad to get around.   

2) We can spend several days in Rome and then drive to other nearby cities.  Not sure which ones.  Venice. Milan. Sicily....

3) We can spend several days in Rome and then fly to another city or two nearby.

What would you do?


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## Passepartout (Feb 8, 2013)

I tried to do a search for an outfit we've hired for walking tours in Florence, Rome, And Vatican city, Museum  & Sistine Chapel. They were called ArtVia and don't seem to exist anymore. But I came across this: http://www.walksofitaly.com/ It seems highly recommended so you might want to give it a shot.

For another place besides Rome/Vatican, I'd suggest Florence. See the Uffizzi Gallery & Academia where Michelangelo's David is. For the fit, a climb to the top of the Duomo is not to be missed, but Dad probably won't want to do it- It's seriously strenuous. In Florence and Tuscany bisstek ala Fiorentino (BIG rare slab of steak cooked over wood flame) is awfully good with some Chianti.

A cruise is a good fall back. Remember, the cruise port for Rome is at Civitaveccia- about an hour's train ride (or $100 taxi) away.

Jim


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## pwrshift (Feb 8, 2013)

Rome is full of history, beautiful art, fine food, and the Vatican.  I suggest you spend the week there instead of rushing around trying to cram it all in.  If you had more time than a week, Florence and Venice are beautiful and unforgettable but it'll take a half day or more just to get to each. Personally I'd choose Venice over Florence because it's so unique. The closest sight to Rome is to the south..Naples, Pompeii and the Amalfi coast.  Europe is very tiring for one who has a walking problem, and there are stairs everywhere...Italy is no exception.  It could take a day just to see the Vatican especially if you include the museum.

Consider hiring a limo ... With 4 adults it is probably cheaper than buying 4 fares.  There are some great limo services in Rome...your Concierge can help you.  If you go to Amalfi I suggest www.driveamalfi.com who will pick you up in Rome...and if you stay a night or two in Sorrento Hilton Palace that limo service can drive the coast road for you and take you to see Pompeii and Naples...and wait for you.  We had a great limo in Rome for a day who took us to places the public couldn't drive to...like the overview of the ancient city as well as driving slowly right through the Vatican area where you can only walk.  The churches are wonderful to see, not just the Vatican.  The food...is wonderful everywhere and pizza for lunch is the best anywhere.  The Pantheon is not hard to walk, and it's fun to go to an outdoor restaurant and people watch in these famous areas.  You will all love it all.

I always throw my 3 coins into 'that' fountain which ensures you'll go back to Rome.  

Brian


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## Pompey Family (Feb 9, 2013)

I would suggest that your week is spent entirely in Rome.  There is so much to see and if your father has mobility problems then the pace is going to be a lot slower.  You mentioned driving to other nearby cities such as Venice, Milan or Sicily but these are a significant distance away and Sicily is not a city, it's an Island at the bottom of the mainland.  This would involve a long drive, then a ferry crossing.  To drive from Rome to Milan is the equivalent of driving from Miami to Jacksonville.  I know you yanks think nothing of a five hour drive but factor in the way the Italians drive and it then becomes a bit daunting.  It is also advisable to spend a week at any of these other places as well otherwise the whole trip would be a mad rush and likely to be too exhausting for your parents.


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## klpca (Feb 9, 2013)

For one week I'd just do Rome as well. Out of the 7 days, two will be travel days and I'd expect some jet lag too. That leaves you five true touring days and of those, one is the Vatican day. A full week would allow you tIme to see other sights and time to spend in the cafes or getting some gelato and just absorbing the sights and sounds of the city.

Since your dad has some mobility issues, you should perhaps ask him what he feels up to. He may prefer the cruise. We went to Italy a couple of years ago and i titled our photo album, "Italian Steps", which was a reference to our Italian textbook, but also the amount of steps we found in Italy! They were everywhere. I'm sure that you could plan an itinerary that minimized them, but you may want to take that into account. A cruise with some planned excursions may be perfect for your dad.


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## mav (Feb 9, 2013)

Venice is incredible, but I think for your Dad it would be challenging because of all the canels,  and also getting in and out of the water boats.


