Where to travel when you can't walk or eat?

[Metalcat]

We have enough points to take a trip just about anywhere, and we were going to travel to Florence, which is one of DH's favourite cities, but I recently lost my ability to eat about 99% of foods and I can barely walk, so...uh...not ideal.

K, so I can walk a bit, but not a lot. If I use walking crutches, I can do a few miles, but not every day. I also just developed scar tissue in my digestive system thanks to an unrelated surgery and can only eat about 10 foods, none of which would ever be found in the vast majority of restaurants. Like, I can eat ensure, canned smooth soups, un-toasted wonderbread, sliced ham, scrambled eggs, jello, pudding, and mashed potatoes. That's it, and no, I cannot wait for things to get better, this is permanent.

This is recent, and I'm still psychologically adjusting to it, so the last place I want to go is somewhere famous for its food when I'll be missing out. I was okay traveling to Florence not being able to walk a ton, because we could just noodle around and eat amazing food, but that's out, so fuck Florence.

Where would be a place that has amazing sights/culture, but wouldn't require a ton of walking, and where it's NOT known for its food, so I won't be miserable stuck on my prison-food diet.

Although we love nature, we would prefer somewhere very urban because we currently live in one of the most beautiful natural locations on earth. So a major city with really cool stuff to do and see, but is easy to get around, preferably via taxi, not public transit because my leg doesn't do well standing on trains/buses.

Please nowhere in North America, we've both traveled plenty on this continent, and London is out as DH lived there and hated it. Otherwise, I haven't traveled much outside of North America thanks to growing up very poor, then doing way too much school, then having way too much student debt, then becoming way too disabled...so yeah, I'm open to just about anywhere, but it's hard to find somewhere that won't piss me off being there.

Thanks in advance, I know you folks are solid, outside the box thinkers with a lot of adventure experience.

[McStache]

The first place that jumped to mind is the Netherlands. Great museums in Amsterdam and other cities/surrounds, canals to sit by and people-watch (or float along on a boat).  The food leans bland (bread, potatoes, cheese), so not missing much there. The thing I'm not sure of is how easy it is to get a taxi. Biking/public transit is more front and center and trains (with lots of seats for everyone) to get between cities easily, but there are still cars around, so must be taxis (though definitely worth investigating more).

[Kris]

I’m gonna recommend Poland, and maybe by extension other cities in central and eastern Europe. Poland was the only place I ever traveled to where I couldn’t *wait* to leave to get somewhere where the food was better. So, Warsaw, Krakow!!! Etc.

[Omy]

London? No worries about being tempted by food!

[Metalcat]

London? No worries about be tempted by food!

DH won't do London, he lived there and hated every minute of it, lol.

[Metalcat]

I’m gonna recommend Poland, and maybe by extension other cities in central and eastern Europe. Poland was the only place I ever traveled to where I couldn’t *wait* to leave to get somewhere where the food was better. So, Warsaw, Krakow!!! Etc.

Lol, I'll look into this. I do have a friend in Warsaw.

[AMandM]

Northern Germany is not a food wasteland, but food is not what draws people there, and lots of restaurants serve mashed potatoes and eggs. I'll recommend three cities I've enjoyed, all of which have taxis.
Cologne is interesting for the long historical arc of its cultural heritage; there are museums for every period from Roman times to contemporary art, not to mention the cathedral and the Romanesque churches. If you go during Karneval season there is a lot of anthropological/sociological people-watching.
Leipzig is very compact; almost all the main sights of interest are within a mile of the main train station. Much of the downtown architecture, built with trade profits from the Renaissance to the turn of the 20th century, was spared from both Allied bombing in WWII and socialist replacement in the GDR. After reunification it was restored at great expense, so you can sit on almost any public bench and be surrounded by beautiful buildings. As well as art, there are interesting museums dealing with East German history. It's also a very musical city (Bach spent his working life here); there are tons of concerts of all kinds, and the big orchestra and opera companies are heavily subsidized so tickets are cheap.
Berlin I don't know as well, but it's the capital and has a whole "Museum Island" along with all the historical sites.

[AMandM]

I’m gonna recommend Poland, and maybe by extension other cities in central and eastern Europe. Poland was the only place I ever traveled to where I couldn’t *wait* to leave to get somewhere where the food was better. So, Warsaw, Krakow!!! Etc.

