I’ve traveled to 16 countries in Europe in my wheelchair- here are some of my best and worst experiences so far. There are so many great things to see in Europe, so picking “bests” can be subjective. Also, my bad experiences don’t mean the cities aren’t necessarily worth visiting if you’re a wheelchair user!
Best Architecture: Barcelona
Barcelona is my favorite city in the world that I’ve been to, and the city’s beautiful architecture is a big reason why. Antoni Gaudí’s work throughout the city is stunning and is unlike anything I’ve ever seen! I will be posting a full blog post on Barcelona with more details about this beautiful city! Stay tuned! In the meantime, here are a few amazing architectural sights in Barcelona.
- La Sagrada Familia: The most popular destination in Barcelona, for good reason! It is simply magnificent, colorful, and full of stunning details everywhere you look. This is a must-see for anyone visiting Barcelona! I enjoyed the audio guide to learn more about the construction and architecture. I would rate its accessibility a 9/10. Admission is free for a disabled visitor and their companion! I purchased these tickets online in advance, which I would definitely recommend. There is an accessible entrance on the southwest side, on the Nativity Façade and there is an accessible bathroom in the museum near the gift shop. The only issues I encountered were a steep slope/ramp on the Nativity Façade and a steep slope to get to the accessible ramp to get down to the accessible bathroom. I was able to manage it, but I wouldn’t really call those ramps accessible.
- Casa Batlló: A beautiful house designed by Gaudi in the early 1900s. The design, like all of Gaudi’s work, is heavily inspired by nature and was stunning! I did the audio guide tour which I would recommend! I would rate the accessibility a 9.5/10, my only issue was needing an employee to help me navigate the elevator between floors- I prefer to be able to navigate places independently! Admission is discounted for disabled visitors, and a companion can get in for free. I’d recommend visiting Casa Batlló over Casa Milà if you’re a wheelchair user, but if you have the time I’d still recommend visiting both.
- Casa Milà (La Pedrera): Casa Milà is an apartment building built in the early 1900s. The unique design of this apartment building was unlike any apartment building I’ve ever seen! I took a tour that came with an audio guide, which was a great way to learn about the building and Gaudí. Admission is discounted for disabled visitors, there is no discount for a companion. I would rate the accessibility a 7/10. There are elevators in Casa Milà, but one of them in particular is quite narrow. My wheelchair is 22 inches (56 cm) wide, and I did not have a ton of extra room. If your wheelchair is wider than this, I don’t know if you’d be able to fit. Also, there is elevator access to the rooftop, but once you get up to the roof there are many sets of stairs to go around the rooftop. I was able to go up the elevator but couldn’t see very much. I think it’s worth it to go up for a second because you can see some things. Other than those two issues, I was able to get around!
- Other beautiful architectural attractions in Barcelona that I’d recommend: Casa Vicens, Casa Amatller, Park Güell, Hospital de Sant Pau, Parc de la Ciutadella fountain (Cascada Monumental), Palau de la Música Catalana
Most Breathtaking: Iceland (Sky Lagoon)
My favorite travel experience I’ve ever had was visiting Sky Lagoon at sunset. Sky Lagoon is a hot spring/geothermal spa near Reykjavík. Going into the lagoon is essentially going into a naturally heated infinity pool overlooking the ocean, and at sunset, it was absolutely magical. I enjoyed a passionfruit martini from the swim-up bar, which was delicious. The water is typically about 100 F / 39 C and felt so nice. The accessibility was good for me- there’s a private accessible changing room with a shower, and I was able to borrow a pool noodle to use to float around while in the lagoon, which was great because I can swim but can’t tread water. There’s also a chairlift available for getting in and out of the water, but I didn’t use it. Tickets to Sky Lagoon come with access to Sky Lagoon’s signature Skjól ritual, a 7 step process including the lagoon, a cold plunge, a body scrub, and more. I only spent my time in the lagoon, so I can’t comment on the accessibility of the rest of the experience, but the staff was wonderful and I would LOVE to go back and try the Skjól ritual in its entirety!
Watch my reel at Sky Lagoon here!
