how strenuous is the walking on the 21 day tour?

Joanne, On that particular tour, the walking is listed as "strenuous" on only about five of the 21 days and light or moderate on the others. I haven't taken that particular tour, but based on my experience with other RS tours the walking isn't usually too difficult (although the local tours may cover some distance). I find that standing while listening to local Guides is more difficult for me than the walking. The local walking tours aren't compulsory. If a tour member wishes to only take part in a portion of a walking tour or not take every one that's offered, all they have to do is tell the Guide and sit back at the Hotel and relax. If your friend has specific health issues or concerns, I'd suggest contacting the RS Tour department, as they'll be able to provide the most accurate information. Happy travels!

ditto what Ken said, though I would clarify that you might have to sit on the bus (not at the hotel), as some of the walking activities are en route to other places. Any tour day with a "strenuous" rating that is on a travel day would fall in that category. As for the ratings, I would say they go a little high on the ratings, but I am a physically active person. I do know that there are at least a few people on every tour (I've been on four) that seem quite surprised about the physical activity. I agree that it really isn't the distances that is bothersome but the walking on cobblestones, uneven ground, and the standing for long periods on walking tours. For example - I took the Best of Eastern Europe tour this spring and wore a pedometer. My mileage ranged from 3 miles (bus day) to 10.5 miles (my on-my-own day) with about 7 miles average for my whole trip (total of 20 days). One of the hardest days was a tour of a cave in Slovenia - lots of steps up/down/and very uneven difficult terrain. It doesn't matter if there are "young" or "old" people on a tour - the guides will be courteous and considerate but I've noticed they don't slow the pace of the tour much for anyone. I had some close-to-80-somethings on my tour to Spain and they blew us 40-somethings out of the water.

The most strenuous aspect of tours can be the climb to your hotel room. In Vernazza it was 100 big stone steps up to our room. Carrying luggage. The view was great up there, but I would not be able to do that climb now. If traveling with a more able-bodied partner, they may be able/willing to do most of the work. On one trip a woman traveler had a very bad knee. Her husband hauled luggage for both of them. The standing during guide talks is very hard on me. I don't "stand well." In the case of a long standing event, I would move around or find a place to sit. All events on tours are optional, including the guide-led parts. If you and your friend are in good health and fairly active physically (can walk a couple of miles in a day), you are probably in good enough shape. This is not a "forced-march" situation, nor is it a good situation for anyone who has trouble crossing the room to change the TV channel. Read the brochure from ETBD concerning tours generally and your tour specifically. If you know you qualify on all counts, then go. If you feel uncertain but still want to go, call the ETBD people and discuss it with them. The city tours probably are less strenuous than some of the others. In all cases, pack lightly and expect to be responsible for your own luggage. Be considerate of the group and show up on time for the bus and meals. It is an advantage to travel with a companion rather than relying on the tour to provide you with a roommate. I've seen friends, siblings, married couples, unmarried couples, parent/child/, and grandparent/grandchild pairings as travel partners. My experiences on six tours with assorted assigned roommates varied a lot. I felt comfortable with some and not so comfortable with others.

Your friend could always get a travel folding stool. Mine folds down to approximately 24 inches and I carry it attached to my day backpack. I use to be able to walk 5-10 miles a day sightseeing....but not anymore.

thank you everyone for your response. I will pass this on and let him make up his mind. I am totally excited about our trip and while I myself am not the perfect physical specimen, I have determination and comfy walking shoes!

My husband and I took this tour in 2004. Our guide was 7-8 months pregnant. If she could do it, most of anyone can. (I have to confess, we had trouble keeping up with her at times). If the walking is too strenuous there are usually alternatives.
Jana

@JB, "Your friend could always get a travel folding stool." I've thought of that on a couple of occasions, but haven't found a folding stool that's designed for more than 250 lbs. I'm not sure I want to pack one along, but may consider it in future.

Imagine you are planning the 21 day tour in 2013. If you friend is in or can get in any kind of walking shape, should not be a problem. Would not hesitate to go on the tour anyway and if he wants to rest on a strenuous day, there are lots of options. Had a lady on my tour that was overweight and had some trouble walking but made it all but two days with the group. She enjoyed the tour and was planning another one later.

Before your friend signs up, I would suggest that he spend a day doing a mock tour at home. Spend a day walking 5 miles, climbing stairs in public places, standing for 15-20 minutes at a time, then repeat the next day. Other concerns would be: could he carry his suitcase up/down a flight of stairs and/or transfer it on to/off a train (taking maybe 6 steps) in the process. Rick Steves' tours are active tours. While your friend could always opt out of any day or portion of a day (as other posters have stated), he would miss a lot...........and he still might have to climb stairs/carry luggage for some of the very basic parts of the tour. We have been on other tours/shore excursions, etc. when people who were having difficulty really should not have chosen a particular tour or a particular shore excursion. Some folks rolled with it and self-adjusted what parts they could/could not do with a very positive attitude of seeing the world despite their limits.........some grumbled and complained. If he determines the Rick Steves' tours are way too active, I could suggest he consider a Tauck Tour. Those particular tours tend to pull an older crowd than RS tours, luggage is handled, and there is not quite as much walking, and then tend to stay in higher-end hotels with elevators. But, RS tours tend to be more indepth, which comes from walking and seeing more up close. We've done both and each has its advantages. We probably would have never taken a Tauck Tour if Rick's company offered more 7-12 day itineraries. Regardless of which travel style works for him, I salute him for pressing forward and seeing the world. And, good advice from a previous poster to start training and walking more now (if he can physically do that), instead of waiting to before the trip.