Cinque Terre.. on crutches?

Sorry to hear about your injury. You're right, steps and hills in the Cinque Terre. I definitely wouldn't spend 4 nights there if on crutches. The mystique would wear off really fast!

I'm a "little disabled" and find Florence very easy. I'd hate to see you cancel Italy altogether because of your injury. I think Florence, which is absolutely beautiful, would be nice!

You should be fine in Venna and Florence (be careful on cobblestones). Perhaps a couple of nights in Lago Maggiore or Lago di Como will give you the waterfront experience?

About three weeks before I took my first trip to Italy, I broke my ankle. Pins, cast, crutches. I am a solo traveler, female.

I found Florence to be easy to get around. Rarely did I take a taxi. Venice was more difficult, but only because of many stairs, which slowed me down. Rome was the most difficult: busy, rough sidewalks with cars and motorini parked upon them, hilly. I found I used taxis more in Rome.

Be kind to yourself. You may not have the trip you had imagined, but your trip will be fabulous nonetheless!

Christine,

Sorry to hear about your foot injury. That will put a damper on travel plans, but fortunately you're still able to travel (albeit in a more limited way).

As much as I like the Cinque Terre, it would likely be a problem getting around there on crutches especially as you plan on staying in Vernazza. You'll have to navigate a fairly long flight of stairs to get back and forth to the station. I've found that passengers head down those stairs like a herd of Buffalo and they probably won't have much patience for those that need to move slowly. I don't remember an Elevator at the station, although there could be one? Also accessing many of the lodgings in Vernazza often involves stairways of varying lengths.

It would be easier to get around Monterosso, as it's relatively flat, although you'd still have to deal with stairs at the station. Also, at least some of the hotels there have Elevators.

The best solution may be to add the time in Florence or other locations. If you're intent on seeing the Cinque Terre, it would be possible to take a day trip to at least Monterosso. Most of that trip will just be sitting on the train, and if you choose a train with fewest changes possible, you should be able to manage. If you decide to do that, be sure to plan on having dinner at Cantina di Miky, overlooking the ocean. It's not far from the station, which is nice.

Good luck!

Vernazza's hills and stairs really wouldn't be any fun on crutches. Some museums have loaner wheelchairs, which can be a way to give your self a break. Re-check the stair situation at your reserved hotels; even when there's an elevator, it doesn't always start at the ground floor (and 1st floor is not ground). How many other towns are included in traveling "around Austria and Italy"? If you were planning to take several trains in Austria, I would switch to a car. If it's just a couple of trains Vienna-Venice-Florence, then you can manage with help. Can you and a travel partner pack even lighter to get most of your stuff into one bag (that they handle)? I assume your doctor OK'd the travel with crutch or other aid, and estimated when you'd be ready for "light" walking.

I think Cinque Terre would be pretty hard on crutches. If you want to add something to your trip consider Lucca. It is pretty flat and a fun italian city with great shopping. OR even Sienna would be easier to navigate than Cinque Terre. Although there is little pubic transport (I think buses are an option there?) and it is a little hilly, the streets are not as steep or as many stairs as all the small towns in the Cinque Terre. OR rent a car as see a bit of Chianti or Tuscany for 4 days. At least you will mostly travel by car that way and the countryside is worth seeing just from your car and not difficult to drive (pick up your car outside the big city)

Christine -

Sorry you have to deal with a broken foot on your trip! I was on crutches 15 weeks earlier this year after shattering my ankle (all I did was slip on a wooden stair...) on the Island of Cape Horn in Southern Patagonia - 8 weeks completely non-weight bearing and 6 weeks partial weight bearing. Anywhere is going to be a challenge, especially if you have not mastered them yet because of cobblestones and uneven streets. Having been everywhere you have listed, I would say Vienna would be the least challenging, Florence possibly doable and I wouldn't think of even trying CT.

