ROLLING IN
Wheelchair Accessible
Travel In
By Howard L. Chabner and Michele E. DeSha
©
Howard L. Chabner and Michele E. DeSha 2003
This article is the fruit of our May 2003
trip to
Although
there are still many barriers in Rome, we were heartened to discover a growing
awareness of access and the needs and rights of disabled people. Every day we saw several Romans and tourists
in both manual and electric wheelchairs.
Good access planning is evident in new construction and major
renovations. This article includes bad experiences
along with the good ones, but we truly enjoyed our trip and hope to return to
Rome. Don’t be discouraged by the
barriers; experiencing Rome is well worth dealing with them.
This article covers only access and
assumes a basic familiarity with Rome.
There are a myriad of superb books and articles about almost every aspect
of Roman art, architecture, history, culture, cuisine and daily life, and many
excellent travel guidebooks.
In
planning our trip we used the Internet and other information sources but not a
travel agent. We traveled on our own,
not with a tour group. We also toured
Florence; for comprehensive, reliable, useful access information in English
about Florence, we highly recommend Barrier Free Travel, a Florence-based
non-profit dedicated to disability access in Florence and Tuscany. (See
Additional Information, below.)
We have
tried to be as accurate as possible, but of course accuracy is not
guaranteed. The reader should confirm
all information, especially access details, directly with hotels, museums,
transportation providers and other facilities.
As in all research, primary sources are much better than secondary
ones. We encountered many gaps, errors
and inconsistencies in access information, especially regarding transportation. Quite often, the facts on the ground are
better than the information about them.
The Roman talent for art, architecture, design, engineering,
construction, plumbing, cuisine and many other things doesn’t extend to
organizing and disseminating information.
Also, things change. It is
essential to re-confirm information shortly before acting on it. Note that not all phone numbers in Italy have
the same number of digits.
Because one’s physical capabilities,
limitations and equipment affect the access achievable under a given set of
environmental and design conditions, and one’s point of reference colors one’s
perception of access, we’ll tell you about ourselves. Howard has muscular dystrophy and uses an
electric wheelchair. On this trip Howard
used a Quickie P110 folding electric wheelchair that is 25” (63.5 cm) wide and weighs
approximately 100 pounds. Howard is six
feet tall, cannot walk and can transfer to an inaccessible automobile only with
great difficulty. Michele is
able-bodied. We are fortunate to live in
San Francisco, where access is generally excellent.
A form of
hotel access questionnaire is Appendix A. You are welcome to adapt it for your own
use. A metric conversion guide is Appendix
B. A dictionary of key access terms
in Italian and a pronunciation guide, both by Cornelia Danielson of Barrier
Free Travel, are Appendix C. This
article (including the appendices) may not be reproduced or used for profit
without our written permission, but readers are welcome to reproduce or use it
for any other purpose.
Because of the complex and difficult public transportation situation, staying in a central location is critical unless you are able to transfer easily to a taxi. Being within rolling distance of museums, antiquities, churches, restaurants and shopping saves time, energy, frustration and expense. At least as important, it’s exciting to stay in the heart of the centro storico, where one can roll by the same building or piazza ten times and discover something new and enriching each time. We stayed in an ideal central location one block from the Pantheon. Rolling by the Pantheon and Piazza Minerva several times each day was thrilling. Up to a point, we would forego a large room, stylish atmosphere and contemporary amenities for a great location.
Albergo Santa Chiara. Via Santa Chiara, 21. www.albergosantachiara.com email stchiara@tin.it Phone +39-066-872-979. Fax +39-066-873-144. We stayed at this terrific three-star gem
located near Piazza Minerva, one block from the Pantheon. We found out about it from Claudia Young’s
article (see Further Information, below) and didn’t do much other research on
hotels. The central location is
perfect. The lobby is much nicer than it
appears on the web site photos. The
staff was helpful and professional and breakfast was good. The front entrance is level with the street,
with double sliding doors that open automatically. There are three stairs from the lobby to the
breakfast room so we ate breakfast in the lobby.
We stayed in the accessible room,
Room 120. It is quiet, large and
extremely well lit, though without a view or much natural light. It’s pleasant enough that one doesn’t mind spending
time in the room for a break from the hustle-bustle of central Rome. The bed is good transfer height and firm but
not too firm. The doorways are 90 cm
(35”) wide.
