Italy is my favorite country to visit and has been for over a decade. For years, my husband and I loved walking down its cobbled streets. We enjoyed that every city seemed so “walkable”—a trait not possible in our US city where a car was needed to get most everywhere.
Then, a back injury rendered my husband mobility-challenged. Travel to Italy was a lot more difficult. But I knew it wasn’t impossible…and I was determined to create rich experiences for us like we had enjoyed pre-disability. I dove into websites and emailed tourism offices to inquire about how best to get around Italian cities. I kept hearing though, “it’s okay, [fill-in-the-blank city] is easily walkable.”
That’s great…if you can walk!
In order to continue traveling and enjoying the country we loved so dear, I navigated the bureaucracies and cultural differences to create accessible experiences for my husband, so he could fully enjoy Italy. And, because I want you to travel to amazing historical sites, I’m sharing them with you.
Here are some of my travel tips for accessible Italy:
Get help at the airport
Contact your air carrier and reserve mobility assistance. Most carriers will transport you from check-in to the gate and from the gate to transportation. This service includes getting you through security and customs/passport control. Note that, in Italy, they take getting you from and to your plane, seriously. The system is very efficient but big airports might have a wait time since it is generally a first-come system with those with connections to another flight prioritized. I recommend having your travel companions stay with you, since the line for security/customs is expedited for those with mobility issues. Staying together prevents one traveler for having to wait potentially a long time for the other.
Get help at the train station
Train stations have an incredibly efficient transfer system to get you to and from your train. The office is called Sala Blu. As soon as you have booked your ticket, email their office and let them know what assistance you will need, whether you will be bringing your own mobility device, whether you can walk up a couple steps into the train car (or whether you will need them to use the wheelchair lift), and your trip details. The Sala Blue agents will pick you up at an agreed upon place at the train station and take you to train or vice-versa. This is a free service and has been a great assistance to…
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