Annatated

There are very few no-brainers in life, and I think most would agree getting a $425 round-trip ticket to Italy is one of them. But when you have a physical disability, an impulse purchase to a destination known for its ruins and cobble stones can quickly turn into an “OMG, what have I done?” moment. I have long wanted to go to Italy but between access horror stories I’d heard about and other priorities it never seemed to make it to the top of my travel plans -- until the day I stumbled upon an Air Emirates flash sale and found myself with a round-trip ticket to Milan and just three months to figure it all out.

To my pleasant surprise, the Italy I found was warm and welcoming to all, not just with its charm and hospitality, or mounds of pasta, but also with access. My goal is to help others by putting this information out there, so feel free to message me with any questions.

Here are just some of the highlights:

Lake Como

As soon as I announced I was going to Italy, one of my good friends insisted I couldn’t go to Milan without stopping by Lake Como. After all, the real Bellagio is there, and George and Amal have a villa on the lake, so how could I not visit? After waiting a few weeks for the invite from the Clooneys that never came, I emailed around to nearly a dozen hotels in the Lake Como area to some hilarious accessibility question related responses -- “Yes, madame, we are fully accessible -- after you get up this step here, the other two there…”

Luckily, I happened to find the CastaDiva Resort & Spa, a 5-star lakeside resort in the tiny village of Blevio, just 10 minutes by car from the center of Como. It pays to travel off-season (I went in April), because I was able to stay at one of the swankiest properties in the area for just a little more than your average city hotel and at a fraction of the usual cost. And as for the experience itself, CastaDiva was like a dream. Upon arrival, the garden view room I booked was upgraded to a Penthouse Suite with a second bathroom that was completely equipped for all my access needs. The service was bar none, the spa exquisite, and the whole resort as accessible as they come. You can read my full review with access details on TripAdvisor by clicking here.

While in the Como area, I took the funiculare up to the mountain village of Brunate to catch a stunning view of the lake and walk through streets that maintain the character of a bygone era. While it does get steep if you venture into side streets, the main road near the funiculare is fairly level. 

To visit Bellagio, I took a high speed ferry from Como. There are 3-4 steps to get on, but the crew will help with the chair, though I took my manual and got up so not sure how it would work with a heavier power chair and a passenger who can’t walk at all. There is also a slower ferry, the accessibility of which I didn’t look into, and if all else fails, driving is an option, though the roads are extremely narrow with sharp turns. However, once you get to Bellagio, only the lakeside promenade is accessible, everything else is up stairs or up a very steep hill. I ended up having a very nice leisurely lakefront lunch at the Hotel Suisse restaurant and hopping on the next ferry back.

I also had one of the best meals of the trip at The Market Place, which was featured in the ‘36 Hours: Lake Como, Italy’ NY Times article. An incredibly inventive 5-course tasting menu that blends traditional Italian flavors with nouveau French technique can be had for only 40 EUR and a wine pairing is just an additional 15 EUR. The restaurant has a barrier-free entrance and accessible restroom, and there’s even a handicapped parking spot right outside the front door.

Emilia-Romagna

While not as well known to foreigners as neighboring Tuscany, serious foodies know that Emilia-Romagna is Italy’s “stomach.” Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano Reggiano, Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, and bolognese sauce all are named after three of the region’s biggest cities: Parma, Modena, and Bologna (the region’s capital). Visiting Emilia-Romagna had been a dream of mine ever since I saw an Anthony Bourdain episode featuring the area. 

Emilia-Romagna turned out to be as beautiful as it was delicious, with its lush green rolling hills, storybook villages and vibrant city centers. My visit started with a stop in Parma, where we toured the Duomo and Teatro Farnese, an ancient wooden theater, before sitting down to an unforgettable traditional Emilian lunch at La Forchetta in the center of town. The 36-month old prosciutto and parmigiano plates were beautifully accompanied by the region’s famed fried bread, and the green tagliolini with culatello ham was easily one of the top three pasta dishes I’ve had in my life.