The room has two bathrooms, both
tiled in travertine. The able-bodied one
has a stand-up shower. The accessible
one is very large, with a roll-in shower on a gradually sloping floor, a
pullout shower nozzle in a large sink and, in lieu of a bidet, a handheld
shower unit near the toilet. The shower
has well-placed grab bars and a wall-hung pull-down seat that’s quite
small. The water is hot whenever desired
and very forceful. Both bathrooms have
emergency call cords and nice features such as electric towel warmers, large
mirrors and effective fans. The accessible
one even has two flush buttons for the toilet, one wall-mounted forward of the
toilet and one on the toilet. As is
typical in Roman accessible bathrooms, the grab bar alongside the toilet is
mounted on the back wall and can be flipped up if not needed.
Transfer to the toilet is not ideal but not bad. There is sufficient transfer space on one side of the toilet, but the handheld shower unit, a soap dish and a plumbing fixture protrude several inches from the back wall, and the portion of the back wall next to the toilet is at a slight angle from the portion immediately behind the toilet. One’s wheelchair can’t go all the way against the back wall or completely parallel to the toilet. A complete side-to side transfer isn’t possible, but a side transfer at a moderate angle is; the angle between toilet and wheelchair is much closer to parallel than to a right angle.
There are some barriers that are
minor for someone traveling with a companion but potentially significant for a
solo wheelchair traveler. The shower
spray itself and its controls are too high and the controls lack a temperature
indicator. One of the bathroom light
switches is inaccessible. Though the
lower closet shelves are accessible, the hanging pole is too high and there is
no clear path to it. The dresser is
large but the drawer handles are far apart and difficult or impossible for most
people to reach from a wheelchair. The
window controls and curtain pulls are too high.
The largest barrier for us was that
the elevator is shallow and the control buttons are difficult to reach. We had to remove Howard’s footplates for his
wheelchair to fit in the elevator. With
the footplates removed, both of us fit, but just barely. According to hotel personnel, the elevator
door opening is approximately 80 cm (31 ½”) wide; we didn’t measure but this
seems accurate.
Overall, the Santa Chiara is
excellent for wheelchair travelers with a companion and for slow walkers. It might pose difficulties for a solo
wheelchair traveler, depending on one’s abilities and reach. Considering the age of the building and the
typical Roman constraints, the proprietors have done a very good job in
providing access. And the location,
plumbing, room size and quiet are difficult to beat!
Grand Hotel Minerva (
Albergo del Senato. Piazza della Rotonda, 73. www.albergodelsenato.it info@albergodelsenato.it Phone +39-06-678-43-43. Fax +39-06-699-40-297. This three-star hotel facing the Pantheon
claims to be accessible, per its website, but there are three stairs at the
entrance and we couldn’t find a level alternate entrance. Per the hotel, the elevator is 88 cm x 100 cm
and the bathroom door width is 67 cm.
Hotel
Cosmopolita. Via Santa Eufemia, 5. www.hotelcosmopolita.com info@hotelcosmopolita.com Phone +39-06-699-413-49. Fax +39-06-699-413-60.
This four-star hotel near Trajan’s Markets, renovated in 2002, has a
steep slope at the entrance. There is a
large wheelchair accessible bathroom on the ground floor. The desk clerk was friendly and helpful when
Howard asked to use the bathroom. He
told us the hotel has accessible guest rooms.
We didn’t inspect them but this hotel is worth considering for someone
who wants to stay near the Forum and Capitoline Hill.
Numerous apartments in
Questionnaire
A form of hotel access questionnaire is Appendix
A. You are welcome to adapt it for
your own use.
We toured
Paths of Travel
Many major
intersections lack curb cuts or curb ramps.
Many site ramps, curb ramps and curb cuts are steeper than in the
Many small and medium-size streets lack
sidewalks and are made of “Saint Peter’s stone.” The stones are picturesque but uneven; don’t
roll too fast immediately after eating.
The good thing about these streets is that there is no curb, hence no
need for curb cuts.
Parking is tight and parked vehicles
often block curb cuts. Construction
sites that block sidewalks do not provide an alternative path of travel or a
protected path, as they are required to do in the
Traffic
is heavy. Drivers are aggressive in an impersonal way, but very skilled, alert
and aware of pedestrians; they are not angry or deliberately
inconsiderate. Many of the streets are
one-way, making crossing manageable. The
yellow lights are long compared to the U.S., as are the entire traffic light
cycles, so there is ample time to cross.
Bridges
Avoid
Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II, the bridge that leads to the Vatican; it has a ramp
with an extraordinarily steep double-angle on the Vatican side of the
Tiber. (Great for skateboards but not
wheelchairs.) The adjacent bridges,
Ponte Sant’ Angelo and Ponte Principe Amedeo, have no such obstacles, although
there aren’t curb ramps at all adjacent street corners.
