ABOVE: The Zattere, a waterfront promenade along the Giudecca Canal in Dorsoduro, is more wheelchair-friendly than many parts of Venice (especially if you're visiting in late fall or early winter, when temporary bridge ramps from October's Venice Marathon may still be in place).

Venice isn't the most wheelchair-friendly city in Italy, thanks to more than 400 historically-protected footbridges (most with steps) that weren't designed with wheeled traffic in mind. Still, it is possible to enjoy Venice in a wheelchair, and we offer two pages of advice and online resources for disabled travelers in our "Accessible Venice" article at Venice for Visitors.

Recently, we got an e-mail about Venetian disability travel from Jon Read of the United Kingdom, who had just spent a long weekend in the city with his wife Carole (who uses a wheelchair). Here's what Jon had to say about getting around Venice while seated:

1. Forget [water] taxis -- no go for wheelchairs. [Water] buses are brilliant though, reduced fare for wheelchairs, currently €1.20.

2. Contact the hotel in advance and ask the best route from Piazzale Roma, or whichever arrival point you have. We went round to San Marco Zaccaria and found we had to cross three bridges to get to the hotel. Admittedly two had ramps, but the other would have been impassable had it not been for hotel porters lifting my wife in her chair over the bridge.

3. The Venetians are all helpful and polite. We encountered no end of help from the locals, from bus conductors to other travellers. The rest of the world has a lot to learn!

4. The German company that had the contract to maintain the bridge lifts has terminated the contract, hence the bridge lifts don't work. Make sure you have a map and use the buses and you can travel pretty much anywhere. Murano particularly is very pleasant by wheel!

5. Entry to most museums is free for wheelchair users, but that is for a reason. Few have lifts and all have stairs. We were welcome on the ground floor, but otherwise impossible.

6. Basilica San Marco is just accessible, but not the Golden Altar Piece or the treasure. 

We appreciate Jon Read's contribution, and we've linked to this post (and these tips) from our "Accessible Venice" article.

ABOVE: Hear the "Row-ho-ho" of a singing Santa Gondolier at Loews San Diego Bay Resort.

San Diego is a long way from Venice, Italy, but if you'd rather spend your holidays near the Pacific Ocean than in the Venetian Lagoon, Loews San Diego Bay Resort has a Christmas treat in store for you: 

"Instead of serenading couples with Italian love songs, the Santa Gondolier treats guests to their favorite Christmas carols as they cruise through the enchanting canals and waterways of the Coronado Cays."

Boats, oarspeople, and crooning are supplied by The Gondola Company, which offers gondola rides year-round at Loews Coronado Bay Resort.

For more information about touring the Coronado Cays by gondola, go to www.gondolacompany.com. To learn more about the resort, visit the Loews Coronado Bay Resort Web site.

Photo: Tim King