Most Surprising: Vienna
I’ll be honest, I did not know much about Vienna before visiting there in December 2023, except for the Viennese Waltz, which I learned through my childhood love for Dancing With The Stars. My mom planned this trip, so I showed up with little knowledge. There is so much beauty everywhere I looked in Vienna, from the beautiful palaces and buildings to the gorgeous warm glowing and twinkling Christmas lights that illuminated the city. I loved visiting the city in December, but it seems beautiful year-round from what I’ve seen online! I was also pleasantly surprised at the accessibility- there were not many cobblestones or steps to get into buildings, which are two of the main problems I’ve encountered in Europe.
Here’s why it’s my favorite European city to visit in December!
Friendliest Airport Staff: Dublin
I feel very lucky that Dublin was my home base during my year living abroad. Out of everywhere I’ve flown, Dublin has the best airport staff. I actually feel cared for as a person and welcomed when I encounter a member of DUB airport staff. I flew a lot during my year abroad, and consistently had great experiences.
As a wheelchair user, having to hand over my wheelchair (aka my legs) to a stranger and hoping that it makes it to my destination literally in one piece can be nerve-wracking, especially with the amount of wheelchairs that get damaged during flights. If you didn’t know- airlines damage wheelchairs thousands of times per year. That being said, I’ve flown many many times and have never had my wheelchair seriously damaged.
Best Public Transit: Copenhagen
Upon leaving the Copenhagen airport, I was immediately impressed with Copenhagen’s metro system. It is perfect, in my opinion. Clean, on time, AND perfectly accessible. Every single metro station has at least one elevator, and every one I encountered during my trip there was working! I felt very safe navigating their metro system as a woman, and was very happy to see the glass doors to protect people from falling onto the tracks (a fear of mine!).
Watch my reel about the Copenhagen metro here!
Read my Copenhagen Travel Guide here!
Most Awe-Inspiring: Pompeii
Visiting Pompeii was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had. It is the closest I have felt to stepping back in time. I felt connected to history in a way I never have before. My mom and I hired a private tour guide to take us around, and it worked out really well. Pompeii has little to no signage, so hiring a private tour guide really helped us understand so much more about Pompeii than what we would have understood by walking around. Our guide also knew the area well and was able to help us plan an accessible route to see the best parts. I would rate the accessibility an 8.5- the “accessible” bathroom did not have a toilet seat on it, which makes it very difficult for me to use safely, and there were some times I had to navigate over somewhat unstable terrain. However, I was able to navigate well, thanks to metal supports that created a smooth terrain between the ancient stepping stones, which were designed to allow sewage and other waste to flow in the street below. There may be other accessible bathrooms than the one I used, which may be better. This Pompeii for all itinerary is a helpful resource!
Worst “Shower Chair”: Hotel Zermama
My mom and I stayed at Hotel Zermama in Zermatt, Switzerland. We enjoyed our stay, except for their shower accommodations. As a “shower chair”, the hotel provided me with what was clearly a lounge chair. It was in no way appropriate for me to use as a shower chair – it was reclined and the only orientation that it could fit in the shower was facing away from the controls and soaps. When I got to the hotel and saw the monstrosity that they put in my shower, I hopped in to take photos to send to my friends and share with my followers, because it looked absolutely ridiculous. When I was transferring back into my wheelchair, the “shower chair” tipped over and I fell to the ground. Thankfully, I was not injured. I have been using a shower chair for over a decade and this is the first time I’ve ever fallen in the shower. Later that night, I had to take a shower, and had no other choice but to use the shower chair. I did not fall, but I had to have my mom’s assistance with showering because I couldn’t reach anything or transfer safely without her help. This is nowhere near the first time I have encountered an inadequate shower setup when traveling, but it is the most ridiculous.
Simple shower chairs with a back are easily available for purchase for $60 on Amazon. I do not see an excuse for every hotel to have at least 2 of these for their guests to use. I am a paying customer and should be able to safely take a shower at a hotel! I am tired of poor design and a lack of consideration preventing me from showering independently when I travel. I shouldn’t have to have the help of my mom when a design change (or $60 purchase for a hotel) could completely prevent this outcome and give me some dignity back. Thankfully, I am comfortable with my mom helping me (although it is incredibly frustrating to need her help)- but if I was traveling with anyone else, or alone, I wouldn’t be able to shower safely.