The
pedestrian footbridges Ponte Sisto and Ponte Fabricio/Ponte Cestio (the two
segments of the bridge that crosses Isola Tiberina island) have a semicircular
metal-railed barricade at each end that allows pedestrians to pass but not
vehicles. Howard was barely able to pass
through, and in one of them it was necessary to remove his footplates.
Stores and Restaurants
Many
stores and restaurants are up one or, less frequently, two stairs. The proprietors are very willing to lift your
wheelchair into the store or restaurant, although they often require instructions
on how to do it. Many trattorias have
outdoor tables. Enjoy your meals
outdoors as the Romans do and you will avoid any barriers.
Pay Phones
Most pay phones we saw are inaccessible,
either because there is a high edge or the phone is too high. Some newer phones are accessible, but with
difficulty.
ATM’s/Banks
Michele used ATM’s at a variety of banks
in various locations. All were too high
for a wheelchair. We had no occasion to
enter banks, but on casual observation, the entrances to many banks seemed to
be up a difficult step and through an inaccessible security booth.
Buses
We
rolled/walked most places, but took several different bus lines on enough
occasions to get an impression of the bus situation. Many Roman bus lines are accessible, but
despite the schedule frequency, a wheelchair traveler can wait a long time for
the bus. Not all the buses on an
“accessible” line are actually accessible; our impression is that approximately
half are. The percentage may vary
depending on the line. Instead of lifts,
access is by means of a retractable ramp on the side entrance. Almost half the accessible vehicles we tried
to use had broken ramps or drivers who were unable to get the ramps to
function. The effective slope is often
steep, depending on the sidewalk and street topography at the particular
stop. The drivers are poorly trained on
the ramps – sometimes they deploy the ramp so the bottom edge is on the street
but too close to the curb for a wheelchair to alight. The wheelchair securement area in the bus is
near the side entrance but quite short and often lacks lockdowns; there is
typically a short seat belt. The bottom
line is that one can’t rely on the buses to get anywhere on time. One can get lucky, but don’t count on
it. But on vacation, one can often
better afford the extra time - getting places on time on vacation, especially
in
The
website of ATAC, the public transit agency, has some information in
English. www.atac.roma.it We strongly urge you to call ATAC when you
are in
We didn’t try the Metro. Many of the stations are stated to be
accessible, but those in the centro storico near where we stayed (Colosseo,
Circo Massimo and Cavour, all on Line B) are not. Contact ATAC at www.atac.roma.it Phone +39-06-469-540-01.
We had heard from the Roman
disability organization CO.IN that the Commune of Rome (the
There is an accessible train from the main airport, DaVinci, to the main train station, Roma Termini, but this still doesn’t bring you to your hotel and it may not be feasible if you have a lot of luggage and are tired from a long plane flight.
ATAC also provides a paratransit
service within
We had heard that the Italian
intercity train company operates an accessible van service from the hotels to
the train stations in the major cities, and that one can reserve a ride by
contacting the “Centro di Accoglienza” or “
Free sightseeing tours of
We include the above information not to discourage you from trying to get a ride from public agencies but to emphasize that the situation changes frequently, programs you’ve heard about may or may not operate when you are in Rome and new programs may be adopted or discontinued ones reinstated. It is imperative to confirm the specifics as close as possible to your travel time.
Private Van Services
We ended up getting a ride from the airport from Fausta Trasporti. We also hired Fausta for the day to take us to Hadrian’s Villa and for a ride to the train station. They were reliable and convenient, but expensive. The driver was gracious, helpful and spoke English fairly well. The van was clean and large and had a heavy-duty lift.
Fausta Trasporti. www.faustatrasporti.it fausta@mclink.it Phone +39-06-503-6040. Fax +39-06-519-684-17.
Other van services, which we didn’t use, are:
Leurini SRL. giulianoleurini@tiscalinet.it Phone/Fax +39-06-308-913-93.
Schiaffini Travel. Schiaffini is a large company with several
locations in
So.Me.T. www.sometviaggi.com somet@sometviaggi.com Phone +39-06-661-821-13. Fax +39-06-669-0240.
Private van services are expensive in part because the vans are large enough for several wheelchair passengers, so, in effect, one pays for unused space if one is alone or with only a sole companion. Prices are sometimes negotiable.
Taxis
We didn’t see any accessible taxis or learn of any from our research.
We
reserved first-class seats on a Eurostar from
.
Roman
bathrooms typically are large and clean and have great plumbing, often
including handheld spray units. Many
bathrooms, accessible and regular, are staffed by an attendant who cleans them
frequently. Most wheelchair accessible
bathrooms have large toilets that are higher than the typical accessible high
toilet in the
Coliseum.