That was my daughter's reaction to Prague.

[HenryDavid]

Since I obviously don’t know your precise preferences (art, architecture, gardens, music?) and so on, please take the following as the vague blue-skying it is:

The Netherlands could be a good call. Worth researching. The bike infrastructure may actually help make places more accessible—though at the same time, a busy swarming bike path can be intimidating. I don’t know whether you can comfortably sit on some version of a tandem e-bike (there are various seat designs) or even make use of the big electric cargo bikes that people use for their families (baakfiets) . . . maybe something is possible. (Or even, fun?) Then connect with trains. Smaller Dutch cities and villages can be amazing: Amsterdam is not the whole Netherlands. Places like Utrecht which is a medium sized city, have lots to offer. And hey, it’s a potato-centric cuisine. Mmm, staampot.

Old European cities generally can be hell for anyone with mobility issues, I’d warn. My mother with her walking-stick found all the cobbles, uneven curbs, even the multitudinous floor levels inside the Louvre, very difficult. (Still worth it, she said).

Europe is rife with canals and rivers, so travel on boats may be an option. Some of those canals are pretty, some are industrial, some a little neglected and smelly. I only know the Canal du Midi, in southernFrance (sometimes very pretty, sometimes a bit whiffy.) This can be an amazing way to connect towns though.

The pattern of moving by train then arriving in cities with big main squares could actually be pretty workable, despite the warning above about cobbles etc. Spanish cities like Girona, Valencia or, nearby, Castello de La Plana are worth researching. They have decently large car-free spaces, like most Euro cities now. And, unlike Italy, the food is ok but not usually so splendid that it’s painful to miss out on. Jamon and patatas are everywhere (Netherlands and Spain have interesting overlaps with so much shared history).

Also, there remain in Europe a fair number of old small-gauge rail routes, mainly for sightseeing. There’ a “little yellow train” that connects southern France and Catalonia, and small trains in Switzerland. Have always meant to visit these.

Ok enough random musing. Enjoy your research and your travels.

[HenryDavid]

A couple late thoughts:
Trains in Europe can be very comfortable and outside of peak commuter routes, rarely require standing. In my intermittent experience. Intercity buses are well developed there too, and cheap. Long term car rentals, leasing actually, can happen too, as in Renault Eurodrive.

However: beware of peak vacation times in Europe! People like to celebrate in packs there, so a holiday that doesn’t even register in Canada, like Pentecost or May 8 (VE Day) sees huge crowds and difficult travel. A calendar of major holidays is a must.

The benefit of European pack behaviour is that off peak really is.
You can have a beautiful Renaissance  garden or gallery room to yourself for hours.

[Metalcat]

Since I obviously don’t know your precise preferences (art, architecture, gardens, music?) and so on, please take the following as the vague blue-skying it is:

The Netherlands could be a good call. Worth researching. The bike infrastructure may actually help make places more accessible—though at the same time, a busy swarming bike path can be intimidating. I don’t know whether you can comfortably sit on some version of a tandem e-bike (there are various seat designs) or even make use of the big electric cargo bikes that people use for their families (baakfiets) . . . maybe something is possible. (Or even, fun?) Then connect with trains. Smaller Dutch cities and villages can be amazing: Amsterdam is not the whole Netherlands. Places like Utrecht which is a medium sized city, have lots to offer. And hey, it’s a potato-centric cuisine. Mmm, staampot.

Old European cities generally can be hell for anyone with mobility issues, I’d warn. My mother with her walking-stick found all the cobbles, uneven curbs, even the multitudinous floor levels inside the Louvre, very difficult. (Still worth it, she said).

Europe is rife with canals and rivers, so travel on boats may be an option. Some of those canals are pretty, some are industrial, some a little neglected and smelly. I only know the Canal du Midi, in southernFrance (sometimes very pretty, sometimes a bit whiffy.) This can be an amazing way to connect towns though.

The pattern of moving by train then arriving in cities with big main squares could actually be pretty workable, despite the warning above about cobbles etc. Spanish cities like Girona, Valencia or, nearby, Castello de La Plana are worth researching. They have decently large car-free spaces, like most Euro cities now. And, unlike Italy, the food is ok but not usually so splendid that it’s painful to miss out on. Jamon and patatas are everywhere (Netherlands and Spain have interesting overlaps with so much shared history).