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## radmoo (Feb 9, 2013)

Europe has no version of ADA so handicapmaccessible is basically non-existent.  I would concur, stay in La Bella Roma for the week.  Just strolling the various neighborhoods, popping into churches and visiting cafes just watching the world go by.  We purchased Roma Pass which is sold at kiosks around the city will allow you to skip lines at Colosseum and other attractions.  The line for Vatican Museum was endless so I would suggest arranging tour in advance.  Other than that, you should be fine.  Italy is a country to be savored.  Think of it as a fine dining experience as opposed to fast food break


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## Carolinian (Feb 9, 2013)

One week is too short.  I would do 10 days and combine Rome, Florence, and Venice, getting around by train.  If you only have 7 days, I would make it Rome and Venice.


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## BocaBum99 (Feb 9, 2013)

Thanks for the advice.  I really went from being totally clueless about Italy to having a good idea of what we should do in one day.

I like the idea of 10-days doing Rome, Venice and Florence.  But, I need to find out what my dad wants to do.


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## Passepartout (Feb 9, 2013)

I can't disagree that a whole week in Rome is great, the mobility challenged would run out of accessible places before the week is up. Not that there is anything wrong with hanging out at a cafe watching Romans be Romans.

But I still maintain that Florence is preferable to Venice for the less mobile. It has a small, compact historical area with great art, good lodging options right there, and well developed tourism infrastructure for the handicapped- elevators, ramps etc. Venice, as wonderful as it is, is larger, and with no streets makes getting in and out of boats and up and down steps necessary.

There really isn't a bad choice. The main difficulty with planning a limited time, one-off trip to Italy is that there is just so much to experience that one takes on too much and doesn't just sit and enjoy the capuccino and gelato.


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## ilene13 (Feb 9, 2013)

For only one week I would stay in Rome.  There is plenty to do and see.  Florence is much closer than Venice.  If you were to do all three I think you need at least two weeks.  Italy is my favorite European country and after many trips I believe if you have a limited time, just do Rome.


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## Bill4728 (Feb 9, 2013)

BocaBum99 said:


> M
> I think the main choices would be:
> 
> 1) A cruise.  The biggest benefit is that it would be easy for my dad to get around.
> ...



First I'd never drive or fly when in central Italy. You Train!

The high speed trains are great. You leave from the city center and arrive in the city center. It may take slightly longer than flying but you'll save so much time going / arriving in the city centers that you'll save hours on each end. 

We went to Rome then Florence then Venice all by train ( flying into Rome and home from Venice) The one thing we did wrong was not to stay in downtown Florence. There aren't any name brand hotels  in downtown Florence But there are many hotels which looked great within a few blocks of the train station.


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## PStreet1 (Feb 9, 2013)

Check a really good guide book to get some little known advice about mobility assistance.  For example, there is an elevator at the Colosseum;  it's sort of beyond the steps you take to get in, and most people are unaware of its existence.  You are supposed to have a doctor's letter to use it (not that they can read it, but have one just in case.  You can take a cab essentially right to the door of the Borgia.  The Vatican definitely has some assistance available, and if you schedule your visit about 3 hours before closing, the lines will be almost non-existant.  The History of Rome Museum (can't remember its actual name, but the building is close to the forum and it looks like a giant wedding cake) has an elevator to the roof for a spectacular view.  If you utilize cabs to minimize walking and the difficulty of waiting for buses (even the hop-on-hop-off requires waiting and walking), I think there are enough sights that you can get to easily to have no problem spending a week in Rome, and I suspect that being in one spot would be easier for your dad.  Packing/unpacking/getting to the station/walking to train/getting to new hotel/etc. becomes more challenging with age.


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## BocaBum99 (Feb 9, 2013)

robcrusoe said:


> If you're doing that just cruise in California or Hawaii ??
> /QUOTE]
> 
> I am taking an Eastern Mediterranian Cruise in June.  Anyone who thinks such a cruise is the same as a cruise to California or Hawaii should be ignored for advice which I will now do.
> ...


