Italy trip with senior citizen tips

That is a lot of questions so I'll only tackle a couple.

Lucca is flat and much easier in terms of walking. It does not have the same historic and visual appeal as someplace like Siena so compare them both but Lucca is definitely the easiest to get around if that's your main priority.

The Venice Santa Lucia station is right in the heart of Venice - walk out 200m and you'll fall into the Grand Canal (not recommended). The main way to get around Venice is the "vaporetto" or the water bus. There is - of course - a big station right outside the train station - you can buy tickets are a timed pass for as many trips as you want. Always validate/beep tickets and passes when you get on.
There are gondola stations all over the city - I would recommend choosing a "back alley" one for the quiet experience as the Grand Canal is quite busy and can be choppy. You can choose a place before you go or wander and just find one. The prices and times are controlled so choose a gondolier you like.

The Amalfi ferries are best caught from Salerno but you it sounds like you will be taking them from Sorrento. You buy ferry tickets from point to point so plan where you want to get off and then just buy a ticket there for the next place when you are done. If you're going past a port on your ticket your ferry may call at that port anyway but just stay on board. Pay attention to which side the coast will be on for the best view when choosing your seats. The lines are first come first served.

Hope that helps, have a great trip,
=Tod

Thank you, Tod. That was very helpful.

You are planning some long day trips that may be too exhausting to be fun. I am thinking especially of your day trip to Venice. Venice is very crowded mid day which is when you probably would arrive.

I was also wondering what you were going to do in Sorrento for 5 nights. We did go by ferry there from Naples. Ferry is not wonderful either--you are inside like in an airplane and then when you arrive you have to take a bus up to the town.

I was wondering about skipping Sorrento and adding days to Rome and staying in Venice instead. My thinking is that Sorrento is a long trip from Florence and there isn't very much to do there. I think it would be wise to be able to go back to a hotel so your mom can rest. Sorrento really is day trips.

Nobody’s mentioned Rome so I’ll address the Rome questions. The only way for regular people to see the Sistine Chapel is to go all the way through the the Vatican Museum and then all the way back out again. If you can get tickets for the first opening time, arrive early, and go straight there you may be able to stay ahead of the crowds. Otherwise you’ll be in the midst of a lot of people the whole way.

There might be a tour that uses the “secret” door to go directly from the Sistine Chapel into St. Peter’s but then you’ll be standing around listening to the guide all the way through the museum. However, if your mother can make the walk through the museum and back you can take a taxi to and from the museum entrance to minimize extra walking.

The outside of the Colosseum is easy and free to visit, just take transit or a taxi to the Colosseum metro stop and cross the street. You can walk around the outside and just not get in the line to go inside.

The Pantheon is also easy to visit - if walking is an issue you can get a taxi to the plaza in front of it. Tickets are available online and may sell out in June so if you can plan on a specific time go ahead and buy them. The inside area is really just one big room so not a lot of walking required.

Good luck with the trip!

I recommend you spend more time in Rome, it is special and compared to the Naples area especially.

Regarding St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel, these places are amazing. I have been to 83 foreign countries and most of the best art museums in the World and found the Sistine Chapel to be the most amazing place for art in the World. I have been there twice, but last time was over 30 years ago.

Back then you entered the Vatican Museum and had to walk through a far amount to the museum to reach the Sistine. Still, there were good things to see on the way, but you did have the option of not lingering.

St. Peter's is special, it was built over 1 50 year period with three architects. Michelangelo was the second of those architect and responsible for the amazing dome, which I recommend you take the climb up to the roof of St. Peter's. At a minimum, do visit the Basilica for about 30 minutes.

If you do go to the Naples Area, do visit Pompeii, Capri, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast. Suggest looking for tours for the Amalfi Coast. If you try to rent a car and drive, parking is impossible. Sorrento is a great place to stay and you can get to Capri or other places by ferry.

There is no way to see the Sistine Chapel without going through the Vatican Museums…it is located at the very end of the museums next to St. Peter’s Basilica. The walk through the museums to get to the chapel is fairly long and crowded with people…and the walk back to exit the museums is also long. If she is determined to see the Sistine Chapel, I would suggest taking it very slowly…stopping to sit for a bit whenever possible on the way there and back…maybe even breaking up the visit with a coffee or bite to eat in the cafeteria (others will say the food is not great…I have found it to be pretty typical cafeteria food that serves the need if you are spending a long time in the museums).
As for Siena…it is one of my favorite Tuscan towns but it is quite hilly. My husband and I have taken his parents (80’s) and our good friends (late 70’s) there on two separate occasions. Again it is doable, but it is best to give it an entire day and take it slowly. There are so many wonderful restaurants located there for a leisurely lunch to break up the day and give your mom a rest. We always drive there as we have a car in Italy, but others usually suggest taking the bus there from Florence…versus the train…as the bus drops you off in the center of Siena whereas the train station is located outside the town itself.
Lucca is a smaller, lovely, fairly flat town…your mom should enjoy a visit there.
San Gimignano is a town we have avoided for many years…terribly crowded during much of the year during the day.
Venice…another city that can be tiring as you are walking up and down stairs to cross the canals. We always walk when we visit, but the vaporetto system may offer a less tiring way for you to see the sights.
I think it is wonderful that you are taking your mom on this trip!

In terms of your itinerary, I’d suggest staying in Venice for a few days instead of a day trip.

My mom and I traveled to Italy when she was 87 (fairly healthy without mobility issues)
When I was planning our trip I tried to limit day trips because I knew they’d be the most exhausting for her.

I also booked hotels with elevators.

Make sure to pack light (carry-on) ,if possible, since you may need to help her ( ie, going up & down trains, stairs at train stations, etc)

There are some posts you may want to read with tips to keep in mind when traveling with elderly parents such as these:

• Travel with Elderly Parents
• Best area for hotel in Venice for elderly parents

Enjoy your trip and make wonderful memories with your mom!

Edited to add…
I forgot to mention the following:

• Consider requesting wheel chair assistance at airports since there may be lots of walking involved.
• If you’re at a restaurant, museum, or train station, take advantage of the restroom opportunity.
• Make sure she takes all her medications plus written prescriptions from her doctor (just in case...)
• Many tourist attractions (museums, etc..) have "hidden" elevators-- just ask, or sometimes you can find this info on their websites.

Safe travels!