Cinque Terre for an 80 yr. old

Frances - The Cinque Terre is beautiful. Just know ahead of time that there are lots of hills and stairs. If you stayed in Monterosso it is a fairly level walk from the station to a number of hotels including Albergo Pasquale. The main parts of the old and new towns of Monterosso are fairly level. The other towns are virutally straight up and down and several of them have the train station a good distance from the main parts of town. Have fun.

Kent's is a very helpful answer. I would only add that there are numerous stairs at the train stations.

I'm pleased to hear that you are an 80 y.o in reasonably good health. That is good to hear but you should always bear in mind that you have a heart condition. That will definately require special consideration. You are very wise to plan ahead.

Have you considered an escourted tour for the 50 plus crowd? (Assuming your daughter is probably about that age?)
These tours often have Medical First Responders on staff to assist in an emergency.

Doctor supervised weight loss will no doubt benefit you (as you say you have about 20 lbs extra.) Keep in mind that travel is strenuous and you will be walking/climbing/standing/moving far more than usual. Are your knees up for it? Is your heart? Not to put a damper on your enthusiasm, but as Medical First Responder myself, it is important to know where you stand.

Definately see your doctor for a Physical well in advance of travel. Hopefully you'll be fit to go and ready to embark on an awsome adventure!

There are shuttle buses in the towns that will take you uphill and downhill. There are taxis in Monterosso. There is an elevator in Riomaggiore to lift you up from the the train area to the top of town. Many travelers in the CT use hiking poles. You might get yourself a pair or use a cane. Be sure you have really sturdy, well broken-in shoes so that your footing is as solid as possible. And get into shape during the next 6 months. Italy is full of places for sitting and enjoying the view. I hope you can go to the CT; I've been there many times and consider it my favority place in Europe.

I was in CT in Aug. with my parents. They are mid-70s and Dad has health issues, including implanted defibrillator. We took the train to Riomaggiore. From train station, there is an elevator up to the town, so you essentially walk around the town going downhill and end up back at the train station or the start of the hiking trail. The walk to Manarola is easy; paved and even sidewalk. That is the only part of the hiking trail my parents did. We (including parents) took the vineyard walk that RS recommends around Mararola. It was great but I think it was a bit more strenuous/longer than we expected, and there were steps, especially at the end. It worked out for us to have lunch (and a rest) after that. They used train and boat transport between the rest of the towns. Note the Corniglia train station is not in town-you can walk uphill or take shuttle bus to the town. You can enjoy the beauty without a lot of walking; a boat gives great views, and the towns themselves are interesting.

We just got back and the CT was part of our trip. I had a knee replacement and took a folding cane with me. My husband did all the hiking and I basically enjoyed the scenerey. We stayed at the Hotel Porto Rocco which was more then we had planned to spend, but it worked out great for me because of the beautiful views. They have a free van that will pick you up when you arrive at the train station if you call, or you can take the local taxi up. We ate breakfast and 2 dinners there overlooking the town and harbour. I took a taxi to the boat docks and did the boat trip Round trip and got off to see Verannzo on the return part of the boat trip. Had lunch there and then hopped onto the boat back to Monterossa. Sat on the benches by the beach for awhile and then met up with my husband and we slowly walked to and got a taxi for me back up to our hotel on the top of the hill. My husband said I could have probably have done the "lover's walk", but I was very happy with all I did.

One thing to keep in mind, according to RS, the Cinque Terre card no longer covers train travel between the towns. So you may end up paying a little more money to take the trains between the towns than you did before.

My suggestion would be to walk the Romantic Road (between Manarola and Riomaggiore) portion of the trail and then take the ferries between the other towns. You'll get breathtaking views of the entire coastline and you should be able to easily walk the Romantic Road stretch with some health concerns. There are comfortable benches all along this stretch and the path is wide with few elevation changes.

" One thing to keep in mind, according to RS, the Cinque Terre card no longer covers train travel between the towns. So you may end up paying a little more money to take the trains between the towns than you did before. "

It must be hit or miss. 5 weeks ago the card was still honored for the local train. The Italian transportation system is well known for these little challenges!

