Recommendations for a trip away with an elderly parent

[sighbynight]

I wondered if any of you had some useful experience to share. I want to take my mum away for a trip this autumn, when it’s not too hot. She is in her 80s and loves to travel still. She needs to use a walker and can’t really do hills. She loves mooching around shops and markets, watching the world go by. Neither of us are fans of all day English breakfasts.

Has anyone been to any good places/hotels with someone of reduced mobility? I’d really appreciate any info.

Tricky one. Most hotels that are good for people with mobility constraints will be the purpose built ones that are usually out of town but what about somewhere like Sitges? The main part of the town is very flat and restaurants and shops are nice. The beach area is also all flat.

I assume you mean within the UK OP?

I'm sure a while ago, someone posted a link for disability friendly travel. It was aimed at holidays abroad, but I'm sure there would be something similar in the UK.

Personally, I'd avoid any of the beaches in Cornwall. Lovely, but VERY steep to get/from many of them.

I think Suffolk and Norfolk are fairly flat. Maybe Norwich? Majority of hotels have disabled rooms options, you'd just need to speak to them when booking.

What about a cruise?

Southwold as flat, shops and a pier, very pretty

Cruise is a great idea, lean to paint, play bridge, quizzes, entertainment every evening, room service, and lifts between floors

You know if you fly and need help then they do all that be for free and sit you tofgether for free?

I recommend looking at Riviera holidays for this.

Green Park www.thegreenpark.co.uk/ in Pitlochry is totally set up for this and even has mobility scooters available to borrow.

Where are you starting from?

As someone else said, maybe a cruise. There are ones that just go around Britain, if that would be easier than somewhere abroad. I've never used the company, it just came up on a google search.
https://www.ambassadorcruiseline.com/destinations/british-isles-discovery/

Brittany ferries - Portsmouth to Santander.

A lovely, easy trip.

Oh thank you for this! It’s a European trip I’m after and she insists that cruises are for old people 🤷‍♀️. I’ll have a look at all of these.

Mediera

Some of the towns around Lake Garda especially on the East and North side have long flat promenades and certain ferries has disabled access etc.

A Norwegian cruise - it's actually the easiest way to see the fjords I hate cruises with exception to the Norwegian ones

What about a river cruise?

I’m disabled and use a wheelchair.

Athens was great -went at Feb half term. We went to the electra metropolis which had disabled rooms and a lift but there are plenty of hotels with lifts.

great city for mooching.

https://www.electrahotels.gr/hotels/electra-metropolis-athens/

seville was reasonably wheelchair and walker friendly as well and lovely to mooch around.

next on my list is Basel.

I'm going to suggest Benidorm. Old Town or just euther side of it on the Lavante or Poniente beaches.

The new town really is Brits abroad but you can easily avoid it. If you are on the seafront the promenade is flat. There is also easy access to the beach for the less able.

The Old Town has fantastic shops to mooch around in and some excellent tapas bars and restaurants.

Benidorm itself is perfectly geared up for the less mobile. You can even hire mobility scooters for 2!

Have you considered a coach tour ? My mum had lots of lovely holidays with Newmarket, Leger, Shearings in UK.

Spain is lovely in October. Calpe, Valencia, Elche.
edited for typo

This is all fantastic information. I don’t like she’s been to Athens. I’ve been having a look at the river cruises and they might work. She wouldnt need to speak to strangers too much. Not very sociable!
Garda might be a winner too.

I did a cruise on the Danube with my mum. Admittedly she was about 70, not 80, but there were some more elderly people on board. Quite 'cultural' so might pass her cruise veto.

I always recommend this place - https://www.hlapalma.it/en/ Stresa, Lake Maggiore is doable via a transfer from Milan Malpensa. It is totally flat. Lovely places to eat and boat trips to the islands. The hotel is lovely with proper waiters at breakfast. The town centre is close by.

Seville is also very flat with much in a small area. October could be not too hot.

Some of the towns on Lake Garda can be quite hilly once you get away from the lake - Malcesine for instance. The south end is flatter, Sirmione is nice or Lazise as long as you stay along the lakeside (it was quite steep going up to our villa on the northern outskirts). It can get quite chilly evenings and early mornings towards the end of October.

Santa Eularia and Es Cana Ibiza would both be perfect.Flat, boardwalks on the beaches,
swim chairs if she’s feeling brave and wants to go in the sea, accessible toilets on the beaches. Both have markets and travel to other places is really easy by taxi or bus.

To add - if you are thinking of river cruises then don’t leave it too late in the year as they tend to be in Central Europe so could be quite grey and murky by the time autumn arrives. I would have an other chat about a Mediterranean / canaries cruise - they are most definitely not just for older people now.

The Costa del Sol has miles of flat promenades west of Malaga - the all day breakfasts aren’t compulsory! There are plenty of Spanish restaurants (or any cuisine you want really). Stay in a hotel directly on the front and use taxis to explore (uber is easy).

Málaga worked well with DD in a wheelchair. Really nice. Seville is awesome. We didn't have mobility issues but it was very flat, easy to get around, beautiful, and fab for food and people watching. Easy to get trains from there to Cadiz. Also flat and on the coast. Easy day trip. You could also go to Cordoba or Granada of you want to explore further.