When I interviewed a citizen of Viterbo who is in a wheelchair, I asked her if she thought there were any specific places in the center of Viterbo that needed to be more accessible. To my slight amazement, she replied that she never goes to the center, because it is so impossible to get around in a wheelchair. When I asked other people, even those who aren't in wheelchairs, I got the same answer. For those who are in wheelchairs, public transport is very difficult and they therefore have to drive to reach the centre. However, parking in the center of Viterbo is difficult and often inconvenient, and the person with the disability has to rely on someone else to drive them and wait for them.
However, if you manage to reach the center, you are faced with an infinite number of obstacles. If you've ever rolled a suitcase through the streets of Viterbo, you know that wheels and cobblestones are very incompatible and most likely very uncomfortable if someone is in a wheelchair. Also, most of the sidewalks are very narrow, with stones missing in the middle, with the sidewalks ending abruptly. There are ramps on most sidewalks, although sometimes parked cars block them.
As can be seen in the photo gallery and maps on the previous pages, there are very few shops, restaurants, etc. equipped with ramps and accessible. As a result, it is nearly impossible to socialize, shop or live in the center of Viterbo if you are in a wheelchair. For a medieval city, Viterbo isn't that bad. However, given the amount of citizens in wheelchairs, a more concerted effort should be made to make the center more accessible.
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