Scooter required for Florence and Rome- help

[stanjj111]

My wife may be undergoing a knee operation before our trip to the Med this Nov 2. We may need to rent a scooter for Florence and Rome. Does anyone know whether this can be done for specific ports rather than rent one for the entire trip? Thank you.

[katisdale]

I have had three knee replacements. I don't think I would even attempt a scooter in either Rome or Florence. When we were there (2005) the lack of curb cuts was very evident. Would your wife be able to get up out of the scooter every time you came to a street? Would you be able to lift the scooter over every curb- while dodging some of the worst drivers I've ever tried to out run? I think a regular wheelchair or rollator with seat might be a better choice. I would also recommend a private tour in those two cities as the buses - especially Florence - don't get very close to the sites and you have to walk quite a distance. The cars can park closer. Good luck with the surgery.

[cusyl]

:( Sorry, better cancel and reschedule for next year. That's a tough one

[Splinter]

I agree. Europe is poor for scooters. Best to either cancel, or plan on taking a manual wheelchair with you, and pushing her (cobblestones, etc. are nearly impossible to push yourself, even if you are very strong).

[Hebe]

If you would like to do this (since after all the planning = just saying cancel is a big decision), I would strongly suggest that you get private tour guides for both cities. As someone said - the ships tours buses will not get close. Private tour guides have specials license plates that allow them to drive in the old parts of the city. They will get you as close to the sites as they can. We were taken to the foot of the Spanish Steps (for example). Also, I would suggest that you take a manual wheelchair along. Scooter can be good on the ship but not in the ports.

 

These guides were my favorite --

Guided tours limousine service Rome Italy

 

They are able to do both Rome and Florance.

Deb

[pvmkmyer]

My wife uses a scooter for distances because she has arthritis in both knees and has artificial hips. We have done multiple trips to Florence and Rome, as recently as last year, and if your wife can get on and off the scooter and can walk up a step or two both cities are entirely do-able.

 

Yes, there are cobblestones. Yes, cut-outs are problematic. The sidewalks are narrow in many places, especially in Florence. And yes, the Italians park in the driveways so you sometimes can't use those to get up and down. My wife drove in the streets a lot of the time, along the curbs. I admit I did have moments of heart failure watching this, but Italian drivers, although completely crazy by American standards, always avoided her and never even used their horns. They are extremely skilled drivers. It's manageable, and it's worth it. A lot of Florence and many parts of Rome have pedestrian only zones. The Vatican is completely accessible, both the museums and St. Peter's.

 

I would definitely get a scooter here. My wife uses one from the company No Boundaries. It's called the Featherweight. It folds up completely like a baby stroller. She rides it right up to the gate at the airport and they take it from her there and store it in the luggage. Then it's brought up to the gate upon arrival. If you get the larger battery, which I recommend, you should be able to go all day on one charge. It comes with a charger that works on both AC and DC current with no adapter necessary (aside from the plug adapter.)

 

If you have any more questions, please email me at phillipmyer@sbcglobal.net

 

Phil