Top disability friendly destinations 2024

With more cities worldwide improving their accessibility, travel is becoming easier for our community. We have already proved that we can do anything we set our minds to, and that is now being recognised internationally. 

Here are our top recommendations for trotting the globe in 2024.

Barcelona

You can make the most of Spanish culture and hospitality in Barcelona. It’s widely regarded as one of the most accessible cities in Europe with smooth, flat pavements and ramps or lifts on public transport. Most of Barcelona’s metro links are accessible and all of the buses in the city are as well. Even their famous cable cars are accessible for wheelchair users. 

Perhaps the most exciting part of Barcelona is that its beaches have adapted changing facilities and feature wheelchair walkways and promenades.

Vienna

Vienna’s many tourist attractions have ramps and lifts to make sure everyone can enjoy a trip to Austria. Almost all of their transport is accessible, making it incredibly easy to get around the city and explore the sights. 

Their most famous museums are also finding new ways to share the art experience with the visually impaired and hard of hearing. 

Berlin

Berlin is unique and has committed itself to becoming completely barrier-free. The U-Bahn, trams, buses and S-Bahn are all accessible for wheelchair users, people with limited mobility and those with visual impairments or deafness. 

Many of their stylish hotels have ramps, lifts and showers that can be accessed via a wheelchair. Its popular attractions can also be enjoyed, like the panoramic views of the city from the Reichstag.

Seattle

Seattle’s Link Like Rail System is refreshingly modern and has been designed and built with accessibility in mind. Their pedestrian crossings have multi-sensory indicators and many of their attractions have boardwalks and viewing platforms that are disability friendly. 

You can even take to the waters with the Footloose Sailing Association, which is dedicated to offering sailing programmes to the differently abled.

Washington DC

Washington’s metro system has lifts and adapted gates at many of its stops, making exploring the city as hassle-free as possible. You can go to any of their national monuments as they are accessible, as are the museums and sports stadiums.

Montreal

Canada has beautiful, natural tourist attractions and is brimming with unrivalled hospitality. Every city bus is accessible and there are over 300 accessible establishments to visit, stay at and dine in.

Singapore

Singapore is thought to be the most disability-friendly city on the entire continent. Its rail system is fully accessible and the streets feature wide payments with handy dropped kerbs for wheelchair users. While you take your city break, you can visit the Mandai Wildlife Reserves Park, National Gallery and the S.E.A. Aquarium. 

The climate is humid and tropical and temperatures can be high all year, so prepare for some very hot afternoons.

Seoul

Seoul’s metro system has 622 stations that are step-free. This makes it incredibly easy to travel around the city, as every stop is fully accessible. You can visit the many temples, palaces and other attractions as most are accessible too.

The best months to travel for temperatures that are not too extreme are April, May and October.

Sydney

Sydney is famed for its sun, beaches, and gorgeous weather, making it a popular tourist destination. It has accessible transport links and has introduced tactile and Braille street signs to help those with sensory impairments. You can find accessible tourist maps that show where to park and adapted toilets, and there are websites dedicated to accessible tourist attractions too.

If you feel like hitting the beach, Sydney’s Manly Beach offers free beach wheelchairs that you can take onto the sand and down to the water.

Stay safe

No matter where you go, it’s always best to do as much research as possible on the weather, where you are staying and how you plan to get around. Your safety and convenience are the priority for happy travelling in 2024.