Here’s the shower bench I use when traveling (I purchased it after this trip!) – it can be disassembled and fits into my carry-on luggage. I don’t believe I should be required to bring it with me in order to shower at a hotel, but until hotels improve I will be bringing mine with me.
Here is a video of me showing how the shower bench can be fit into a carry on.
Most Frustrating: Ravello
When I travel, especially in Europe, I use my Batec Mini handbike to help me navigate cobblestones, hills, and more. I was in Ravello on the Amalfi Coast for an afternoon, and didn’t have my Batec with me because I had been on a boat for the day and it would’ve been really difficult to bring on the boat. My mom and I spent a couple hours here, and there was very little for us to do. We went to Villa Rufolo, and only a limited amount of the gardens were accessible. The accessible bathroom was also closed- we could not find anywhere with an accessible bathroom, and I eventually had to use one in a cafe that was very difficult to use and I needed my mom’s help getting in and out. Itt had stairs, and was way too small to fit my chair. Unfortunately, everywhere in Ravello had cobblestones, and navigating them without my Batec was very challenging.
My guess is that with a lot of planning and expense, Ravello may work as a destination if you’re in a wheelchair. The views from the limited amount of garden I could see were stunning, and if there are any nice accessible hotels, I would go back and camp out on a lounge chair next to the pool. To other wheelchair users, I would only recommend visiting the Amalfi Coast by boat, and I personally wouldn’t get off the boat again to explore, unless I had thoroughly planned and researched the itinerary. I would much rather enjoy the beautiful views from the water, where cobblestones and the frustrations couldn’t reach me.
Worst Airport Experience: Amsterdam
I loved my trip to Amsterdam in the spring to see the tulips in bloom at Keukenhof Gardens! However, my experience at Amsterdam Schiphol on my way back to Dublin was very frustrating.
When getting tags for my chair and Batec at the check-in desk, I had to fill out a form that I had never seen before. The form was confusing and the employee didn’t have enough familiarity with it to help me either. I was at the check in counter for about 20 minutes. Then, I had to wait 30 minutes for assistance, because certain elevators in the building require a key to use. I don’t physically need assistance at airports except for getting on and off planes, so it was frustrating to have to wait longer because of their design of the airport. I did, however, get to go in a shorter security line that I believe is used mostly for airline and airport employees.
I also did not like the design of the gate- the gate itself was located downstairs, and the only way to access it was via stairs or an elevator that was locked. My flight was delayed, so the assistance employee that was with my friend and I said he would come back when it was time for me to board. We waited near the elevator, which was located above the gate, out of sight of the gate and the plane. Then, I was given conflicting information about if the flight was delayed or not, so I was worried that we were going to miss our flight. Because I couldn’t use the elevator to get down to the gate and didn’t have a way to contact anyone about it, I felt stranded. There was another assistance employee nearby, but he wasn’t able to contact anyone since he was not assigned to me. It was frustrating and unnecessary. Eventually, after a long wait and much stress, someone did come and I was able to make my flight.
Read my Amsterdam Travel Guide here!
Read my guide to Keukenhof Gardens here!
Worst Hostel Experience: Safestay Prague Charles Bridge
After my friends and I finished our fall semester of our masters programs in Dublin, we took a group trip to Prague to see the Christmas markets! I researched accessible hostels and found Safestay Prague Charles Bridge, which had photos online of an accessible bathroom. I called and emailed the hostel prior to booking, and discussed with them what I needed. I booked the room for my friends and I. However, when I arrived that night, I learned that not only was the accessible room located on the FIFTH floor, but the elevator was out of service. I was actually in the lobby when the elevator repairman arrived, and he was incredibly rude to me. My saving grace was that my mom and uncle were actually also visiting Prague and staying at a hotel a few minutes walk away, and I was able to crash on their couch. The hotel room my mom and uncle were in wasn’t “accessible”, but there was a working elevator! I tried to get my money back from the hostel since I did not stay there, but I wasn’t able to. 0/10, do not recommend for wheelchair users! My friends that stayed there had a fine experience.
Overall I have struggled to find accessible hostels in Europe, and have never stayed in one (unless you count CityHub in Copenhagen). I tried to stay in one again in Barcelona, but found out last minute that my accessible room had not been booked properly so my friend and I went to a hotel instead.