The bathrooms are outside the Coliseum itself, near the intersection of
Via dei Fori Imperioli and Via di San Giovanni in Laterano. The accessible one is small but there is an
attendant to keep ensure privacy.
Roman
Forum/Trajan’s Markets. Hotel Cosmopolita, Via Santa Eufemia, 5, near
Trajan’s Markets, has a large wheelchair accessible bathroom on the ground
floor.
Trastevere
(Villa Sciarra). The botanical garden Villa Sciarra, located
at Via Calandrelli, 35, has an inaccessible bathroom near the main entrance,
but there is a bathroom a few hundred feet away that lacks grab bars but is
large enough for a wheelchair and has a level entrance. There is an actual accessible bathroom in the
garden approximately one kilometer from the entrance.
Accessibility of some museums we visited is described below. We urge you to try to tour all major museums, parks and antiquities sites that interest you - they are likely to be at least partially accessible and you will probably see something interesting and beautiful on the way.
Villa Borghese (Museo e Galleria
Borghese). Piazzale Scipione Borghese, 5. Phone +39-06-842-416-07. The first floor of the museum is accessible
through a rear entrance facing the gardens.
There is one moderate height stair.
An attendant-operated stair-climbing device is available to take slow
walkers and people who have difficulty climbing stairs to the second floor, but
it can’t accommodate wheelchairs. Bernini’s stunning sculptures, Canova’s sensual yet refined Pauline
Bonaparte and many other masterpieces are on the first floor, so a visit is a
must even though the second floor is inaccessible. There is an accessible bathroom in the
basement; the basement is accessed via stair lift from the front of the
villa. Reservations are required to
visit the museum. We strongly recommend
early morning reservations because the museum, which is small, is likely to be
less crowded early in the day.
Capitoline Museums. Piazza del Campidoglio. Phone +39-06-671-027-33. The piazza, on Capitoline Hill, is accessible via a moderately steep winding path to the right of Michelangelo’s Cordonata staircase as you are facing the staircase. There are two related museums in separate buildings, the main entrances of which are up three or four large stairs through the loggia facing the piazza.
The museum on the right is the Palazzo dei Conservatori. There is an accessible side entrance to the right, just above the path by which you accessed the hill, but it is always locked and you must get the attention of a museum employee at the main entrance. The doorway is up a small step from the path and leads to a large, attendant-operated elevator. There is a café on the top floor with a sweeping view from Saint Peter’s to the Spanish Steps.
The museum on the left is the Palazzo Nuovo. Although there is an accessible entrance to the lower level on the front left side, down the hill along a steep path that continues down toward the Forum of Caesar and Trajan’s Column, for security reasons the museum guards didn’t allow Howard to enter through it, so they carried his wheelchair up three stairs at the front entrance. From the entrance level one descends a series of several long stairways via separate stairlifts to reach the lower level, which has a terrace with a stunning view of the Roman Forum, with the Arch of Septimius Severus prominently in the foreground. Using the stairlifts was so complicated and time-consuming that the guard, on her own initiative, let Howard exit through the aforementioned door along the hillside.
Persistence, insistence and patience are essential in dealing with the personnel in both museums. We experienced delays at each step of the process as museum personnel endlessly consulted with each other.
Palazzo Doria Pamphilj.
Piazza
Museo di Roma (Palazzo Braschi).
Piazza San Pantaleo, 10. Phone
+39-06-687-5345. This recently and
gorgeously restored palazzo just outside Piazza Navona houses a less well-known
museum of paintings and art objects showing Roman life from medieval times
onward. The 18th century
ceilings are splendid and lack the baroque excess of earlier palazzos. A new stair lift brings you up three or four
stairs at the entrance; from there a large, modern talking elevator in Italian
and English serves the other floors. As
of May 2003 one floor was still closed for restoration. The accessible bathroom is large, spotless
and even has a view of the courtyard.
Vatican Museums.
Entrance on Viale Vaticano. Phone
+39-69-884-466. Disabled visitors are
invited to go to the beginning of the entrance line, which is quite an
advantage given the typically long lines.
Access to much of the collection is generally very good, especially
considering the age, size and complexity of the buildings. Access to the Sistine Chapel is by an old but
serviceable stair lift, followed by a steep ramp in the chapel itself. The Rafael rooms are accessible via a
separate elevator from the long hallway that leads to the Sistine Chapel. The Pinacoteca gallery of paintings is level
with the main floor. The Egyptian,
Assyrian and Greek galleries were under major renovation when we were there,
and the path to the accessible elevators and stair lifts was blocked. Although
it’s probably impossible to beat the crowds, getting there early when the
museums open is as close as you can get.
