How Strenuous is "Strenuous" in Italy?

Our various Italy tour itineraries have varying components, but this key applies to all Itinerary descriptions that you'll find for Rick Steves Tours:

Daily Activity Key

• Light = 2-4 miles of mostly level walking throughout the day.

• Moderate = 2-6 miles walking throughout the day with some hills and stairs.

• Strenuous = 2-8 miles walking throughout the day with lots of hills, stairs and uneven terrain.

A large segment of our tour members are over 60, so you won't be alone in that regard, and groups of 26 people don't move terribly quickly. Note that standing on pavement and standing in museums can be as big an issue as actual distance walked on a city walking tour. Packing light is important, since you'll handle your own bags in a variety of situations, including cobblestones and stairs.

Under Activity Level, you'll see a tour-specific description similar to this one:

Our tours are physically active! It’s an essential part of the Rick Steves tour experience. On our Best of Italy in 17 Days tour — among other things — you'll need to happily...

1. Carry/roll your luggage over uneven pavement (several blocks possible) and up stairways to reach your hotel; then up several flights of stairs to reach your room.

2. Be on your feet, walking and standing for up to three hours, indoors and outdoors, in all weather conditions.

3. Sleep with street noise and no (or weak) air conditioning.

4. After orientation and transportation lessons, be able to navigate towns and cities on your own.

See also this forum discussion regarding packing and carrying luggage.

You might want to check Road Scholar, formerly Elderhostel. I've heard good things, and one friend who has led groups is a very engaging communicator (and scholar). .

I've done 2 of Rick's Italy tours and think Heart Of Italy was less strenuous than Village Italy. In Village Italy we visited several hill towns which usually means steps or an incline.

The most strenuous Rick tour I've done was the 21 day Best of Europe. The oldest member of the group was 79 and although he and some others avoided stairs at times he kept up. He is an avid golfer and walks a lot.

I have also done 2 Road Scholar international tours, one with 9 days in London and the other 10 days in Wales. I was 64 when I did them and while I was fine on both, a number were not. I felt Road Scholar had underrated the activity level somewhat and some participants had overrated their fitness levels. I have found more realistic ratings on their US based tours.

Editing to add: BTW if you are in one of the big cities you can easily take a cab back to the hotel if you get fatigued.

My husband is closer to 70 than 60 and was even younger ( but in worse shape) when we did Heart of Italy. He needed a knee replacement, but wasn't ready to do it. That said, he didn't feel like he missed anything. The place where I saw it affect him most was in the Cinque Terra. He was able to walk up and down the hills of Riomaggiore and walk the Via dell Amore to Manarola, but that was as far as he could go. We happily took a boat back to Monterosso. We didn't climb to the top of any towers ( none included on the tour), but he was able to fully participate in everything else, including the long evening walk in Rome. One of the nice things about RS Tours is that there is plenty of free time, so you are able to fit activites to your personal level of comfort. The guides are so good about giving you options to choose from.

A few thoughts:

1) Check w/ Tauck Tours........they provide some of the extras like luggage handling, so you/your spouse would not be faced with having to take your own luggage to a bus or take it downstairs, etc. Even though Tauck has segments that include, when we were on their Rome, Capri, Amalfi tour, I was impressed to see that they were able to make arrangements with the hotel to transport a few of the very elderly guests in a golf-cart type vehicle (instead of their walking down a steep incline) to the tour bus. They were also very attuned to the guests' needs in the way of finding an elevator in museums instead of the very elderly guest having to take stairs. In that particular situation, it was a cancer patient with her mother who was in her late 80s. It was done without making a big deal out of it. But, you could call Tauck and see if arrangements like that could be done in certain places by the tour director.
Tauck also stays in incredibly nice hotels, great meals, etc. The are sort of the like the next step up from Rick Steves, and often better for a older guest (or anyone) that needs (or wants) a little more pampering and a higher end experience. We love to travel with them.
2) You might also want to consider a private journey tour with someone like Abercrombie and Kent, so your guide can go at a speed that is comfortable for you two and your husband won't feel like he is holding back a group in any way.

3) Or you could hire a private driver(s), combined with the train, and arrange private tour guides through our hotels. We did something like that when we were traveling in Ireland with a family member who had just finished chemo treatments a month and a half earlier. We set our own pace, and it was nice to be dropped off very, very close to each place, minimizing walking. We could go exactly where we wanted, when we wanted, stay as long as we wanted, etc. , and there was no stress of having to drive, no rental car to mess with, no filling up a fuel tank or worrying about where to park, etc. It also allowed flex time for one much-needed nap for the family member, and we could take it a little more slowly in the a.m. vs. having to meet a tour at 7:30, etc.. And, what was interesting, when I got home, I added all the expenses up, and it the price for two people was the price of what a tour for one would have cost us....and we stayed at some very high-end hotels. So, that's something you might want to consider. It give you the ultimate in flexibility.

I've been on the Heart of Italy Tour with Rick Steves (which was a fantastic trip), and while it might work for you (if you skip a lot of walking, which means you will miss a lot), I really think in this particular circumstance, another option might be best for your husband (and you).

But, definitely visit Italy. I am inspired by elderly people, who despite having to go a little more slowly, STILL GO. Sure beats not maximizing one's time on earth. Safe and happy travels!!

The biggest issue is the luggage that will tire you out before you even start walking.

I recommend taking only one rolling carry-on bag each weighing not more than 15 pounds. No checked bags. Traveling like this will conserve your energy for the entire trip and free you up to do what you want.

I guess it depends on the guide. I had the misfortune of developing a bad knee on Day 2 of the Turkey in 13 Days tour. The guide was super, she told me in advance how much walking there would be each day and at each sight and together we were able to work out where I could wait (and what I could do) on the few times that I chose to stay behind. At the hotels with stairs, the hotel staff carried up my luggage - and that of others as well.

For a better idea of what's involved in the tours you are considering, take a look at the 'scrapbooks' from previous tours at http://www.ricksteves.com/tours/scrapbooks/tour-alum-scrapbooks

Nancy, have you considered the 7 Days in Rome tour? The only strenuous part of that tour (that I can remember) was the Spanish Steps, and that could be taken slowly. If your husband can walk a mile or so at a moderately brisk pace, you'll be okay. Even on the days marked "strenuous," they never walk miles on end without stopping; there's always a break along the way to look at some sight or have a drink or snack. And it's a lovely tour.

Thanks so much to all of you for your quick responses. I really appreciate the help and will let you know what we decide. Thanks, much!

Nancy