Hello all.

I will be traveling to Rome and Venice with my wife and all four of our parents. They are between 65 and 70 years old.

I have seen reference to senior pricing on some websites but am unsure of a few things.

1. When I see senior pricing does that mean all seniors or just residents of the EU that are seniors?

2. If our parents would qualify for reduced admissions, how does one prove it to the ticket seller? AARP card? Passport?

Also, if you have any suggestions or tips on how to make the trip enjoyable and doable for our parents we'd love to hear them. None of them have ever been on a trip like this and it is our treat to them so we want to make it both special and unstressful on them.

Ciao.

What a nice family experience for all you. Be sure to not underestimate the stamina and "on-the-go" abilities of your parents. Being in that age bracket, I can testify that our traveling, which is always done independently and is extensive, is not particularly affected by the years. You and they will have a marvelous time.

As far as senior rates, in almost all cases it applies to citizens of the EU. It is rare that just having reached that magic age is particularly useful.

quote:

Originally posted by dingo:
Also, if you have any suggestions or tips on how to make the trip enjoyable and doable for our parents we'd love to hear them. None of them have ever been on a trip like this and it is our treat to them so we want to make it both special and unstressful on them.Ciao.

Take a look at stella's excellent article on the Slow Travel website: "Tips for Traveling with a Senior." Stella wrote an accompanying trip report about a trip to Italy (Florence and Rome) with her mother. I think the article gives wise advice, and the report shows how it was incorporated into their travels.

Once, at the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, the woman at the desk gave us the senior discount (we didn't ask for it, as I had thought it was only for EU citizens). Maybe she thought we were English.

Why not ask your parents what they would like to do? I'm a "senior" person* and find my tastes did not change radically once I hit Social Security age.

As for reduced admissions: They are only for EU citizens, but I have found that if I ask for a reduced-admission ticket in Italian, I sometimes get it.


*But a couple of months younger than my friend Jane, I recall.

quote:

Originally posted by dingo:
Also, if you have any suggestions or tips on how to make the trip enjoyable and doable for our parents we'd love to hear them. None of them have ever been on a trip like this and it is our treat to them so we want to make it both special and unstressful on them.Ciao.

In my opinion, the best way to make the trip enjoyable for your still very young parents is to involve them in the planning and offer them choices, treat them as able and let them participate in making decisions once there.

I am older than your parents. I think they are fortunate to have such loving and considerate children, and I admire you (and them) for this. I am sure they appreciate it. But if they lead independent lives now, and I assume they do since otherwise they may not be up to such trips, I am sure they will be able to handle it. Too much worry around them may diminish their enjoyment.

quote:

But a couple of months younger than my friend Jane, I recall. Wink

But Marian, you're the matriarch!

Thanks for all of the replies. I have already started to involve everyone with planning the trip...found out what interests each person, even though they cannot begin to imagine how much art, archeology, history and so on they are in for!

Two of the four of them have had major surgery within the last two years...won't get into particulars...just major. There are other ailments as well. So they are not bed ridden to be sure(!), but at least two are concerned with the pace because they know we typically log between 7 and 12 miles per day walking...that is too much for almost all of them by their own admission.

So we know we will have to slow down. We know we will have to do more clustering of sites than what we normally do from a planning standpoint. But we also know that it can be done and it will be, as I promised them, an experience of a lifetime.

You folks have made me feel like a hero for doing this trip and that is kind of what I wanted...from their standpoint at least. We are paying for their business class flights and their lodging because we wanted to remove any excuses for not going so we could share something we truly love, Italy, with them and to let them experience a trip with the knowledge we have gained on prior trips.

Thanks again for the replies folks.

Personally speaking, I think any excuse to "slow down" is a good one!! Perhaps you won't need to do everything together! Maybe you can branch off on occassion and do things at your own paces so noone feels like they are compromising.

I find I need to have a lot of time to just look and listen (and smell!) when I am in another country. I just love sitting and watching people. I don't need to cross things off of my "to do" list - I do enough of that when I am NOT on vacation.

When we went to Italy last year - we chose a villa to rent in the countryside because all of the 3 couples like to garden and enjoy peace and quiet but we chose a villa that was only 7kms from Florence so people could pop in whenever they wanted. Ironically, everyone only went into Florence once the entire week! We were so happy just sitting and looking at the view, talking to the neighbours and each other, savouring the food we prepared and walking around. We took partial day excursions every other day but we left ourselves lots of time to just enjoy life. It is extremely important to remember that everyone's idea of vacations are different and allow for those differences so noone feels pressured and can come away feeling like they had "their" vacation! What a wonderful opportunity for you all...enjoy...enjoy

quote:

Originally posted by dingo:
but at least two are concerned with the pace because they know we typically log between 7 and 12 miles per day walking...that is too much for almost all of them by their own admission.


Thanks again for the replies folks.

2 words - Mobility scooters. Particularly for the ones who have had major surgery. Rent them here, and bring them along on the plane. The scooter riders will run the rest of you into the ground!! They can do some walking, so they won't be totally limited by steps. By the way, you get reduced admission for people with disabilities. Have them bring their handicap placards to show in case of questions. Also you get to jump the line at Colosseo!!

Rent extra batteries because even the best of them run out after a couple of hours over Rome's san pietro stone. You can swap out batteries at lunch. Get the light scooters that fold down - mine weighs 60 pounds, and way less when you remove the seat. And the scooter riders can be your beasts of burden. I carry the cameras, water, sandwiches, pop, etc all on the back of my scooter.

Taxis while expensive when divided up aren't that bad. They do charge extra for scooters/wheelchairs GRRRR.


You didn't say where you were going in Italy but I'm assuming Rome and....? Check out my accessible Rome link. Hub and loop touring is the way to go. Pick central locations and go one direction one day, another the next. If the destination for that day's touring is a long way off grab a cab go to the farthest point and walk your way back.

Some great "slow" things in Rome are the 1 euro boat ride (part of ATAC) where you get to spend a nice quiet hour on the river (another euro for the trip back). Even if the view isn't the most scenic. We take our lunch and eat it on the boat. Makes it a fun, bonding experience.

Also spend some time in the Borghese park. It is a gorgeous park, full of fountains, a small lake where you can rent punts, bicycles for 2 to ride around the park, etc.. And of course the Borghese gallery is there.

Don't count on the public transit in Rome. It is not accessible. Period. They claim that some bus lines are but every time we have tried we have found that the ramps don't work. Amazing!! Not a single ramp in all of Rome's entire bus lines. There are a few metro stops with elevators but if they aren't working you are seriously in trouble.

I think you will have the time of your life. I am hoping that your parents are open and adventurous people. And I am looking to adopt if you are available.