Also, there remain in Europe a fair number of old small-gauge rail routes, mainly for sightseeing. There’ a “little yellow train” that connects southern France and Catalonia, and small trains in Switzerland. Have always meant to visit these.

Ok enough random musing. Enjoy your research and your travels.

I'm VERY adept at uneven terrain with my walking sticks, so thankfully cobblestone and uneven terrain isn't an issue for me. I can even hike fairly advanced trails if I use my all-terrain crutches...I won't move for a few days after, but out here where I live it's worth it.

But that's why I don't want to push my walking lengths too much because I have a single day of a few miles of walking in me, and that's it.

I like the idea of traveling by train to a bunch of places, but I'm not a great traveler. While I can't really walk or stand, I also can't really sit in a proper chair for very long either. So spending a lot of time in transit is likely to wear me out.

Yeah...the amount of shit I can't do is kind of nutty...there's a reason I rarely take trips.

[Metalcat]

A couple late thoughts:
Trains in Europe can be very comfortable and outside of peak commuter routes, rarely require standing. In my intermittent experience. Intercity buses are well developed there too, and cheap. Long term car rentals, leasing actually, can happen too, as in Renault Eurodrive.

However: beware of peak vacation times in Europe! People like to celebrate in packs there, so a holiday that doesn’t even register in Canada, like Pentecost or May 8 (VE Day) sees huge crowds and difficult travel. A calendar of major holidays is a must.

The benefit of European pack behaviour is that off peak really is.
You can have a beautiful Renaissance  garden or gallery room to yourself for hours.

Ah, very good advice about holidays. I was looking at exactly around May 8th, lol

[dangbe]

Switzerland! There are trains, gondolas and taxis everywhere. Easily able to visit the tops of mountains or sit at a cafe on the side of a river. Or you can sit on the balcony of your chalet all day and stare at the misty mountains. And the food is horrible! Only downside is it’s quite expensive for lodging and groceries.


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[Morning Glory]

Have you been to Hawaii? It's still the US so most buildings are accessible by ADA standards, but technically not in North America and there's a bunch of cultural attractions on Oahu (aquarium,  botanical garden, royal palace, pearl harbor memorial,  etc). I remember there's a planetarium where you can learn about Hawaiian mythology and the southern hemisphere constellations. Plus the water is calm enough to snorkel in some places. I've not been to any of the other islands.

[mistymoney]

hey metalcat - is it the texture/chunkiness of food? or the biochemical stuff?

Like - If you got a plate of ravioli, could you pop it into the vitamix for 30 seconds, and then eat it? or does it need to be bland as well as soft?

if you got a baked potato at the table, can you mash it yourself with a fork and eat? could you mash up ravioli?

my only suggestion would be something on the water, where you could pack a lunch of approved foods, and sit in the boat and roam around that way?

[ixtap]

For eating, we have learned to provide for my partner and not worry about restaurants' restrictions. They aren't as restricted as you, but no dairy, no potatoes and preferably no wheat takes entire cuisines off the table. Our first stop tends to be a big grocery store, even Walmart when available, so we are more likely to be able to find things for them.

Many hotels internationally will have an omelet station where they will fix you scrambled eggs. Restaurants will also be able to meet such a request.

If you are open to taking a cruise, although not very mustachian, the small boat companies like Viking will cater to many of your needs and know the resources available.

[Metalcat]

hey metalcat - is it the texture/chunkiness of food? or the biochemical stuff?

Like - If you got a plate of ravioli, could you pop it into the vitamix for 30 seconds, and then eat it? or does it need to be bland as well as soft?

if you got a baked potato at the table, can you mash it yourself with a fork and eat? could you mash up ravioli?

my only suggestion would be something on the water, where you could pack a lunch of approved foods, and sit in the boat and roam around that way?

The food thing is complicated, I would rather not get into the weeds on it, which is why I shared what I can eat.

[reeshau]

I’m gonna recommend Poland, and maybe by extension other cities in central and eastern Europe. Poland was the only place I ever traveled to where I couldn’t *wait* to leave to get somewhere where the food was better. So, Warsaw, Krakow!!! Etc.

That was my daughter's reaction to Prague.