Having heard that the easiest way to eat well and get to know the heart of Italy was to stay at an agriturismo, an inn/B&B located on a working farm. I was pleasantly surprised to find a number of wheelchair accessible properties when I did a search on agriturismo.it. Luck would have it that I stumbled upon Agriturismo Podere Prasiano, a six-guestroom farmhouse recently renovated and run to meticulous perfection by its charming owners Emanuela Grotti and Massimo Cavani, with an assist from friendly pup Eddy.

Located on an organic orchard in rural Modena, Prasiano is completely barrier-free with an elevator to take you between floors, an accessible room with a stunning view and an adapted en-suite bathroom fitted with grab bars and an accessible shower. A visit to Prasiano isn’t complete without tasting Emanuela’s cooking. One of the first chefs in the area to adopt the "Slow Food" methodology, everything Emanuela makes is from locally sourced ingredients and she doesn't use any sugar or salt in her cooking. Far from bland, the dinner we had at Prasiano was one of the best meals I had on the whole trip and the breakfasts the very best. From two-day old yogurt to melt-in-your-mouth Modena prosciutto, fresh juices and jams from the orchard, raw honey, and delicious cakes, I still miss the amazing flavors and freshness you can't replicate anywhere else.

The Modena area is famous for two things: fast cars and balsamic vinegar. In fact, it’s the only place where true aceto balsamico can be made -- legally, that is. Since I’m not much into automobiles, I decided to skip the Ferrari factory and made my way to Villa San Donnino, where we met Davide Lonardi, one of the area’s pre-eminent producers, and as it turned out, a friend of Emanuela and Massimo’s, which in true Italian fashion meant that we were instantly BFFs. There we sampled several of Davide’s products, including a 25-year-old-plus extravecchio -- liquid gold! Best of all, the tour and tasting was totally free, though we did leave quite a few euros in the Villa’s gift shop.

At the end of the weekend, with heavy hearts and full stomachs, we bid arrivederci to Emanuela, Massimo and Eddy, and made our way to Tuscany, with a pit stop at Console & Co. to sample some of the best pizza Bologna has to offer. Bologna is a very accessible city with curb cuts and ramps seemingly everywhere you go, so I definitely want to spend more time there on my next trip.

Tuscany

Tuscany is perhaps the most romanticized region of Italy, being the subject of a number of popular films and books glorifying its sun-drenched hills and world-renowned vineyards. Its major cities, Florence and Siena, were once feuding states and now serve as some of the greatest centers of history and art.

Wanting to stay on a vineyard, I booked two nights at Tenuta il Corno, an agriturismo in the Chianti region, 45 minutes south of Florence. While it was fully accessible and had a bathroom with a roll-in shower, our apartment felt a bit dungeon-like and it was my least favorite property of the trip. I had found it through the help of a local travel agent, and I guess the old adage of “if you want something done right, do it yourself” holds true. The property’s two redeeming qualities were its hospitable staff and excellent restaurant, Corno di Vino.

After compiling all of the travel advice from friends and colleagues who had been to the region, the thing I most wanted to do was also one that seemed the most daunting access-wise: visit the hilliest of the hilly, Siena and San Gimignano. This is where the saying “when there’s a will, there’s a way” comes in most useful, and my way was hiring a driver/tour guide for the day. I recommend Tours in Tuscany for the quality of service and reasonable pricing, Marco was able to organize a fully accessible itinerary that included stops in Siena, San Gim, and lunch and a wine tasting on a Chianti estate, however, their vehicles (Mercedes minivans)  are only suitable for those who are travelling with collapsible wheelchairs and can transfer as there is no ramp.

