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11 Florence Wheelchair Accessible Travel Tips

By John Sage

Wheelchair accessible travel in Florence must be done over the cobblestones that cover almost the entire city.  There are no accessible public transportation options that connect the attractions in the city centre.  In order to make your trip to Florence as easy as it can be, follow these Florence Wheelchair Accessible Travel Tips.

1. Group and conquer – Group the tourist attractions by proximity and visit them on different days.  The easiest grouping is to divide your itinerary into north and south.  The north should include the Accademia, the San Marco Museum, and shopping.  The south should include Pitti Palace, the Uffizi Gallery, Ponte Vecchio, and Palazzo Vecchio.  The Duomo and Santa Croce are in the centre of town.

2. Hotel near the train station – If you’re traveling by train and can’t transfer from your wheelchair to a normal taxi, you may want to stay at a hotel within walking distance of the train station.  There are several located just north of the station.

3. Italian dining – A great Italian dinner makes for a great end to each day. Spend some time before you leave finding out where the Florence accessible restaurants are located in each neighborhood. You should also identify some lunch stops to visit during your sightseeing.

4. Take a taxi to the Pitti Palace – There’s a slightly uphill walk/roll from the Ponte Vecchio to the Pitti Palace located on the south side of the Arno River.  Disabled tourists may want to take a taxi to reach it.

5. Taxi up to Piazzale Michelangelo – Piazzale Michelangelo provides the best views of Florence and should be visited at sunset on clear days.  It’s located up a large hill, and disabled tourists should take a taxi to reach it.  Electric wheelchair and mobility scooter users should use the accessible buses that depart from the train station.

6. Don’t overpay at the Accademia and Uffizi Gallery – Admission is free for a disabled visitor and one companion at both museums.

7. Vasari Coridor is not accessible – The Vasari Coridor is the private walkway used by the Medici family to get from the Pitti Palace to the city hall.  It runs along the top of the Ponte Vecchio and can be visited by private tours.  Unfortunately, it has steps and no elevator or wheelchair lift.

8. Make Accademia and Uffizi reservations to bypass the long lines – You’ll be glad you did.  If you need help doing this, we take care of the reservations as part of our Florence Accessible Travel Packages.

9. Accademia is quick – The Accademia has Michelangelo’s David, “The Prisoners”, and only 3 more rooms.  If you have a ticket reservation, it takes less than an hour to visit.

10. Easy to visit without a car – Nearly all of the tourist attractions in Florence are within walking distance of each other.  If you didn’t plan ahead at all and needed to go from the Accademi in the north to the Pitti Palace in the south, you would have to cover a distance of 1 mile (1.6 km). There is no need for a rental car.

11. Take a tour of the Uffizi – The Uffizi Gallery is one of the greatest Renaissance museums in the entire world.  You will fully appreciate it if you take a guided tour.  You’ll be glad you did.

Get answers to all of your accessibility questions.  
Talk to our Florence accessible travel consultants today.

Read about:

Florence Accessible Travel – main page 
   Pros and Cons of Florence Disabled Access 
   11 Florence Wheelchair Travel Tips 
   11 Keys to Success for Florence Disabled Travel 
   Accessible Guided Tours in Florence 
   Accessible Shore Excursions from Livorno & La Spezia 
   How to get from Livorno to Florence with a Disability 
   Tuscany Accessible Van Transfers 
   Florence Mobility Scooter Rentals 
   Best and Worst Aspects of Disabled Travel in Italy 
   Top 10 Experiences for Disabled Visitors to Italy 
   12 Wheelchair Travel Tips for Italy 
   Travel Insurance for Disabled Travelers 
Florence Accessibility Guide by John Sage 
Florence Trip Planning by Sage Traveling – Travel with Ease!

 

Contact our Florence accessible travel consultants

 

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