In Europe you can climb a lot of steps.
Rome, as I said, was easy but be prepared for long waiting walks to the Sistine Chapel. I am ashamed to say I gave up on the Spanish steps because it was too hot, too busy and I was too tired from looking for Santa Maria del Popolo because it houses a Caravaggio. It was closed when I got there.
Walking up the steps to the tomb of the unknown soldier and the memorial to Vittorio Emanuele 2 in Rome was accomplished by having the arm of a nice young man to lean on. View is worth it when you get there though.
The Pinacotepa di Brera in Milan was a trial because there were workmen about and the stairs are quite tricky to get up. The museum is huge and the highlight was the open conservation area (no I was not allowed to take photos). I loved the collection of 13th century art. You can see the virtual tour on the link.
The museum in Cremona also had difficult steps. It’s combines the Stradivarius Museum with the Museo civico Ala Ponzone. Once I had struggled up the stairs the very pleasant staff offered me the use of the lift. I gratefully accepted this for the down trip. The museum again has a fine collection of 12th/13th century art which I came to love while in Italy (much more interesting than fat babies and virginal women although I did come to admire and understand chiascuro effects in Renaissance art) and works of Cremonan artists.
Cremona itself is a very nice town and I particularly liked the Cathedral there. In fact it was my favourite. The battistero is simple, being built in the 12th century and seems not to have had many extensions, arrangements and additions out of that century. For this simplicity I liked it a lot. I think it was this one (not being able to take photos in these churches is a limit for those of us with muddled memories) that had a glorious natural window in the domed roof. Since this visit I’ve read Pillars of the Earth and now need to read more and return for an in-depth study.
Cremona Railway Station
Ah that’s enough. You can do it when you are crippled you just have to think about it, be prepared for some hard climbs and take many rests.