Special,
Limited
The following masterpieces of Renaissance
palazzo architecture are generally closed to the public but tours are given to
a limited number of people upon written request several months in advance. Unfortunately, we learned this too late and
the tours were full.
Palazzo Farnese.
Piazza Farnese. This palazzo,
home of the French Embassy, features a harmonious neoclassical façade designed
by Michelangelo. It was undergoing a
major restoration in May 2003. We were
told there is a large elevator serving at least the major floors. Contact your local French consulate.
Palazzo della Cancelleria.
Piazza della Cancelleria. Phone
+39-06-69-884-816.
Coliseum.
The entrance is on the side facing the Arch of Constantine. Heavy stone pavement surrounds most of the
Coliseum, including the path from the Arch of Constantine to the entrance. The terrain is bumpy but level and
passable. There is a large, modern
elevator from the ground floor to the primary upper floor, and the walkway
around the perimeter at that level is completely accessible. The bathrooms are outside the Coliseum
itself, near the intersection of Via dei Fori Imperiali and Via di San Giovanni
in Laterano. The accessible one is small
but there is an attendant to ensure privacy.
Forum. The streets within the Forum are paved in
large, irregular, uneven stones.
Although the streets are relatively flat, there are some slopes. The terrain is difficult for a wheelchair,
but it is possible to go through much of the Forum with a moderate amount of
assistance. Enter on the east side, on
Via Sacra near the Arch of Titus and the Coliseum, or on the north side, from
Via in Miranda; while still difficult, the way there is much better than on the
west side near the Capitoline Museums.
The latter was impassible so Howard backtracked approximately halfway
and exited on Via in Miranda, a steep paved path leading from Via Sacra north
to Via dei Fori Imperiali.
Take a local Roman bus to Piramide in
Testaccio. Buses 60 and 160 from Via del
Corso stop half a mile from Piramide; bus 30 from Piazza Venezia stops at the
Metro station opposite Piramide. (As bus
access information is inconsistent and changes frequently, confirm this
directly with ATAC. Several accessible
lines go to or near Piramide. 175 is
very direct from Via del Corso but was inaccessible as of May 2003. Also note that, although some of the Metro
stops in
Take the train (not the Metro) outbound
toward
As you enter the parking lot, on the far
left toward the middle of the left edge of the parking lot there is a walkway
adjacent to a small divided highway (not an Autostrada, but busier and faster
than a regular street). The walkway is
narrow but paved, with signposts narrowing it in a few spots, but Howard was
able to pass through with a few inches to spare. After several hundred feet there are two
complex intersections of the divided highway and a couple other streets. You must cross the intersections to get to
the town of
We didn’t try to visit the
At the antiquities there is a level,
paved service road parallel to the Decumanus (the ancient main street, paved in
large, irregular stones) going from the main park entrance all the way to the
museum and café. The service road is above
the Decumanus and affords a view of much of the antiquities below, but is not
in them. The bathrooms at the café are
accessible; those at the park entrance are not.
The café and outdoor terrace are accessible. The museum was closed when we were there;
there are a few stairs but there may be a portable ramp or accessible alternate
entrance.
Closer to the park entrance than to the
café/museum, a well-paved, gently sloping accessible walkway connects the
service road with the ancient theater.
It passes the Forum of the Corporations, which has well-preserved floor
mosaics installed by traders and merchants to designate their specialties,
merchandise and trade areas. The walkway
ends at a flat area at the bottom of the theater. After exploring the theater we were able to
go all the way west past the museum to the apartments in the Via di Diana and
the large
We were at the site over four hours and
didn’t see everything. There wasn’t time
to explore much of the area east of the theater (between the theater and the
park entrance) and it was quite hot. At
a few places there are unpaved paths connecting the service road to the
Decumanus; these are moderately steep but would have been accessible with
assistance. Also, we didn’t go further
west (toward the coast) than the
Allow a
full day to see this fascinating, beautiful site. Bring plenty of water, extra tire tubes just
in case and your imagination.
Hadrian’s
Villa. www.villaadriana.it Phone +39-07-745-302-03. This large site is in
Most of the paths are wide and of dirt, not gravel or stone, and therefore easier to navigate than the Decumanus at Ostia Antica. However, the site is hillier, and Michele and our driver pushed Howard’s wheelchair in several places. But many areas are level or only gradually sloping. As at Ostia Antica, the ground was dry and compacted; the going would have been difficult if not impossible in wet, muddy ground. The main bathroom, near the pool, is accessible although up a moderately steep hill. The lock handle inside the bathroom is small and difficult to grasp; be careful not to get locked in if your grip is not strong.