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## sml2181 (Feb 9, 2013)

Have you considered renting or bringing a wheel chair for your dad? It may help him when he gets tired. It may not be easy everywhere, but when using it where possible, it would enable him to save his energy for the places which are a bigger challenge. This is what my friend has been doing for years; she can't walk a lot due to her illness.
We took a wheel chair for my son after he broke his leg. Of course that is not the same situation, but we flew to Rome the day after his cast had been removed - he had been in that cast for almost 12 weeks so he couldn't walk at all and he wasn't allowed to walk for a few more weeks. Just a thought.  

I may have missed what your dad's (family's) preferences would be. Of course you know that the options you mentioned will make for different experiences. 

If you could travel early in October the cruise may be an option. Since you are taking an Eastern Med cruise in June, I am assuming you would do the Western Med with your dad. Personally I wouldn't do that later in October, but many would disagree. (Actually I would opt for September myself if possible.)

If you would want to travel to other regions, you might want to fly or take a train from Venice. Flying to Sicily is easy and quick. 

If you are up to driving, you may consider to drive from/to Florence or the Amalfi Coast. I know many here say never to drive in Italy, but if you rent a car from the airport, you skip driving in the cities. You can then drive to the airport of your next destination and take a taxi or limo from there. Florence to Rome is a 3 hours drive and Rome Airport to the Amalfi Coast is also a 3 hours drive (last time we were in Italy - the trip with the wheel chair - we flew to Rome, stayed at the Hilton Airport hotel, picked up the car the next morning and drove to the Hilton Sorrento. Took 3 hours in total.). If you start driving around 11am, you will notice that the highways will start to get empty. Italians will start their siesta, and driving will be very easy because you will feel like you are almost the only one on the road. The 3 hours needed for the drive will be exactly during siesta time. 
In my opinion, that would be the most comfortable way of travel for your dad, provided you have a car with enough space. While at the Amalfi Coast, you could take private transfers. (Of course you can take private transfers to transport you to and from various city locations, but with 4 adults, you have to take into consideration the amount of luggage and such. You will probably need to have a minivan with driver to be comfortable.) 

Staying in Rome of course would be the most comfortable option and unless this was to be a once in a lifetime trip to Italy, this would be my personal choice.  As mentioned earlier, if you have a week, you have to take into account the days or arrival and departure, jetlag, a day at the Vatican, and I agree that it is so nice to have some time to actually enjoy the surroundings and to actually feel the atmosphere. But then again, last time I was in Italy, I was told by an American that this is "the European" way of vacationing. 

I don't think that there aren't any bad options as they are all great. It's just that we are all so different.


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## vettebuf (Feb 10, 2013)

I'm offering our experiences as one who takes a lot of land-based vacations as well as cruises. We've found that cruises work better for less abled and elderly people. At least they work better for my husband.

My husband and I did two Mediterranean cruises - one from Civitavecchia (12 days) and one from Barcelona (9 days). My husband is elderly and doesn't have a lot of energy. I'm younger and have lots of energy.  The cruises worked for both of us. We went on tours in Rome, Sorrento, Positano, Pompei, Taormina (Sicily), Pisa, and Florence. We went on the Hop On-Hop Off bus in Barcelona.  We took the cruise ship shuttle to the transportation center in Venice. We also took the cruise ships shuttles to Palma de Mallorca and Marseille. We took a trolley train in Monaco. We had a 12 hour tour of Rome from Civitavecchia which included the Vatican. When the tour guide saw that my husband was wiped out while we were at the Pantheon, she put us in a taxi that took us to the Vatican. We had capaccinos at the cafe across from the Vatican while we waited 1/2 hour for the rest of the group to arrive. My husband ran out of steam inside the Vatican too. The guide took us to a long hall that was a shortcut to the Sistine Chapel and got permission for us to use it. 

We have actually decided not to use our Royal Holiday Club week in London, Paris, Rome, Florence, or Barcelona because it would be harder on my husband.

I hope this helps.

PS I just read the post about getting on and off the vaporettos in Venice. There is no step to go up or down when you get on or off. That was easy.


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