Our visit to Siena started off with a stop at the Duomo, which, with its striped marble columns, is one of the most stunningly beautiful cathedrals of I’ve seen anywhere in the world, and I’ve been to quite a few. The Duomo happens to be at the highest point in the city and so the easiest way to see Siena on wheels is to start there and meander down one of the main avenues leading to the Piazza del Campo, Siena’s main “town square,” an easy roll downhill. Cars need special permits to enter Siena’s historic center, a limited traffic area (ZTL), so this is where having a licensed tour guide drive you can make all the difference in the world, as they have the permits to drop off at the top. It may technically be possible to get a disability permit for the ZTL in each city you’re driving to that has one, but you need to have time, Italian language skills, and nerves of steel to get it done. Nonetheless, whether you choose to hire someone or take on Italian bureaucracy, Siena is a beautiful city worth the time and effort to visit.

Next we stopped by Fattoria Sant’Appiano for a lovely lunch and tasting of some of the region’s finest chianti. Owner/vintner, Francisco, was a lot of fun and the wines some of the best of the trip. There’s a large adapted bathroom on site and the tasting room and tour all accessible.

After lunch, our driver picked us up and took us to San Gimignano, a smaller walled city with its own ZTL. Once again, we were dropped off at the top of the hill and made our way down on foot. Instead of visiting another Duomo, we opted to go shopping and found the selection of stores fantastic. I’ll forever dream of San Gim every time I wear the cute pair of booties I bought there.

Florence

The birthplace of the Renaissance, Florence is the official capital of Tuscany and the unofficial capital of the art world. You can’t sneeze without finding yourself in front of a museum in Florence, and the art lover in me was not disappointed. Perhaps the greatest thing about traveling with a wheelchair in Europe is that you get into most cultural institutions for free and without waiting in line -- the latter being a major perk when you’re faced with lines that go around the block multiple times. Visiting the Uffizzi and the Accademia (home of the original David statue) was a breeze as the museum staff just waved us in as we approached from the street. Both were totally accessible.

Being a big time foodie, one of my favorite places in Florence is the Mercato Centrale. In addition to vendors selling all kinds of delicacies, there’s a food hall on the first floor that rivals Chelsea Market. A casual plate of white truffle risotto followed by fresh Sicilian cannoli? Yes, please!

Florence overall is quite accessible, with curb cuts and accessible hotels abound. I stayed at Hotel Rapallo, an excellent boutique hotel about a 10 minute walk from all the main attractions. The room I had was fully accessible with a nicely adapted bathroom. Buses in Florence have ramps but I didn’t use them as everything is within walking distance.

Trenitalia

Since we dropped off our rental car as soon as we got to Florence, we had to take a regional train to get back to Milan Airport for our flight home. Every high speed inter-city train has wheelchair access and all stations offer assistance (you need a special lift to get on), however, booking accessible seating and assistance getting on the train proved to be an adventure in and of itself. No one at Trenitalia’s disabled assistance phone line seems to speak any English, and no one who is supposed to be manning the corresponding email inbox seems to think replying to email is necessary, so I ended up buying a regular ticket and asking my hotel concierge call in Italian to sort things out once I got to Florence. Of course, I needed a “special ticket” that was unavailable through the website, and needed  to go to the station in person to exchange the ticket I bought for the one I actually needed. The staff there was happy to do it for me, and the exchange ended up costing me half of what I originally paid and netted a free upgrade to business class, which is where they seat wheelchair users -- win, win, win. The ride itself was excellent, the train is sleek and well equipped, and the assistance provided was superb.

Not too long ago, I found myself walking (rolling) down the street with a friend having a conversation that is particularly resonant on this very day. Talking about the Moth, a first-person storytelling project here in NYC, and hearing his incredible story that he’d thought about in depth, I was a bit dumbfounded when he asked me what my own Moth story would be. “I…I don’t know. I’m boring, I guess,” I managed to stammer in response. “That is so not true. There has to be something.” We walked on in silence for a minute and then all of a sudden it hit me. I had my story.

Today is the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, or the ADA as it is known for short, a piece of sweeping federal legislation that prohibits discrimination and mandates access to all facets of life for people with disabilities. Having lived with a physical disability since birth, I’ve been lucky to have the ADA around for most of my life. I rarely feel compelled to write much about life with a disability, because to me it just is a factor of life I take mostly for granted as the status quo, like the color of my eyes or the weather outside. Today is different, today I feel like sharing the story I shared with my friend on that fateful winter’s day.