Churches
Many of
the churches have a few stairs. Access
to some of them depends on the competence and helpfulness of the lay employees
and clergy who happen to be there when you visit, which varies greatly from one
church to another. Sometimes people were
prepared and willing to help; other times they were neither. It is often necessary to have an able-bodied
companion or passerby locate an employee.
Gesu.
The front entrance has many stairs.
The rear entrance, around the block, has two stairs, then one. The friendly, helpful employees were ready
with portable ramps.
Sant’
Agnese in Agone. The front entrance has many stairs and there
is no accessible alternate entrance.
San
Giovanni dei Fiorenti. This church at the northern end of the
picturesque Via Giulia has many steep stairs to the front entrance, but a
steep, semi-permanent metal ramp is in place. The pavement at the bottom has a
tricky double-angle. A policeman pushed
Howard’s wheelchair up the ramp and steadied it on the way down. The church is less interesting than many, but
it is commendable that the parish has provided access to a building with such a
high, steep porch; many other churches with fewer stairs and lower porches have
no ramps.
Sant’
Ivo alla Sapienza. This small gem by Borromini is only open
Sunday mornings. It’s inside the
courtyard of the Palazzo della Sapienza, the main entrance to which is up
several stairs on Corso del Rinascimento.
The Palazzo is now used for government offices. There’s an accessible entrance to the Palazzo
on the opposite side, just down from Piazza Sant’ Eustachio, via a driveway
with an attendant-operated gate. It’s
normally closed on Sundays. From the
perimeter of the courtyard there is one low step down to the center of the
courtyard and from there two stairs up into the church. Unfortunately, despite our having arranged
with the superintendent of the Palazzo building several days in advance to open
the driveway gate for Howard on Sunday, nobody was there so Howard was unable
to visit this church.
Santa
Maria sopra Minerva. The front entrance has four or five
stairs. The rear entrance, which is
quite far, has one large stair down, then two up. The employees and clergy were unhelpful but
some tourists lifted Howard’s wheelchair.
Saint
Peter’s. Access is excellent, there are fully
accessible bathrooms and the employees are welcoming. Visitors in wheelchairs are invited to go to
the front of the line.
Synagogue
Synagogue and Jewish Museum. Lungotevere dei Cenci. Phone +39-06-684-006-61. The main floor of the synagogue is accessed
via a ramp on the right side, through a gravel path. A security guard is always present and can assist
you through the gravel path. The museum
and second floor of the sanctuary are up a flight of stairs and
inaccessible.
Stair
Lifts
The
stair lifts at many museums and churches (even those that appear fairly new)
are typically narrower, shorter and with a lower weight capacity (often 150 kg
– 330 pounds) than in the
Electricity
and Charging your Wheelchair
Italy uses 220 volt AC power. The standard plug, a three-prong grounded
plug with all three prongs in a straight line, is different from the one used
in most other European countries. Plug
adapters are available at any travel store.
If you use an electric wheelchair, we
recommend obtaining a wheelchair battery charger with settings for 110 and 220
volts. If you travel frequently it is a
good investment; also, you only have to carry a charger, not a charger and a
converter.
Although
Howard’s charger has a 220 volt setting and we experienced no problems using it
in Israel and France, in Rome and Florence the batteries charged hot (the
charger and charger plug were hot to the touch) and the wheelchair’s circuit
breaker tripped many times. Sometimes
the chair charged okay on the second or third try after having been reset, but
later in the trip the circuit breaker tripped almost all the time. An Italian wheelchair mechanic tested the
wheelchair and circuit breaker; he concluded that they were not broken. We rented an Italian charger and experienced
some of the same problems at first.
Only when we plugged the Italian charger into a different outlet in the
same room did it charge. As it appears
extremely unlikely that several wall outlets in both the Rome hotel and
Florence apartment were broken, and we were able to use other devices with
smaller power demands in the same outlets, the tentative conclusion is that
some wall outlets in Italy are incapable of handling enough current to charge a
wheelchair, while others in the same room are.
Do not be alarmed by this, but if you experience problems charging your
wheelchair, keep trying different outlets.
The
boxes for prescription drugs in Italy contain the name of the medication in
Braille. A few of the museums in Rome
have new elevators that announce the floors in Italian and English. Some of the curb ramps in Roman sidewalks at
major intersections have textured markings.
The train platform at the renovated Ostia Lido Nord station has
extensive textured markings.
Rome
and General
Access-Able Travel Source, www.access-able.com has a database of
articles and links about accessible travel to a variety of destinations. It includes the article “Rome, Istanbul &
Katmandu” by Bill Brauer, which is short and several years old, but still worth
reading.
CO.IN.
