Take a gondola ride in Venice; walk in the footsteps of gladiators at the iconic Colosseum in Rome, or get your taste-buds tingling with a savory slice of pizza in Naples. Maybe the thought of seeing La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain sparks your excitement. He gave me a headscarf to pose in and took several pictures, including the obligatory tourist picture of me holding up my hand in a way that makes it look like I am touching the top of the pyramid. The carpets arent cheap, but when you see all of the time and effort that they put into making them, it is quite impressive. Im not sure who was more relieved when I was finally at the top me, or the guys carrying me! Fortunately, there is quite a bit to do near the port if you dont mind doing some walking. It is still a very nice vessel though, and I found overall accessibility to be quite good around the ship. It was definitely an impressive sight to gaze up at these pyramids that have been standing for over 4000 years! At the top of the dome is the Oculus, a large round opening that actually allows rain to fall inside the Pantheon. All rights reserved. Our third port of call was the Greek island of Mykonos. So, we just went over to an area where I could see the ruins from afar, and then he spent 15 or 20 minutes telling us as much as he could about the site from there. There was a special elevator that took us up to the Raphael rooms. My friends and I marveled at the way our driver weaved in and out of traffic, each time tooting his horn and avoiding other vehicles by inches. I have definitely learned a few things based on these two experiences. I e-mailed the Vatican a couple of weeks prior to the trip to inquire about the lift situation, and they said that it would not be a problem to transfer into one of their manual wheelchairs. He wasnt unique though thats the way everyone drove. The theater is not wheelchair accessible, but you can get a good look at it from the outside. April 25, 2022: 14-night cruise from Tampa (Florida) to Rome (Italy) on Royal Caribbean. It was a great place to pick up some quality Egyptian souvenirs. Once inside, the main hall and the walkways around the upper and lower levels are completely paved. Enjoy hand-selected inclusions and world-class experiences for value-minded travel lovers like you. Raise your sights and set your sails for the rivers of Europe, South America, and Asia on an Avalon Waterways cruise. Once off the ship, we made our way through security to a nearby parking lot where an accessible van and a driver were waiting for us. Fortunately, it turned out well. With so many impressive sights to see and such good access at so many ports, this was one cruise itinerary that I would recommend to any wheelchair user. The better entrance for wheelchair users is off of Via Dei Fori Imperiali, which is the busy main road that travels alongside the Forum and the Colosseum. The inside of the Pantheon is completely wheelchair accessible, and admission is free for everyone. Of course, the walk back always seems to take twice as long as it does to get there, and by midday, it had gotten very hot outside. It is hard to imagine. Next, we made a stop at the Philae Bazaar to end our trip to Cairo. Royal Caribbean is typically ahead of the game in terms of accessibility, so I was very surprised to find this problem in our stateroom. Taxes, fees and port expenses not included. The area consisted of a fine sand, so it was a little difficult to wheel around in certain areas. Upon leaving the port, we drove a few minutes to pick up another person that works for the tour company, and then we were off on the long drive to Cairo. The men were quite happy to help them onto the camels, walk them around a little, and take pictures of them with a pyramid in the background. There is also a curb that leads onto a sidewalk that goes into the Colosseum, although you can avoid the curb if you just walk around the Colosseum a little bit to where it levels out. There was a huge square (Spianada) in the center of the Old Town, and adjacent to the square was the Old Fortress a castle that was built in the 15th century. Spend the last few days of your affordable tour of Italy and Greece in sheer relaxation aboard your cruise ship for a 3-night cruise to some of the worlds most beautiful islands. Given that my wheelchair and I are a combined weight of over 500 lbs., I was still a little skeptical, but everyone grabbed on to a different part of my chair, and up I went. From specialty dining experiences to live nightly entertainment and spa packages, find everything you need to make memories that last a lifetime. One popular legend has it that people who throw a coin into the water will ensure themselves of a return trip to Rome in their lifetime. The security guard would not allow it though, and the two men got into quite a heated discussion. That road consisted of an incredibly rough stone. