Hi,

Thanks for the responses to date. Very helpful.

Some additional information. There are just the two of us
travelling to the Lucca area, my wife and I. We are +55, and are
interested in hiking, biking, regional food, interesting historical sites.
We plan to make Lucca our home base and travel by train elsewhere. Our
dates in the area are from May 3 or 4 till the 11.

Looking for affordable accommodation and recommendations of things
to do and helpful tips. One example of a tip, are we eligable for seniors
discounts on accommodation, rentals ?

Thanks again !

On Tue, 16 Jan 2007 10:30:35 -0700, James Standen
<[email protected]> wrote:

> Looking for affordable accommodation and recommendations of things
>to do and helpful tips. One example of a tip, are we eligable for seniors
>discounts on accommodation, rentals ?

I've never seen seniors discounts on accomodation, and as for car
rentals, I've seen increased prices for seniors.

In Italy, "senior" seems to mean over 65. My husband just hit that
magic age, but the only discounts he's seen so far are for museums and
maybe theatre tickets.
--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup

B Vaughan <[email protected]> wrote:

> On Tue, 16 Jan 2007 10:30:35 -0700, James Standen
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Looking for affordable accommodation and recommendations of things
> >to do and helpful tips. One example of a tip, are we eligable for seniors
> >discounts on accommodation, rentals ?
>
> I've never seen seniors discounts on accomodation, and as for car
> rentals, I've seen increased prices for seniors.
>
> In Italy, "senior" seems to mean over 65. My husband just hit that
> magic age, but the only discounts he's seen so far are for museums and
> maybe theatre tickets.

What about public transport?

--
(*) ... of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
David Horne- http://www.davidhorne.net
(don't email yahoo address) usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk

Let is be knownst that on Tue, 16 Jan 2007 21:51:10 +0000,
[email protected] (David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)) writted:

>B Vaughan <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> On Tue, 16 Jan 2007 10:30:35 -0700, James Standen
>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> > Looking for affordable accommodation and recommendations of things
>> >to do and helpful tips. One example of a tip, are we eligable for seniors
>> >discounts on accommodation, rentals ?
>>
>> I've never seen seniors discounts on accomodation, and as for car
>> rentals, I've seen increased prices for seniors.
>>
>> In Italy, "senior" seems to mean over 65. My husband just hit that
>> magic age, but the only discounts he's seen so far are for museums and
>> maybe theatre tickets.
>
>What about public transport?

Any entity in Italy planning on giving the elderly a discount is
doomed for extinction! Too many old people to support something like
that.
--
---
DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
---
--

Deeply Filled Mortician <deepfreudmoors@eITmISaACTUALLYiREAL!l.nu>
wrote:

> Let is be knownst that on Tue, 16 Jan 2007 21:51:10 +0000,
> [email protected] (David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)) writted:
>
> >B Vaughan <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> On Tue, 16 Jan 2007 10:30:35 -0700, James Standen
> >> <[email protected]> wrote:
> >>
> >> > Looking for affordable accommodation and recommendations of things
> >> >to do and helpful tips. One example of a tip, are we eligable for seniors
> >> >discounts on accommodation, rentals ?
> >>
> >> I've never seen seniors discounts on accomodation, and as for car
> >> rentals, I've seen increased prices for seniors.
> >>
> >> In Italy, "senior" seems to mean over 65. My husband just hit that
> >> magic age, but the only discounts he's seen so far are for museums and
> >> maybe theatre tickets.
> >
> >What about public transport?
>
> Any entity in Italy planning on giving the elderly a discount is
> doomed for extinction! Too many old people to support something like
> that.

Is it a lot more than other EU countries? I've a friend in the house of
lords who loves getting on the London buses for free!

Maybe it's because all the younger Italians are driving buses over here?


--
(*) ... of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
David Horne- http://www.davidhorne.net
(don't email yahoo address) usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk

"David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:1hs21r3.13ta56s1u1yncsN%[email protected]...
> Deeply Filled Mortician <deepfreudmoors@eITmISaACTUALLYiREAL!l.nu>
> wrote:
>
>> Let is be knownst that on Tue, 16 Jan 2007 21:51:10 +0000,
>> [email protected] (David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)) writted:
>>
>> >B Vaughan <[email protected]> wrote:
>> >
>> >> On Tue, 16 Jan 2007 10:30:35 -0700, James Standen
>> >> <[email protected]> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> > Looking for affordable accommodation and recommendations of
>> >> > things
>> >> >to do and helpful tips. One example of a tip, are we eligable for
>> >> >seniors
>> >> >discounts on accommodation, rentals ?
>> >>
>> >> I've never seen seniors discounts on accomodation, and as for car
>> >> rentals, I've seen increased prices for seniors.
>> >>
>> >> In Italy, "senior" seems to mean over 65. My husband just hit that
>> >> magic age, but the only discounts he's seen so far are for museums and
>> >> maybe theatre tickets.
>> >
>> >What about public transport?
>>
>> Any entity in Italy planning on giving the elderly a discount is
>> doomed for extinction! Too many old people to support something like
>> that.
>
> Is it a lot more than other EU countries? I've a friend in the house of
> lords who loves getting on the London buses for free!
>

As I was saying to Her Majesty only last week, I hate those F*c*i*g
namedroppers.