I love Budapest.  There has been a lot of restoration work done, so it has the Hapsburg coffee palaces, but there are still a lot of "raw"  buildings, too.  It helps me appreciate how much work went into restoration.

I like the food, but there is a point here.  There are hardly any vegetables, unless they are pickled.  Otherwise, dishes are meat, meat, meat!  Although the sweets can be quite tempting.

Also, the Baltics can be quite nice, and are very compact.  We spent a wonderful day in Talinn as a side trip while in Scandinavia.  I am an aviation junkie, so I appreciated visiting an open-air museum of Soviet-era aircraft.  But there are plenty of gardens, too.

@Metalcat , if you can do pudding, can you do ice cream?

[Metalcat]

For eating, we have learned to provide for my partner and not worry about restaurants' restrictions. They aren't as restricted as you, but no dairy, no potatoes and preferably no wheat takes entire cuisines off the table. Our first stop tends to be a big grocery store, even Walmart when available, so we are more likely to be able to find things for them.

Many hotels internationally will have an omelet station where they will fix you scrambled eggs. Restaurants will also be able to meet such a request.

If you are open to taking a cruise, although not very mustachian, the small boat companies like Viking will cater to many of your needs and know the resources available.

It's not about what's available to me, it's about the emotional impact of traveling somewhere and not having access to delicious food all around me.

This is a BRAND NEW eating limitation and I'm a former chef. This will be my first time traveling anywhere not being able to eat.

I just don't want to blow thousands of dollars worth of points, and put my body through the strain of long-haul travel, just to feel miserable being surrounded by amazing food that I can't have while I eat shit that I very much do not like.

I would rather just stay home.

[Sibley]

London is out, but does that mean the rest of the UK is as well? Or Ireland? And the UK as a whole is not known for amazing food, except maybe curries. Lots of cool things to see depending on what you're interested in, even if you avoid London.

I'm sorry for the digestive woes, that really sucks.

[Metalcat]

I’m gonna recommend Poland, and maybe by extension other cities in central and eastern Europe. Poland was the only place I ever traveled to where I couldn’t *wait* to leave to get somewhere where the food was better. So, Warsaw, Krakow!!! Etc.

That was my daughter's reaction to Prague.

I love Budapest.  There has been a lot of restoration work done, so it has the Hapsburg coffee palaces, but there are still a lot of "raw"  buildings, too.  It helps me appreciate how much work went into restoration.

I like the food, but there is a point here.  There are hardly any vegetables, unless they are pickled.  Otherwise, dishes are meat, meat, meat!  Although the sweets can be quite tempting.

Also, the Baltics can be quite nice, and are very compact.  We spent a wonderful day in Talinn as a side trip while in Scandinavia.  I am an aviation junkie, so I appreciated visiting an open-air museum of Soviet-era aircraft.  But there are plenty of gardens, too.

@Metalcat , if you can do pudding, can you do ice cream?

I can have *some* ice cream, as long as it has absolutely nothing in it but ice cream. Like not even vanilla flecks. So it's more of a grey area food than a safe food.

[Hadilly]

I second Hawaii. Spend your day in the water, buy some goggles and a floatie and see fish. Insanely beautiful place. Really, being in warm water, seeing rainbows, wonderful sunsets. Plus, I bet you could eat shave ice.

Consider renting a condo in Waikiki and go to the beach every day.

[Metalcat]

London is out, but does that mean the rest of the UK is as well? Or Ireland? And the UK as a whole is not known for amazing food, except maybe curries. Lots of cool things to see depending on what you're interested in, even if you avoid London.

I'm sorry for the digestive woes, that really sucks.

It does suck. I'm still in shock adjusting to it.

Most of the UK is out as DH lived there and it's not at all exciting for him to go back. Ireland is definitely a possibility because it's a great place for a road trip around a bunch of smaller cities, and while trains aren't great for me, cars aren't bad because I can recline the seat enough to not get hip pain for a few hours.

Also, while I can't have alcohol, I really like non-alcoholic Guinness and apparently it's everywhere in Ireland. So I could probably find plenty of pubs where I could get non-alcoholic Guinness and mashed potatoes.

That said, we live in Newfoundland, which is basically North American Ireland. So while it would be fun, it would also be a hell of a distance to go somewhere very much like home.

