re: Italy Trip v. Africa

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To imply we shouldn't have gone because I'm not as spry as a 20 yr old is ridiculous.

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I don’t disagree. But I was referring to the avg lazy American and then throwing in older and mobility limited, it’s harder to suggest Italy.

The one thing about Italy and Rome is the amount of stairs. Especially places like the coliseum, Roman forum, and Vatican which all just have a ton of stairs. But yeah, plenty of elderly go and there’s still plenty you can do.

Hawkster - Not sure what happened to you in Italy that made you hate it so much. I guess I’m a pathetic prick because I enjoyed every moment of my 2 week 5 city visit to Italy. Granted I was in my mid-50’s and was able to put in the 30,000 steps a day we put ourselves through. I don’t remember Rome being hilly. Florence either. Cinque Terre yes if you do the walks between cities so I suggest they don’t go there. Venice is flat except for all the bridges you need to use to cross the canals and walking is really the only option. My closest to Tuscany experience was Assisi which had a lot of slope from one end of town to the other, but it was wonderful.

If they’ve never been to Italy I think they should go before they really can’t do it. Stay at a hotel that has a good roomy lift. Plan to use Taxi’s. World class museums, art, and architecture. They can see giraffe’s and elephants at Audubon Zoo or Animal Kingdom. They can’t see Michalangelo’s David or Pieta there. They can’t experience the Colosseum or Pantheon or Vatican City/ St. Peter’s Basilica on the Serengeti. They should enjoy a Cappucino in the morning at a cafe, an Aperol Spritz in the afternoon at another cafe, and a gelato in the evening at another.

I’ve got a whole new list of things to do in Italy the next time I go when I will be in my mid-60’s and I will go back.

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I’m not saying Johannesburg is the Center of the Universe, but it and Cape Town are better than other cities I’ve been to in Africa.

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Cape Town is an amazing city. Jburg is awful and should be skipped on any itinerary except as an arrival or departure point

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don’t remember Rome being hilly

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Rome is called the City of Seven Hills. The seven hills—Palatine, Aventine, Capitoline, Caelian, Esquiline, Quirinal, and Viminal—lie east of the Tiber River and formed the heart of ancient Rome.

I did some quick Apple Maps walking directions between various landmarks in the Centro Historico and they all come up "mostly flat". St. Peter's Basilica to Trevi Fountain, Trevi fountain to a restaurant in Trestavere, Roma Termini to the Pantheon...

It's not San Francisco. There may be rises and drops but over the distance it's evens out. At those distances they would probably Taxi.

Now will walking through the Roman Forum, around the Colosseum on a tour, up the Spanish Steps,...Okay...those might be difficult.

Just can't understand going to Africa over Italy. But that's my opinion.

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It's not San Francisco. There may be rises and drops but over the distance it's evens out. At those distances they would probably Taxi.

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You can taxi, but its not that simple in Rome. Its going to be slow at time, traffic can be terrible, and most routes are not direct. It just depends on where you want to go and how close you want to get. There's also a lot of pedestrian only areas.

IMO San Fransisco is way easier than Rome to get around if you are old. San Fran is much easier to Uber. The roads are good for walking. There's not a lot of stairs in San Fran. The hills are definitely worse in San Fran, as in bigger. But you could more easily get around on Uber/ Taxi.

The thing about Rome, is its just not stop stairs.