Hello fellow travelers!
I will be traveling with my father in September to trace our family origins in Potenza and Anzi (east of Naples) via rental car. Then we hope to travel via train to visit Rome and Florence, adding a (rental car) driving tour of Tuscany before returning home.
He is physically capable, even riding an e-bike at home. However, due to severe COPD, walking long distances, especially uphill, isn't practical. I'm concerned about him getting around in Florence and Rome with their pedestrian only areas. And I'm aware that some towns in Tuscany might be difficult to walk in, with parking outside town and taking a shuttle bus up into the heart of town.
- Does anyone have experience with renting mobility scooters in Italy, particularly in Naples, Rome or Florence? How well do they function on cobblestone?
- We could buy a mobility scooter here in the US to take on the plane with us, but I'm concerned about compatibility for charging and if something breaks, not being able to repair it. Also, how to we transport it via rental car?
- Are Ebikes or standup scooters (not mobility scooters, which I presume WOULD be) allowed in pedestrian zones?
- Do US handicap parking signs to hang from a rearview mirror work in Italy?
In the past, for domestic travel, we have driven/taxied as close as possible to a location/attraction such as a museum, dropped him at the door, and then usually borrow a manual wheelchair that we push him around in. This is not necessarily my expectation in Italy, but rather to give an example of his level of function.
Also, I am fortunate enough to be traveling in June, ahead of this September trip, to some of the same places, so if there are suggestions for helpful organizations I could reach out to, I might be able to stop by in person to ask questions.
Many thanks, Corrina