[Metalcat]

I second Hawaii. Spend your day in the water, buy some goggles and a floatie and see fish. Insanely beautiful place. Really, being in warm water, seeing rainbows, wonderful sunsets. Plus, I bet you could eat shave ice.

Consider renting a condo in Waikiki and go to the beach every day.

Not interested in Hawaii. We live in one of the most insanely beautiful places on earth, and I'm looking at the ocean as I type this.  Nature and ocean are really not a big draw for us right now.

A major city with a lot of architecture and culture is way more appealing at the moment.

[BECABECA]

Malta would be my recommendation. It’s compact, tons of amazing architecture and ancient human archaeological sites, and Bolt rideshare is very affordable and reliable. But it’s much better in the off season, so unless you can move your vacation up to March, it gets insanely crowded. I went in January/February last year and it was extremely affordable and the sites to see were relatively empty and easy to access.

[mistymoney]

We really enjoyed a big train trip to the grand canyon. just sitting and watching the scenary was more fun than the grand canyon itself - we had someone in the group afraid of heights, so that took a lot of the usualy activities off the table! We did do a boat tour down the colorado river that was fun too. We had a cabin and there was a grocery store I remember shopping at for our food, but there was nothing foodie about any of it. The food was not anything I really even remember.

Someone has revived the orient express train as a luxury event rather than just the transportation to get somewhere from somewhere else.

So maybe an amtrak quest in the US or some train travel in another country with just little excursions here and there?

[Metalcat]

We really enjoyed a big train trip to the grand canyon. just sitting and watching the scenary was more fun than the grand canyon itself - we had someone in the group afraid of heights, so that took a lot of the usualy activities off the table! We did do a boat tour down the colorado river that was fun too. We had a cabin and there was a grocery store I remember shopping at for our food, but there was nothing foodie about any of it. The food was not anything I really even remember.

Someone has revived the orient express train as a luxury event rather than just the transportation to get somewhere from somewhere else.

So maybe an amtrak quest in the US or some train travel in another country with just little excursions here and there?

As I said in my first post, we've done plenty of North American travel, we're really looking to go somewhere different. Also, with the Canadian dollar as it is, there's no way I'm paying a premium to travel in the US right now.

Plus, long hours on a train doesn't appeal to me at all. I can't sit very comfortably in a normal chair for a long time and I can't stand or walk very well in a moving vehicle.

[Metalcat]

Malta would be my recommendation. It’s compact, tons of amazing architecture and ancient human archaeological sites, and Bolt rideshare is very affordable and reliable. But it’s much better in the off season, so unless you can move your vacation up to March, it gets insanely crowded. I went in January/February last year and it was extremely affordable and the sites to see were relatively empty and easy to access.

I have a major exam at the end of April, so it can't be before then. But we could do off season in the fall, that's actually when our 10 year anniversary is. I'll look into Malta.

[ixtap]

I second Hawaii. Spend your day in the water, buy some goggles and a floatie and see fish. Insanely beautiful place. Really, being in warm water, seeing rainbows, wonderful sunsets. Plus, I bet you could eat shave ice.

Consider renting a condo in Waikiki and go to the beach every day.

Not interested in Hawaii. We live in one of the most insanely beautiful places on earth, and I'm looking at the ocean as I type this.  Nature and ocean are really not a big draw for us right now.

A major city with a lot of architecture and culture is way more appealing at the moment.

Without your background, I would recommend someplace in Eastern Europe not really known for its cuisine. I image you are already familiar with some favorites or would be curious rather than blithely ignore it.

[BECABECA]

I have a major exam at the end of April, so it can't be before then. But we could do off season in the fall, that's actually when our 10 year anniversary is. I'll look into Malta.

If you do end up settling on Malta, let me know… I spent a month there and have lots of recommendations (as well as what attractions to pass on).

[reeshau]

Most of the UK is out as DH lived there and it's not at all exciting for him to go back. Ireland is definitely a possibility because it's a great place for a road trip around a bunch of smaller cities, and while trains aren't great for me, cars aren't bad because I can recline the seat enough to not get hip pain for a few hours.

Also, while I can't have alcohol, I really like non-alcoholic Guinness and apparently it's everywhere in Ireland. So I could probably find plenty of pubs where I could get non-alcoholic Guinness and mashed potatoes.

