Europe is undoubtedly a fascinating place with plenty of amazing places to see. There are so many fantastic cities spread around Europe that it is never easy to decide which ones to visit when planning a trip to Europe, as most people don’t have the time (or money) to visit them all!
The decision of which places to visit can be even more difficult for travellers who require the use of a wheelchair, as the accessibility features of each destination may need to be researched prior to making further plans.
Fortunately, there are numerous resources online which highlight some of the most accessible destinations in Europe. Travel booking site Alpharooms have gone one step further by compiling a list of the 10 most accessible cities in Europe, backed by their own data, and the results, as shown below, are very interesting.
What follows is a list of the top 10 most accessible cities in Europe according to the data from Alpharooms, together with our own thoughts about each destination and why it’s considered as a good choice from an accessibility point of view.
10 – Paris
Paris is an incredibly romantic, trendy and beautiful city and one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.
If you are heading to Paris, then you will be pleased to know that it is home to one of the most accessible tourist attractions in the whole of Europe, the Louvre Museum, which holds some fascinating works of art.
The rest of the city may at times be a little tricky to get around and the metro could certainly do with some improvements to make it as accessible as other mass transit rail systems across Europe and throughout the world.
9 – Prague
When considering the most visited cities in Europe, Prague doesn’t fair to well in terms of having accessible tourist attractions. Although according to the methodology used by Alpharooms, the Czech capital is still more accessible, all things considered, than Paris.
8 – Rome
Rome is a wonderful city, however, if you are disabled, then the uneven ground and the limited public transportation that is accessible can make it hard to navigate. That said, there are a few accessible bus routes in Rome as well as wheelchair accessible taxis too.
There are some attractions that are accessible to those who are visiting Rome, The Vatican can be tricky during to crowding, but it is possible as is the Capitoline Museum and The National Museum of Rome.
7 – Barcelona
If you are hoping for accessible public transport then you are going to need to consider Barcelona for your Europe city break. Barcelona has an amazing public transport system and it is known to be hugely accessible to all users. Something that is incredibly valued.
Not only that, but Barcelona is also known for providing a wide range of accessible hotel rooms too.
6 – Milan
Another city that is recognised for having plenty of accessible accommodation options is Milan. In fact, it’s estimated that 19% of all hotel rooms in this beautiful Italian city are deemed to be accessible to all – one of the highest rates in the whole of Europe.
Whilst there is still room for improvement when it comes to accessible public transport options in the city, Milan is far easier to navigate than many other popular European destinations.
In addition, many of the attractions such as the Dome and the Civic Museum of Contemporary Art are known to be very accessible.
5 – Amsterdam
Amsterdam is an amazing city to visit. Not only is it packed full of beauty, culture and fun, but it is also one that could be pleasantly surprisingly how easy it can be to access everything there and get around if you are disabled.
There are accessible hotels which are located in the heart of the city and despite the streets being largely cobbled, they are wide and typically provide plenty of space to move around too. The trams offer accessible options, which means tourists can easily get around the city and visit some of the amazing attractions such as the Body Worlds Museum.
4 – London
Each year, London is one of the most visited cities in the entire world, so it would make sense that it is a city which considers accessibility to be incredibly important.
That said, whilst there are many great things to see in London and a large number of popular attractions are truly accessible, it can at times be difficult to get around using the public transport system if you rely on a wheelchair. The most obvious challenge in this respect is at certain tube stations. Many of the London Underground stations are very accessible, however, quite a few of them could do with some improvement in this area..
On the other hand, the modern London buses and world famous black cabs are great options for tourists using a wheelchair
3 – Berlin
One of the most amazing cities in Germany, Berlin is great if you are searching for an accessible hotel. In fact, it comes second in the list of European cities with accessible hotel rooms, with an estimated 27% of all rooms being considered fully accessible.Along with this, Berlin also comes with wheelchair friendly transport options and accessible stations too. There are also numerous accessible attractions worth visiting, including the Reichstag, Museum Island, the Berlin Wall and the Brandeburg.
2 – Vienna
The authorities in Vienna have worked hard to ensure that it is a city that is accessible for all. It is home to a number of attractions such as the Hofburg, Schonbrunn Palace and Gardens, all of which have had work on them over recent times to ensure that they are accessible.
Not only this, but the transport system in Vienna, the Metro, is also incredibly accessible, with over 95% of the network completely step free.
1 – Dublin
Top of the list is Dublin, and for good reason. Dublin (along with London) leads the way in terms of having the highest number of accessible tourist attractions.
Along with this Dublin also has one of the best transport systems for those who are in the need of accessibility. The Dublin Luas system prides itself on being accessible for all users, making the capital city of Ireland incredibly easy to get around.