After traveling 4 days and 9k miles home, here are some thoughts from my experience -

Even if you think you will master crutches before your trip (it took me several weeks this time and I was on crutches 4 months in high school), don't overestimate how much you can do. Also, if you are uncomfortable sitting or have any swelling don't forget about the airport and your seat on the plane. Go ahead and get a wheel chair at any airports even if you think you don't need it - not only do you not have to crutch through them, you usually don't have to wait in lines. I had to navigate part of the Buenos Aires airport on them and the hardest part was the croud and avoiding other travelers with their luggage. On the flight in Argentina, the airline arranged for bulkhead seat with no one next to me so I didn't have to navigate the aisle. As for the long haul flights, I don't know how I would have done it without the upgrade to first class but then I had untreated fractures. Everyone was wonderful in the airports outside this country - the worst experience I had was with the TSA in Atlanta - they refused to believe I couldn't walk.

That's great your doctor will let you travel to Europe - mine still won't and I'm 5 months past surgery, but has said I should be able to at 7 month - just enjoy and don't worry about any sites you are missing. I'm sure you will have a great time!

I bunged my knee up while in Sicily, then went on to Bologna, Florence, Assisi and Orvieto, so I was especially aware of the terrain. Florence was mostly level and easy to walk. Of course there's an incline going over bridges and stairs in museums. You may have difficulty going across the Ponte Vecchio because of the crowds. The only place that was really difficult was the Bobobli Gardens. Bologna was also very level and not so many cobblestoned streets. It's a lovely town and may be a good alternative for 2 nights. . . . or even 3 with a day trip to Ravenna. Another option would be Verona, another flat town with some very nice sights.

More thoughts from someone who's been there . . . Be sure to notify your airline in advance that you will need assistance. Airports have wheelchairs for just this sort of thing. You may even get a better seat on the plane to give your leg more room. When you are at the airport, if there's nothing waiting for you, ask! Practice going up and down stairs before you leave. That's the hardest thing to manage on crutches (I hope someone has shown you the right way - if not, learn!). Take a backpack. Don't even try a shoulder-strap bag. It will get in your way with the crutches an at least one awkward moment. The good news is that bathtubs are rare, most of the time you will have a shower stall (and pack something that will keep the foot dry). Notify all your hotels - you may be able to get a handicapped room which will make your trip easier.

Forget Siena. Not so many steps but many of the streets have very steep inclines.

Wow! Such great help and advice, thanks for the great tips and ideas-- it has really helped me firm up our plans a bit.
We are on a bird watching tour in Austria for the first week (traveling via bus), and will extend our stay in Vienna afterward, as it's easy to find cabs to get around, and wheelchairs to use in museums. Then 4 days in Florence to casually make our way through museums, and maybe a viator tour to the countryside.

It will be a more low-key trip then we anticipated, but maybe this will force us to slow down, and sit and do some drawing- which I always intend to do when I travel, but never feel I have the time.
Thanks again!

Christine...just wanted to add a "you are not alone" anecdote to this thread. One of my major focuses of my vacation is to check out Cinque Terre. The past few days an old stress fracture has been acting up. I have been training for this vacay and walking 5 miles + a day. If I take Ibuprofen I am OK for a few hours but I do not want to keep taking any meds of any kind...OTC or prescription...if I can avoid it.

My strategy...I have been checking out typical costs for taxis in the town. I am staying in Levanto...a good Cinque Terre base. My Bed and Bfast and other sources agree.. taxis are 10 Euros flat rate anywhere in Levanto. At least I know if I am getting into a taxi I will probably have to pay 10 Euros but knowing that flat fee is comforting in some way.

I hear Levanto is a good base for exploring Cinque Terre, has a great beach. It also has a hospital.

I'd just point out that there's a huge difference between walking with pain and walking with crutches. Skip the CT. You'll be back to Italy anyway, if you're like most people. And it's hard to find someplace in Italy that you won't like a lot!.

Chani is right, pain can be managed but crutches manage you. You don't want to risk additional injury.

And Italy has some great art supply stores!

As a wise travel don says, assume you'll be back.

Chani and Zoe give some of the best advice on here. Listen to them and skip CT this trip! Florence is manageable, beautiful, charming........