Yes, YES!  Absolutely beautiful, and all you have to do for wonderful scenery is stay off the motorways.  You'll have plenty to see and do, and go through plenty of villages where the local pub us where to eat.  Good for the pub food it is, but monotonous after a time.  You probably do need to be specific about the potatoes, as they would likely be doctored up with butter, milk, and garlic.

And heck, if you drove more than 4 hours, you would fall off the other side of the island!

Locals thought were were crazy to make Dublin to Cashel (in Tipperary, about a 2 hour drive) as a day trip.

And, Guinness in Ireland is like no other.  Locals in Dublin consider the distance from the brewery to the pub, as well as how many taps they have. (Implying how much they serve, so the taps are clean)

[Metalcat]

Most of the UK is out as DH lived there and it's not at all exciting for him to go back. Ireland is definitely a possibility because it's a great place for a road trip around a bunch of smaller cities, and while trains aren't great for me, cars aren't bad because I can recline the seat enough to not get hip pain for a few hours.

Also, while I can't have alcohol, I really like non-alcoholic Guinness and apparently it's everywhere in Ireland. So I could probably find plenty of pubs where I could get non-alcoholic Guinness and mashed potatoes.

Yes, YES!  Absolutely beautiful, and all you have to do for wonderful scenery is stay off the motorways.  You'll have plenty to see and do, and go through plenty of villages where the local pub us where to eat.  Good for the pub food it is, but monotonous after a time.  You probably do need to be specific about the potatoes, as they would likely be doctored up with butter, milk, and garlic.

And heck, if you drove more than 4 hours, you would fall off the other side of the island!

Locals thought were were crazy to make Dublin to Cashel (in Tipperary, about a 2 hour drive) as a day trip.

And, Guinness in Ireland is like no other.  Locals in Dublin consider the distance from the brewery to the pub, as well as how many taps they have. (Implying how much they serve, so the taps are clean)

Lol, my entire diet is monotonous, I eat literally the exact same few foods every single day, and I hate almost all of them. Also, I don't drink alcohol, so I would only be drinking non-alcoholic Guinness, but the Irish folks I've spoken to have indicated that it's basically in every pub.

We are considering Ireland because we're considering moving there as DH has citizenship, but that would make it more of a recon trip and less of a vacation.

We want to live there because it's so similar to Newfoundland, but that similarity makes it less appealing as a vacation destination. We're really looking to go somewhere very different for this trip.

[iris lily]

I see people have already mentioned Prague and cities in Poland. I personally thought the food in Prague and Eastern .Europe was  fine but that’s because I’m used to North American slop.

OK, what about small cities such as York England?Edinborough Scotland.? You could do both in one trip and no one goes to those places for the cuisine.

York is a lot of fun with its old town area and the cathedral.

[Shamantha]

As a Dutch person, I can thoroughly recommend The Netherlands. And then not Amsterdam, but smaller cities like Haarlem or Leiden (both of which are still only 30 minutes by train from Amsterdam for a day trip). Culture galore, beautiful old buildings, musea, and the food is nothing you would want to try 😄 You have supermarkets everywhere for your restricted food options, also in city centers. Taxis are available, if you are staying somewhere a bit longer I would see if you can strike a deal with a local company, otherwise Uber is also a good alternative and more trustworthy than the taxis on the street or near stations. if you stay in the city center of Leiden or Haarlem, musea and sights are within walking distance (depending on walking capacity of course). Happy to give more info if you would be interested!

[Cassie]

Krakow is one of my favorite cities and it’s beautiful with so much to see. Like others mentioned it’s not known for great food. I was on a similar type of restricted diet once for 6 months and it was very difficult. I’m really sorry you are dealing with that.

[Just Joe]

European river cruise? Lots of stops, presumably adaptive on-board dietary options for your needs, get off and walk the city or not as you feel up to it.

Netherlands: when I watch "Not Just Bikes" I see tiny cars on the bike paths. Also Vespa style scooters. I don't know the rules or if that would be helpful to you.

[AuspiciousEight]

Actually some of us have never traveled anywhere in our life (or maybe it's just me)?

So I'm just going to name a random city. What about Paris, France?

[Kris]

Actually some of us have never traveled anywhere in our life (or maybe it's just me)?

So I'm just going to name a random city. What about Paris, France?