As the disability community in the U.S. celebrates #ADA25, I can’t help but think of those around the world who live in places where the kind of life I enjoy is but a dream. Most of all, I can’t help but think how different my life would be if not for one decision made by my parents: to move to the United States from our former home in Russia. Without knowing it, my life had reached a crossroads at the age of four: stay and face life in a place where most disabled people find it impossible to as much as leave their homes or to make a go of it in the ‘land of opportunity’ despite the hardship it would place on my family.

The sacrifice my parents made is paralleled only by the sacrifice of the advocates who fought for the ADA, and the patchwork of laws that came before it. People like Ed Roberts, Justin Dart, and the many more past and present who continued the fight. Without them I wouldn’t have the opportunity to get a world class education, build a great career, live on my own, and enjoy the typical life of a young(ish) woman making her way in New York City. Had the switch flipped the other way, my life would be the exact opposite of what it is today, and my story would never be told.

Today is a day of gratitude, but also an acknowledgment of all that must be done as we move forward. 25 years later, all too many barriers that the law was meant to knock down remain. An archaic social services system keeps many of my friends with more severe disabilities in a state of poverty, forcing them to choose between fulfilling their potential and basic human needs (read more on that in this great piece from a friend who chronicles what it’s like to be 22…and still disabled), and killing all economic value their gainful employment would generate. Access to public transportation and truly accessible housing leaves much to be desired in many areas. While many businesses have made themselves accessible, others still turn a blind eye to barrier removal, a side effect of the law’s lack of proactive enforcement, and subsequent reliance on lawsuits to command compliance. Whereas businesses often need to apply for a barrage of licenses and pass inspections before they can open their doors, there is no requirement that state or local inspectors check for accessibility.

The ADA is more than a law that helps people with disabilities, a minority that is not only the most sizable (20% of the population has some sort of disability), but also one that anyone can join at any time. Accessible design is universal design. Elevators, for example, benefit people who find it difficult to use stairs for a whole host of reasons, such as pushing a baby carriage or carrying heavy packages. 

What is most heartening about today is the amount of media coverage dedicated to explaining and exploring the ADA, its strengths and its shortcomings. Great change only comes with great consciousness. Hopefully mine is just one more voice lending power to the chorus.

—

A few of the best articles on #ADA25:

The Americans With Disabilities Act, 25 Years Later (New York Times)

In Helping Those With Disabilities, ADA Improves Access For All (NPR)

The ADA at 25: How One Law Helped Usher in An Age of Accessible Design (Curbed)

6 ways to be a better ally to people living with disabilities (Mashable)

A lot of the time when I write about the person that I love, I feel like I'm writing about New York. iloveny.com 

The end of December is always an interesting time for me. I like to take the time to reminisce about the year that’s passed. 2014, in many ways, has been a year of renewed hope and happiness. Here are some highlights: 

I started an awesome new job working for New York State on “I Love NY” tourism and business development marketing. With so many of our waking hours dedicated to work, I feel very fortunate to spend every day doing something I love for a cause I believe in. As a nearly lifelong New Yorker, knowing what I do plays a part in creating more opportunities and prosperity for the people of our great state is incredibly meaningful. 

I saw some amazing places. This year I peered into the depths of the Grand Canyon, took in the Vegas lights, rekindled my love affair with Paris, discovered that all that glitters really is gold in Versailles, worshiped at the altar of [a creperie in] Chartres, let the good times roll in New Orleans, hippied about Woodstock, and explored the Hudson Valley. I don’t think I’ve ever ridden in as many planes, trains and automobiles in a single year! More vacation days to come in 2015, so game on.   

I went to two of the best concerts that I’ve ever been to. Celine was in top form and made braving the Vegas strip worthwhile and Lady Gaga’s Roseland closer was an experience like no other.