JohnT

On Tue, 16 Jan 2007 22:43:41 +0000, [email protected] (David Horne, _the_
chancellor (*)) wrote:

>Deeply Filled Mortician <deepfreudmoors@eITmISaACTUALLYiREAL!l.nu>
>wrote:
>
>> Let is be knownst that on Tue, 16 Jan 2007 21:51:10 +0000,
>> [email protected] (David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)) writted:
>>
>> >B Vaughan <[email protected]> wrote:
>> >
>> >> On Tue, 16 Jan 2007 10:30:35 -0700, James Standen
>> >> <[email protected]> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> > Looking for affordable accommodation and recommendations of things
>> >> >to do and helpful tips. One example of a tip, are we eligable for seniors
>> >> >discounts on accommodation, rentals ?
>> >>
>> >> I've never seen seniors discounts on accomodation, and as for car
>> >> rentals, I've seen increased prices for seniors.
>> >>
>> >> In Italy, "senior" seems to mean over 65. My husband just hit that
>> >> magic age, but the only discounts he's seen so far are for museums and
>> >> maybe theatre tickets.
>> >
>> >What about public transport?
>>
>> Any entity in Italy planning on giving the elderly a discount is
>> doomed for extinction! Too many old people to support something like
>> that.
>
>Is it a lot more than other EU countries? I've a friend in the house of
>lords who loves getting on the London buses for free!
>
>Maybe it's because all the younger Italians are driving buses over here?
>

and not running French restos, whatever they might be?
--

Martin

JohnT <[email protected]> wrote:

> "David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:1hs21r3.13ta56s1u1yncsN%[email protected]...
[]
> > Is it a lot more than other EU countries? I've a friend in the house of
> > lords who loves getting on the London buses for free!
> >
>
> As I was saying to Her Majesty only last week, I hate those F*c*i*g
> namedroppers.

Not again- she really should stop dropping my name!

--
(*) ... of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
David Horne- http://www.davidhorne.net
(don't email yahoo address) usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk

On Tue, 16 Jan 2007 21:51:10 +0000, [email protected] (David Horne,
_the_ chancellor (*)) wrote:

>B Vaughan <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> On Tue, 16 Jan 2007 10:30:35 -0700, James Standen
>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> > Looking for affordable accommodation and recommendations of things
>> >to do and helpful tips. One example of a tip, are we eligable for seniors
>> >discounts on accommodation, rentals ?
>>
>> I've never seen seniors discounts on accomodation, and as for car
>> rentals, I've seen increased prices for seniors.
>>
>> In Italy, "senior" seems to mean over 65. My husband just hit that
>> magic age, but the only discounts he's seen so far are for museums and
>> maybe theatre tickets.
>
>What about public transport?

On trains, he could get a discount if he would buy a "silver card".
However, the amount of train travel we do wouldn't justify the annual
cost. He's still working and lucky to be able to go somewhere for the
day every two months or so.

We don't use the local busses, as we live in a small town and there is
only one route, which runs irregularly and doesn't go to a lot of the
places we need to go to. There may well be a discount on the busses.

--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup

On Tue, 16 Jan 2007 22:43:41 +0000, [email protected] (David Horne,
_the_ chancellor (*)) wrote:

>Deeply Filled Mortician <deepfreudmoors@eITmISaACTUALLYiREAL!l.nu>
>wrote:
>
>> Any entity in Italy planning on giving the elderly a discount is
>> doomed for extinction! Too many old people to support something like
>> that.
>
>Is it a lot more than other EU countries?

The last I saw, Italy had one of the oldest populations in the world,
due to a combination of one of the highest life expectancies and over
40 years of below-replacement fertility.
--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup

Let is be knownst that on Wed, 17 Jan 2007 12:05:25 +0100, B
Vaughan<[email protected]> writted:

>On Tue, 16 Jan 2007 22:43:41 +0000, [email protected] (David Horne,
>_the_ chancellor (*)) wrote:
>
>>Deeply Filled Mortician <deepfreudmoors@eITmISaACTUALLYiREAL!l.nu>
>>wrote:
>>
>>> Any entity in Italy planning on giving the elderly a discount is
>>> doomed for extinction! Too many old people to support something like
>>> that.
>>
>>Is it a lot more than other EU countries?
>
>The last I saw, Italy had one of the oldest populations in the world,
>due to a combination of one of the highest life expectancies and over
>40 years of below-replacement fertility.