Cooperative Integrate Onlus. www.coinsociale.it turismo@coinsociale.it
or info@coinsociale.it Phone
+39-06-712-9011. Fax
+39-06-712-901-79. This Roman disability
organization has an online database of access information in English and will
answer specific inquiries. It also works
to improve access in Rome and Lazio, and provides various services to disabled
people.
Emerging Horizons, www.emerginghorizons.com has links
to several sources of access information about Rome and other Italian
cities. Emerging Horizons publishes a
print magazine containing articles about accessible travel to a variety of
destinations, some of which are also contained on the website.
The Italian non-profit ENEA has an
Italian language website of access information and information about accessible
technologies.
http://andi.casaccia.enea.it andi@casaccia.enea.it
The European Union has produced
country-specific disability travel guides in English, including one about
Italy. Finding it may require some
searching. It may also be available from
CO.IN on request.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/services
“Rome on Wheels,” an article by Claudia
Young on the website Traveling with Ed and Julie, www.twenj.com/romewheels.htm
presents a personal, enthusiastic account of Ms. Young’s trip and includes much
useful information. The TWENJ website
also has many other worthwhile articles about Rome unrelated to access.
The website of the Society for
Accessible Travel & Hospitality (SATH) contains articles, links and
resources about accessible travel in general and traveling with a
disability. www.sath.org
sathtravel@aol.com Phone 212-447-7284.
Alan Epstein, tour guide and author
of the engaging As the Romans Do, and his wife Diane Epstein maintain an
informative website with restaurant recommendations and descriptions of
museums, galleries and other places of interest. www.astheromansdo.com astheromansdo@mclink.it This site doesn’t contain access
information. We especially liked the
restaurant recommendations.
Medical
Needs
The United States Embassy provides referrals to English speaking doctors and dentists. www.usembassy.it Phone +39-06-467-41. Fax +39-06-488-2672.
Foundation Santa Lucia – Santa Lucia
Rehabilitation Hospital offers physical therapy and an accessible swimming
pool. (We didn’t use this facility, so
this information is based on our correspondence with it.) It is located several miles outside central
Rome. A doctor’s letter is required in
advance. www.hsantalucia.it degenze@hsantalucia.it or
dirsan@hsantalucia.it. Phone +39-06-515-011/014/022/023/024. Fax +39-06-503-2097. Via Ardeatina, 306 - 00179 Rome.
Florence
and Tuscany
Superb, reliable access information is
available from Barrier Free Travel, a non-profit dedicated to making Florence
and Tuscany accessible. Contact Cornelia
Danielson, Executive Director, Barrier Free Travel, barrierfreetravel@tin.it Phone/Fax +39-055-233-5543. Via Benedetto da Foiano, 19 - 50125
Florence.
APPENDIX A
Hotel Wheelchair Access
Questionnaire
Dear Sir/Madam:
My [wife/husband/friend] and I will arrive in Rome on [ ] and depart on [ ]. We will stay for [ ] nights.
I use an electric wheelchair that is [[ ] centimeters ([ ] inches)] wide. I am unable to walk at all. My [wife/husband/friend] is not disabled. We would like a non-smoking room with one large bed. We have the following questions about your hotel:
1.
Do
you have any specially equipped wheelchair accessible guest rooms? If not, please disregard the other
questions. Thank you and we would
appreciate a recommendation of hotel in the area that does have specially
equipped wheelchair accessible guest rooms.
If you do have specially equipped
wheelchair accessible guest rooms, we have the following questions. Please answer even if you are fully booked
for the requested time, because we are interested in your hotel for the future.
1.
Is
it necessary to go up or down any stairs in order to get from the street
entrance to the guest room? Does the
building have an elevator? If so, how
wide is the elevator door and what are the interior dimensions of the
elevator?
2.
In
the bathroom, is there space for a [ ]
cm wide wheelchair on one side of the toilet? What is the width of the doorway
into the bathroom? What is the height of
the toilet? What is the size of the
shower? Can a wheelchair roll into the
shower? Are there grab bars near the
toilet and shower?
3.
Are
all the doorways in the room at least 75 cm wide?
4.
What
is the size of the room? Does this
include the bathroom?
5.
Was
the building renovated recently?
If
you do have specially equipped wheelchair accessible guest rooms, is the room
available on the nights mentioned above?
If yes, please quote a price.
Thank
you very much. We can be reached at
[ ]. We really appreciate any help you can
provide.
Very
Truly Yours
APPENDIX B
Metric Conversion Guide
One
inch = 2.54 centimeters.