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. So, after getting up in the morning, we went down to the lower deck where they were boarding people onto the tenders. Since there was no accessible transportation available in Mykonos, we just walked around town for a couple hours. Im not sure why none of the hotel staff pointed it out to us earlier, but it certainly would have been nice to know on Day 1 that there was a ramp available. Once in Amalfi, we had about an hour to walk around town and grab some lunch at one of the many sidewalk cafs. There are also a couple of springs along the wall. Rome is on the west coast of Italy, and Venice is on the far north-east coast. Norwegian even offers a wide selection ofshore excursionsin each port. By the time we got back to the city, it was 1 p.m. We had just spent the first 4 hours of our 8-hour tour driving to see something that was not accessible. The lift is hardly even necessary though as the ramp that most people take down into the Forum is paved and is actually one of the smoother surfaces we came across in all of downtown Rome. You cant beat the convenience of being able to see some of the most famous sites from the ancient world up close, all without having to change hotel rooms. I prearranged a 4-hour island tour by wheelchair accessible van with a driver and a private guide. Given that the Acropolis is the highlight of a trip to Greece for most people, it is a little surprising that they dont have a technician on duty at all times while the Acropolis is open. The only really bad road was the Street of Knights, which ran from the Palace of the Grand Master to the market area inside the front gate near the port. We could not see everything as the stone path of the main road got rougher and rougher the farther we went along, but we were still able to see a good part of the ancient ruins. That way if the wheelchair lift breaks down, there will hopefully be time left in the day for a technician to come out and fix it so you can still go to the top later in the day. Greece Accessible Tour: Holiday and Vacation Fun! They also drove us to the Vatican one morning and the Colosseum the next morning. This time there was a different security guard standing at the gate, and as soon as we went up to him, he motioned for us to keep walking to the main entrance to the terminal. Most flights from North America to Europe are overnight flights arriving in Europe in the morning, so if you go straight to the ship from the airport upon arrival, it can be a very tiring day and you might not get the most out of the first day or two of your cruise. However, since we were driving right by it, our driver decided to stop in and do a quick drive-through. It was about a 1-hour drive from our hotel to the port of Civitavecchia. It wasnt until about 10 minutes later that we heard an announcement over a loudspeaker that flash photography was not allowed, although that didnt really stop anyone as there was no one there enforcing it. Experience a world beyond your expectations. The pathway was a little rough in some areas, but not bad overall. The other thing that made this cruise itinerary ideal was the availability of wheelchair accessible sightseeing tours at many of the ports. My main concern prior to the tour was the amount of headroom and legroom that there would be inside the van, but that turned out not to be an issue at all. I would love to know how many people give 50 euros for a 5-minute camel ride! Member of the Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) & ATAS Travel Accredited (No. Italy and Greece are countries steeped in history with a treasure trove of ancient sites and scenic beauty. Our driver felt awful and made numerous phone calls trying to get someone to come out including a phone call to the Greek Ministry of Tourism, but the timing was just bad. After lunch, we drove to nearby Giza to see the world-famous Pyramids. Perhaps, you want to make a wish at the Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy or walk the red carpet in Cannes, France. It is an amazing experience to look around the Colosseum and try to visualize the emperors who once sat there, the gladiators who once fought there, and the Christians who were martyred there. We ended up in the Old Town, which was a busy part of town full of tourist shops and activities. When we arrived at the security checkpoint inside the terminal building, one of the security guards saw me and immediately escorted us back out to where we came in and around the side of the building to an outside gated entrance, where he let us out into the main parking lot. The rooms were very busy, but definitely worth the visit. The Pantheon is home to several tombs, including the tombs of a couple of Italian kings and the famous painter Raphael. Aside from the one disappointing day in Athens, all of the tours were fantastic and we had a great time on board the ship. Visit Ponta Delgada (Azores), Cartagena (Spain), Barcelona (Spain), Marseille (France) and Florence (Italy). One can still get a really good view of it from the top of the steps, though. There were a few main doors leading into the Basilica, one of which was ramped for wheelchair access. I must admit, I didnt hear much of what he had to say. Your all-inclusiveItalian cruise vacationgives you the chance to experience Italy's rich history, delectable cuisine, amazing art, and incredible architecture. Simply choose the Mediterranean cruise itinerary of your dreams and you're set! That did the trick as I went down without any problem. It was quite good. In fact, Spain offers so many historical sites, monuments, and culturally rich activities, you'll have no problem filling each day with fun things to do. All of these golden treasures are on display at the Egyptian Museum, including his golden throne, his burial mask, and countless other golden artifacts. The Sphinx is located directly in front of the Pyramid of Khafre. The van was complete with a hydraulic lift and tie-downs, so we got in and began the journey south for the day. The next day we docked on the Greek island of Rhodes. Cruises from Rome to Palma de Mallorca (Majorca), Cruises from Rome to New York (Manhattan), Cruises from Rome to Cartagena (Colombia). The weight limit is only 230 kg (507 pounds), which is pretty much exactly the total weight of me sitting in my wheelchair. It is also one of their smaller ships with a capacity of only 2,076 passengers. Our partners who list cruise pricing on Cruise Critic are required to provide prices for cruise only, per person, double occupancy, and are based on specific cabin types and sailing dates, and may not be available for all cabin types/sailings. Then we noticed a problem. Our trip started out with a flight into Rome three days prior to the cruise, which gave us 2 full days to tour the city before the start of the cruise. Find something for everyone on aMediterranean cruise to Spain! Once again, we were met at the port by a wheelchair accessible van, the driver, and our private guide. They tried to page a technician to come in on short notice, but apparently, not many people answer their pagers on a Sunday afternoon. We know why you travel. So, after an hour on the ground in total, we got back in the van and headed back to Athens. After the Papyrus Institute, we had lunch at a local Egyptian restaurant. We began our second full day of sightseeing in Rome at the Colosseum. Second, the Acropolis should be visited first thing in the morning. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. We had a choice between fish or chicken, so I opted for the chicken with potatoes and rice. Pretty much the entire area of the Colosseum that is open to tourists is accessible for wheelchair users, with the exception of a small area on the lower level where there are a few steps to go down and then back up to the other side. Theres always room to roam with extra space between you and other travelerswhile still getting up close and personal to the experiences youve been dreaming of. Parts of the pathways were dirt or fine gravel and quite manageable, while other parts consisted of huge, uneven stones that only the most determined wheelchair users could go over. We made a few more stops at scenic overlooks along the way before arriving in Amalfi. I told him that I could not walk at all. There was also a large lineup of people waiting to enter St. Peters Basilica. Sure enough, it hesitated and lifted me up a little bit, but it didnt really move very far. On the way back to the port, we stopped briefly at a little market to pick up some souvenirs. There are plenty of notable things to see along the way though, including the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, Piazza Venezia, the Capitoline Hill, and the Forum. After the brief history lesson, the guide and my two friends went up to see the ruins up close while I waited at the bottom of the hill. In the end, we all really enjoyed the tour. However, I was shocked to discover that there was a 3-inch lip that I had to wheel over to go out onto the balcony. One thing should be pointed out for wheelchair users who plan to tour Rome by wheelchair, though. Although it is difficult for a wheelchair to get around in much of the Forum, there is certainly enough to see to make it worthwhile, such as the spot where Julius Caesars body was reportedly cremated and buried following his assassination. April 23, 2022: 14-night cruise from Fort Lauderdale (Florida) to Rome (Italy) on Royal Caribbean.
Red Bull Rain Jacket 2021, 130 Inch Sofa With Chaise, Job Vacancies In Galle For School Leavers, Serena And Lily Stool Dupe, Papaya Playa Project Casita Jungle With Pool, Mobile Home Bathtub Faucet Near Me, Philips One Blade Charge Time, Purely Inspired Organic Protein Plant Based Nutritional Shake, Faux Stone Veneer Panels Interior Walls, Colorlogic Pool Light Replacement, Martha Stewart Sectional Outdoor,