I’m guessing Metalcat has been there, but it’s not a great option for her. Tons and tons of places with gorgeous vitrine windows of beautiful pastries, cheeses, etc. A feast for the eyes. Torture if you can’t have any of it.

[FireLane]

My first thought was Iceland.

Reykjavik is the biggest city, but it's pretty small by rest-of-the-world standards. If you stay in a centrally located hotel, you can see most of the sights with minimal walking. There are a lot of museums, especially Viking-related ones, and interesting architecture like the Hallgrimskirkja. It's also famous for its hot springs and spas, if you're into that and are able to do it.

There's plenty to do without leaving Reykjavik, but if you can rent a car or take a bus tour into the countryside, Iceland has amazing natural scenery. There are spectacular waterfalls, active geysers, lava cliffs and caves. I recommend the Golden Circle tour.

Also, Iceland definitely isn't known for its food. It's mostly fish.

[2Birds1Stone]

I’m gonna recommend Poland, and maybe by extension other cities in central and eastern Europe. Poland was the only place I ever traveled to where I couldn’t *wait* to leave to get somewhere where the food was better. So, Warsaw, Krakow!!! Etc.

How long ago where you in Poland?

Post communism, the food options were pretty terrible if you don't like traditional Polish food (which I love).

In the past 10 years the culinary scene in Poland has absolutely exploded and the options are endless and amazing (and relatively cheap to the USA). DW and I travel globally full time and some of the best restaurants we've eaten at in the past few years have been there.

[2Birds1Stone]

Have you considered Asia? Bangkok, Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur come to mind.

Bangkok is especially good if you can take the Metro/Skyrail, water taxi's, regular road taxi's can be tough with traffic. The amount of things to do/see with minimal walking is insane.

Depending on your tolerance for heat and sensitivity to air quality, it might be too hot/sticky.

We haven't been to Tokyo (yet, spending 3 weeks in Japan this April) but based on our research it looks to be super easy to get around by public transportation, with cleaner air than SE Asian options.........ditto for many of the Japanese cities for that matter.

[Kris]

I’m gonna recommend Poland, and maybe by extension other cities in central and eastern Europe. Poland was the only place I ever traveled to where I couldn’t *wait* to leave to get somewhere where the food was better. So, Warsaw, Krakow!!! Etc.

How long ago where you in Poland?

Post communism, the food options were pretty terrible if you don't like traditional Polish food (which I love).

In the past 10 years the culinary scene in Poland has absolutely exploded and the options are endless and amazing (and relatively cheap to the USA). DW and I travel globally full time and some of the best restaurants we've eaten at in the past few years have been there.

Fair, it was 15 years ago.

[RedmondStash]

I was also thinking Iceland.

If there are types of food you dislike, like, say, seafood, you could travel somewhere known for that (like Japan, Korea, etc.), because their food specialties wouldn't appeal anyway.

Are you able to cook? If so, maybe consider renting an AirBnB instead of a hotel, so you can do your own food prep and storage, and make sure you have the right foods available. (I too have an extremely limited diet, and have been pondering how to travel without starving.)

Also, I'm sorry about your recent food limitations. It's an awful thing to have to come to terms with.

[Metalcat]

I was also thinking Iceland.

If there are types of food you dislike, like, say, seafood, you could travel somewhere known for that (like Japan, Korea, etc.), because their food specialties wouldn't appeal anyway.

Are you able to cook? If so, maybe consider renting an AirBnB instead of a hotel, so you can do your own food prep and storage, and make sure you have the right foods available. (I too have an extremely limited diet, and have been pondering how to travel without starving.)

Also, I'm sorry about your recent food limitations. It's an awful thing to have to come to terms with.

Seafood is my favourite, and as a foodie, I basically love all food. If it's good, I love it, hence why I'm aiming to go somewhere where the food is boring.

Anywhere Asian would be really tricky since in so many places the food is amazing, and I've never been there, so not being able to try the food would be emotionally challenging.

I'll get to a place where I can handle it, but it's so new and as a former chef, food was such a huge part of my identity that it's going to be a hell of an adjustment.

[Metalcat]

Actually some of us have never traveled anywhere in our life (or maybe it's just me)?

So I'm just going to name a random city. What about Paris, France?