One
centimeter = 0.3937 inches
One
meter = 39.4 inches
One
square meter = 10.76 square feet
One
kilometer = 0.62 miles
One mile = 1.61
kilometers
One kilogram =
2.2 pounds
One pound =
0.454 kilograms (454 grams)
APPENDIX C
English-To-Italian Dictionary Of Disability Access Words And Phrases
© Barrier Free Travel 2003
(Included by permission of, and with thanks to, Cornelia Danielson
of Barrier Free Travel)
Vocabulary
“disabled” - DISABILE or HANDICAPPATO
“I am disabled” – SONO UNA PERSONA
DISABILE
“wheelchair”
- CARROZZINA or CARROZZELLA or SEDIA A ROTELLE
“I use a
wheelchair” – SONO IN CARROZZINA
“I use an
electric wheelchair” - USO UNA CARROZZINA ELETTRICA
“wheel” - RUOTA
“battery” –
BATTERIA
“tire” - GOMMA
“my wheelchair
needs to be repaired” – LA MIA
CARROZZINA HA BISOGNO DI ESSERE RIPARATA
“transfer board”
- TAVOLETTA DI TRASFERIMENTO
“I am unable to walk” – NON CAMMINO
“ramp”
–RAMPA or SCIVOLO
or PEDANA
“is there a
ramp?” - C’E’ UNA RAMPA?
“stairs” –SCALE
“are there
stairs?” CI SONO DELLE SCALE?
“how many steps are there?” - QUANTI GRADINI SONO?
“elevator” - ASCENSORE
“is there an
elevator?” – C’E’ UN ASCENSORE?
“is it necessary
to climb any steps to get to the elevator?” – CI SONO DEI GRADINI PER ARRIVARE
ALL’ASCENSORE?
“what are the elevator’s dimensions?”-
QUALI SONO LE DIMENSIONI DELL'ASCENSORE ?
“what is the
width of the doorway?” – QUAL’ E’ LA LARGEZZA DELLA PORTA?
“what is the
height of the bed?” - QUAL’E’ L’ALTEZZA
DEL LETTO?
“up” - SU
“down” - GIU'
“roll-in shower” - DOCCIA A PAVIMENTO
“accessible bathroom” - BAGNO
ACCESSIBILE or SERVIZIO IGENICO
ACCESSIBILE
“grab bars” –
MANIGLIONI or CORRIMANI
(hand rails)
“is the bathroom
wheelchair accessible?” – IL BAGNO E’
ACCESSIBILE ALLE CARROZZINE?
“does the
bathroom have a roll-in shower?” – IL
BAGNO E’ CON DOCCIA A PAVIMENTO?
“are there grab
bars in the bathroom?” – CI SONO DEI
MANIGLIONI NEL BAGNO?
“is the bus
wheelchair accessible?” – L’AUTOBUS E’
ACCESSIBILE ALLE CARROZZINE?
“is the train
wheelchair accessible?” – IL TRENO E’
ACCESSIBILE ALLE CARROZZINE?
“is the
van/minivan wheelchair accessible?” – IL
PULMINO E’ ACCESSIBILE ALLE CARROZZINE?
“does the
van/minivan have a ramp?” – IL PULMINO
HA UNA RAMPA?
“does the
van/minivan have a lift?” – IL PULMINO HA UN SOLLEVATORE ?
“the
elevator/ramp/lift is broken” – L’ASCENSORE/ LA RAMPA/ IL SOLLEVATORE E’ ROTTO
(or “ROTTA” depending on the gender of the noun)
“how far is it
from [ ] to [ ]?” -
QUANTO DISTA DA [ ] A [ ] ?
“blind” – NON VEDENTE
or CIECO
“I am blind” –
SONO CIECO or SONO UN NON VEDENTE
“Braille” – same word is used, pronounced “brile” (with a
long “i” and silent “e” like “bile”)
“guide dog”
–CANE GUIDA
“deaf” – NON
UDENTE or SORDO
“I am deaf” –
SONO SORDO or SONO UN NON UDENTE
“hearing
impaired” – IPOUDENTE
“I am hearing
impaired” – SONO QUASI SORDO
“sign language”
– LINGUAGGIO DEI SORDOMUTI
“sign language
interpreter” – UN INTERPRETE DEL
LINGUAGGIO DEI SORDOMUTI
Every letter
(vowel and consonant) is pronounced in Italian. There is no silent “e” for
example as there is in English
A is always a short “a” (as in “adopt”)
E sounds like a long “a” (as in “ate”)
I sounds like a long “e” (as in “eat”)
O sounds like a long “o” (as in “oats”)
U sounds like “ou” (as in “you”)
C has a hard sound like “k” before “o” and “a” (carrozzina) BUT BEFORE
OTHER VOWELS it sounds like the “ch” in “chair” (doccia)