...and an aversion to mass immigration.
--
---
DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
---
--

On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 22:42:30 +0100, Deeply Filled Mortician
<deepfreudmoors@eITmISaACTUALLYiREAL!l.nu> wrote:

>Let is be knownst that on Wed, 17 Jan 2007 12:05:25 +0100, B
>Vaughan<[email protected]> writted:
>
>>On Tue, 16 Jan 2007 22:43:41 +0000, [email protected] (David Horne,
>>_the_ chancellor (*)) wrote:
>>
>>>Deeply Filled Mortician <deepfreudmoors@eITmISaACTUALLYiREAL!l.nu>
>>>wrote:
>>>
>>>> Any entity in Italy planning on giving the elderly a discount is
>>>> doomed for extinction! Too many old people to support something like
>>>> that.
>>>
>>>Is it a lot more than other EU countries?
>>
>>The last I saw, Italy had one of the oldest populations in the world,
>>due to a combination of one of the highest life expectancies and over
>>40 years of below-replacement fertility.
>
>...and an aversion to mass immigration.

No more than any other European country, and less than some of the
northern European countries.
--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup

Let is be knownst that on Thu, 18 Jan 2007 10:44:21 +0100, B
Vaughan<[email protected]> writted:

>On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 22:42:30 +0100, Deeply Filled Mortician
><deepfreudmoors@eITmISaACTUALLYiREAL!l.nu> wrote:
>
>>Let is be knownst that on Wed, 17 Jan 2007 12:05:25 +0100, B
>>Vaughan<[email protected]> writted:
>>
>>>On Tue, 16 Jan 2007 22:43:41 +0000, [email protected] (David Horne,
>>>_the_ chancellor (*)) wrote:
>>>
>>>>Deeply Filled Mortician <deepfreudmoors@eITmISaACTUALLYiREAL!l.nu>
>>>>wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Any entity in Italy planning on giving the elderly a discount is
>>>>> doomed for extinction! Too many old people to support something like
>>>>> that.
>>>>
>>>>Is it a lot more than other EU countries?
>>>
>>>The last I saw, Italy had one of the oldest populations in the world,
>>>due to a combination of one of the highest life expectancies and over
>>>40 years of below-replacement fertility.
>>
>>...and an aversion to mass immigration.
>
>No more than any other European country, and less than some of the
>northern European countries.

Italy needs it more that most others!
--
---
DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
---
--

James Standen wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Thanks for the responses to date. Very helpful.
>
> Some additional information. There are just the two of us
> travelling to the Lucca area, my wife and I. We are +55, and are
> interested in hiking, biking, regional food, interesting historical sites.
> We plan to make Lucca our home base and travel by train elsewhere. Our
> dates in the area are from May 3 or 4 till the 11.
>
> Looking for affordable accommodation and recommendations of things
> to do and helpful tips. One example of a tip, are we eligable for seniors
> discounts on accommodation, rentals ?
>
> Thanks again !

I too have never heard of senior discounts on accomodations. Nor "early
bird" discounts on dining in Italy. As noted elsewhere, facing aging
populations, I think we're fast seeing the end of senior discounts.
Remember senior discounts on flight tickets?

Anyway, Lucca is a wonderful city to stay in and visit. Small hotel
right in the old center - the Piccolo Puccini. We've stayed there
several times. Location couldn't be better.

The trouble with a city the size of Lucca (it's not a large city but
not a small town either), for hiking or biking you have to pass through
a lot of traffic and suburbs to get somewhere "out in the country".
Although in Lucca you can rent a bike and spend hours circling the old
walls. Walking them too!

North of Lucca are hills. Narrow roads and lack of bike trails would
keep me away from there. That's another problem with Italy - the flat
regions - south of Lucca, etc. are densely populated.

Unlike northern Europe, Italy doesn't have a lot of hiking (for
day-hiking that is) and biking trails.

Maybe you'd be better off in a smaller town, more accessible to
countryside. But Lucca is a great city and train travel can quickly get
you to Florence, Pisa, etc.

Bill Steltzer ha scritto:
> I too have never heard of senior discounts on accomodations. Nor "early
> bird" discounts on dining in Italy.

Neither have I, although there ar e discounts on Cinema tickets for the
erderly.

> The trouble with a city the size of Lucca (it's not a large city but
> not a small town either), for hiking or biking you have to pass through
> a lot of traffic and suburbs to get somewhere "out in the country".
> Although in Lucca you can rent a bike and spend hours circling the old
> walls. Walking them too!

Beware! There are risks to run: people have fallen off from the road
on the walls.

> North of Lucca are hills.

Some are real mountains, like nearby Pizzorne or those farther out in
the direction of Camaiore or Garfagnana.. A real mountain is also west,
between Lucca and Pisa.

- the flat
> regions - south of Lucca, etc. are densely populated.

Not quite correct.

Sergio
Pisa