I’m guessing Metalcat has been there, but it’s not a great option for her. Tons and tons of places with gorgeous vitrine windows of beautiful pastries, cheeses, etc. A feast for the eyes. Torture if you can’t have any of it.

I have been to Paris, and yes, Paris would be pure torture.

[Metalcat]

My first thought was Iceland.

Reykjavik is the biggest city, but it's pretty small by rest-of-the-world standards. If you stay in a centrally located hotel, you can see most of the sights with minimal walking. There are a lot of museums, especially Viking-related ones, and interesting architecture like the Hallgrimskirkja. It's also famous for its hot springs and spas, if you're into that and are able to do it.

There's plenty to do without leaving Reykjavik, but if you can rent a car or take a bus tour into the countryside, Iceland has amazing natural scenery. There are spectacular waterfalls, active geysers, lava cliffs and caves. I recommend the Golden Circle tour.

Also, Iceland definitely isn't known for its food. It's mostly fish.

Iceland is another spot that we're just not terribly motivated to go because the nature is similar to where we are now.Whwre we are is kind of like a cross between Iceland, Norway, and western Ireland, depending on what area you're in.

Our island is larger than Ireland and Iceland, and there's still so much of it for us to explore, so if we want to focus on nature, I don't need to put my body through a long flight, we can just hop in the car and explore bucket-list travel destinations whenever we feel like it. That's why we bought a second house out here, so make adventure travel a lot easier on me.

If we're going to go far away, we want something we can't get with just a road trip where we currently are. And there are no major cities on the entire island except for one that isn't very interesting.

So we would really rather a cool, different city. I haven't traveled to many major cities, I've mostly done nature-focused travel and a lot of quaint small towns.

[Metalcat]

Have you considered Asia? Bangkok, Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur come to mind.

Bangkok is especially good if you can take the Metro/Skyrail, water taxi's, regular road taxi's can be tough with traffic. The amount of things to do/see with minimal walking is insane.

Depending on your tolerance for heat and sensitivity to air quality, it might be too hot/sticky.

We haven't been to Tokyo (yet, spending 3 weeks in Japan this April) but based on our research it looks to be super easy to get around by public transportation, with cleaner air than SE Asian options.........ditto for many of the Japanese cities for that matter.

It's the duration of flights to get there that really concerns me. If I were to travel that far, I would probably want to be there for more than 2 weeks to justify the toll it would take on my body to even get there.

Also, the food. I love Japanese food in particular.

[2Birds1Stone]

Have you considered Asia? Bangkok, Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur come to mind.

Bangkok is especially good if you can take the Metro/Skyrail, water taxi's, regular road taxi's can be tough with traffic. The amount of things to do/see with minimal walking is insane.

Depending on your tolerance for heat and sensitivity to air quality, it might be too hot/sticky.

We haven't been to Tokyo (yet, spending 3 weeks in Japan this April) but based on our research it looks to be super easy to get around by public transportation, with cleaner air than SE Asian options.........ditto for many of the Japanese cities for that matter.

It's the duration of flights to get there that really concerns me. If I were to travel that far, I would probably want to be there for more than 2 weeks to justify the toll it would take on my body to even get there.

Also, the food. I love Japanese food in particular.

That makes sense, and even as a healthy able bodies person I need more than two weeks to justify flights and jet lag of those proportions.

May I suggest Rome then? It blew our minds as a capital city and was quite traversable by tram, cab, bus etc. Some of the attractions require a little bit of walking but they might be accommodating to someone with your criteria. It's jard to go anywhere in Rome/Vatican city without stunning beauty between gardens, architecture and fountains/statues. The Roman forum and colosseum can occupy a day or two on their own. From Rome it's an easy train ride to many other cities that are fairly flat and accessible.

[PoutineLover]

That's so tricky because walking and eating are the main things I usually do on trips.

But I'll say split and Dubrovnik in Croatia were amazing cities architecturally and visually, and both are fairly small so very easy to get around with just short walks or taxi rides if you stay central, although also lots of cobblestones.

The food was good but pretty standard seaside fare, not internationally known kind of good. Hope you find a place that works!

[achvfi]

Sorry if this is not appropriate.
Why travel in these circumstances. If I was in your shoes and I know I will be uncomfortable in foreign place and have many limitations I would think hard before going around the world.

That said, I think cruise trip might be a good option to consider.