I guess RS was wrong. Here in the guidebooks correction section of this website http://www.ricksteves.com/books/update/bk-rs-ita.htm there is a note From RS that the CT card does not cover trains. However, I found the following reader post here:

"A correction to your correction. The cinque-terre card DOES still cover the train between towns. The current brochure says it does, the station ticket sellers say it does, and the train conductors accept them. This is as of the first week of August 2007.

Rick VA USA 08/17/2007"

Frances, Doug gave good advise. Monterosso is probally the best. I can only add, You can get on boats to access the other villages, even if you rode the boat only would give you the beauty of Cinque Terre.Keep walking everyday......

Go for it Frances! The Cinque Terre area is a must see, and although it is a real draw for hikers, you can still enjoy the beauty of the hillsides, the vinyards, the azure water, and the melon colored homes tumbling like blocks to the waters edge. We just returned from CT area 2 weeks ago, and I am looking at my pass, and it shows it is good between LaSpezia (S of CT) to Levanto (one town N of CT). In addition the train rides between the towns is dirt cheap and the tickets are good for 6 hours. As others have mentioned the boats are another option. Indeed the hike between Riomaggiore and Manarola is flat. We even commented how nice it was that they improved the trail and how it would enable elderly or disabled people to make the hike. Also within the CT towns, and included on the pass are the shuttle buses. Perhaps you won't get to each of the actual 5 CT towns, but you can go to Portovenere by boat, Levanto's lovely bay and sandy beaches, or to S. Margherita & Portofino.

A Cardiac Patient I was treating last night (I'm EMT also) brought to mind this thread. She too, was a Senior with heart complications and limited mobility due to knee/hip replacement. We got to talking about her world travels, both past and upcoming. She gave me the following advise and I thought I'd pass it along...(Yes, I took notes...)
Here's the top ten:
-Never run when you can walk...
-Never walk when you can ride...
-Never stand when you can sit...
-Never sit when you can lay down...
-Never pass up a clean washroom...
-Never skip or delay a good meal...
-Never be reactive, only be proactive...
-Never be afraid to ask for assistance...
-Never be afraid to politely refuse...
-Never be afraid to call it a day...

Some good advise for both the young and the young at heart!

Safe Skies,
F/A

Hi flight attendant--- what a neat answer--- sum and substance and bottom line -- I am going to love this trip -- and I will somehow accommodate whatever presents less than perfect -- Thank you -- Fran

The Cinque Terre is overrated and can be dangerous, and not just for the elderly.

I was just there in September. We took the "romantic" boat trip between the towns on a sunny and mild day, when the sea turned angry and the boat had to dock at the terminal town. Far from romantic, the trip was scary, several passengers became ill, and my wife said she feared the boat would sink. I thought she was being hysterical, until I saw that a 28-year-old American tourist was just swept out to sea there and drowned. The link to that story is http://www.granvillesentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071011/NEWS01/71011011

One thing to realize about the "Cinque Terre" is that there are other nearby towns that have essentially the same architecture and coastal views, but are not part of the designated "Cinque Terre." If you want the same type of views and architecture, in an environment that is more accessible, I'd suggest going to nearby Lerici, which was a favorite of British poets.

Oh, if you want to see how pretty Lerici is, and how it compares with the rest of the "Cinque Terre", jsut put "Lerici" in the google "images" page.

Re: the response from Michael in Camp Springs MD.
CT is NOT overrated and NOT dangerous. I spent a week there so my opinion is different than his opinion. Just because "the sea turned angry ONE day" doesn't make the whole area dangerous.

There is a lot to see without boarding a ferry. The trails are super. Each of the 5 villages offers a different and distinct appeal.

The other nearby towns he suggests do not have the same unique appeal.

I suggest you take other posters advice and go. Just pace yourself and plan to rest every day. Take a look at the pictures on the web page at cinqueterreonline.com/photos/index-5terre.

When the sea is rough, boats don't go out. If the sea becomes rough when boats are out, the ride will be rough until port is reached. The trails can be dangerous, too, if hikers don't pay attention at the steep dropoffs. If you are not in tip-top physical condition, just hike the southern one or two segments of the CT trail. They are easier, shorter, and both segments together can be hiked in less than an hour. There are stairs to and from the trails. Try doing some serious hiking at home with uphills, steps, uneven footing, etc. If you're ok with that, then hike the CT. It is easy to walk along the sea in Monterosso and enjoy the beauty that way.