5 Wheelchair Accessible Cities in Europe

When you have a disability or long-term health condition which means you use a wheelchair, it can be difficult to plan a city break. Whilst many people prioritise considering the food, culture and price of their holiday destination, you have more pressing matters at hand like whether you’ll be able to get around with ease. 

So, you’ve saved for your city break, using websites like wealthify.com to make the most from your money – but where should you go? What are the 5 most wheelchair accessible cities in Europe?

Milan, Italy

Milan is a beautiful city, famous for its thriving fashion industry and famous artwork. But it’s also famous for being accessible. Recent years have seen a significant improvement in facilities for wheelchair users, and the railways and airports are well equipped. Many of the tourist attractions have wheelchair ramps, such as the Duomo, Pinacoteca Brera and Botanic Garden, and the yellow underground line is fully accessible. Just be aware that some of the streets are cobbled and uneven.  

Dublin, Ireland

Dublin is an accessible city with plenty of wheelchair accessible bridges and audible pedestrian traffic lights. Many people have commented on the friendly nature of staff in tourist areas in Dublin, and a helpful attitude towards helping those with mobility issues. There’s also a great deal of wheelchair walking tours, bus tours and coach trips to enjoy.     

Paris, France

When you think of Paris, you might think of old streets and landmarks with an abundance of steps – which aren’t great for wheelchair users. However, Paris has become more mobility friendly over the past few years. Wheelchair users can enjoy the sights from the top of the Eiffel Tower by taking the elevator and streets like the Champs Élysées are easy enough to navigate. Perhaps slightly more difficult than Dublin, you might need to plan your trip with a bit of extra care because the sights and landmarks are quite spread out, but wheelchair users can still enjoy the beautiful city.

Berlin, Germany

Berlin is another wheelchair friendly city. It’s very flat and has many newly paved streets which make navigating quite straight forward. It also offers a great deal of exciting and educational museums, like the DDR museum, most of which have wheelchair-accessible ramps – although it’s worth doing your research beforehand. The U-Bahn and many of the buses are wheelchair accessible, too.  

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam is another great flat city which is easy to navigate in a wheelchair. Offering beautiful canals, quaint streets and fascinating markets, wheelchair users can easily sample the culture of the city. Most of the museums, such as the Stedelijk, have wheelchair access, although be aware that the Moco museum does not have ramps. It’s also worth noting that many people get around on bikes, and anyone visiting Amsterdam should navigate the city with caution. It can be busy and a tad hectic in peak tourist months, but certainly worth a visit!