Hello team, my name is Christine. I am seventy years young, love to travel but have only traveled in these United States. My concern is this, I have restricted breathing problems and travel with both a POC(personal oxygen) and a larger tank for nighttime. There are times these breathing problems mean I need a wheelchair therefore walking could also be an issue. My sister and I would love to plan a trip to Italy for 2019, but I'm unsure how to go about finding information to rent equipment overseas. If there is an answer for me I would appreciate any guidance you may have. Are there specific tour groups that meet folks who have special needs? Thank you for your time.Christine
Posted by
Lynnwood, Washington
8973 posts
I found this article about touring Italy with mobility issues. I think you might find it interesting
http://traveltips.usatoday.com/tours-italy-mobility-challenged-34968.html
Posted by
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
8293 posts
This may not be your cup of tea but have you considered a cruise? There always seems to be a number of passengers trundling oxygen tanks, and wheel chairs are quite common, as are walkers (or zimmers). At each port at least one of the ship excursions offered is suitable for mobility impaired passengers. Needless to say, you must travel with your own equipment.
Posted by
Atlanta
5279 posts
Norma made a very good suggestion. Two of our many cruises have been in the Mediterranean and what she said about excursions for those with mobility problems is spot on.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
Rick used to have a book, Easy Access Europe. It's now both outdated and out of print. But, he has it on this website for free, so it's a great place to start. It has things like "city walks" modified for wheelchairs, as well as lots of places to contact for further information (such as local equipment rentals).
https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/read/easy-access-europe
Even if you don't go on a cruise (and especially if you do), the Disabled Cruising forum on Cruise Critic will be a great source of both information and inspiration. When I read the posts by those who require tube feedings (they can not take in nourishment by mouth at all, and so must bring bags of feeding solutions with them for the whole trip!), and yet have successfully cruised, I realize how easy travel is for me in comparison.
https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=190
Note that while Cruise Critic has a lot of information, the website is difficult to navigate and slow to load.
Posted by
Freedonia
16563 posts
This website may give you some ideas: