A new study by the price comparison website Comparethemarket.com assessed the accessibility of 38 European travel destinations from the perspective of the traveller. The study looked at accessible accommodation, attractions and airports, and whether the destination received an Access City Award, as well as whether there were ongoing accessibility campaigns.
When it comes to travelling with a disability, there are multiple ways the travel experience can be improved, such as better access to tourist attractions and hotel accommodation. The study reveals that the most accessible city in Europe is Luxembourg (above), the capital of the country with the same name.
The city’s accommodation is 18,56 percent accessible; its attractions are 33,33 percent accessible; the airport is fully accessible; the city has received an Access City Award; and there is an ongoing council campaign for accessibility.
Luxembourg placed third in the 2019 Access City Awards because it actively raises awareness about disabilities to reduce stigma, and the city is overhauling its public transport to make it approachable and welcoming for everyone.
These were the top accessible cities in Europe:
- Luxembourg, Luxembourg
- Berlin, Germany
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Oslo, Norway
- Bern, Switzerland
The study also looked at the least accessible European cities. At the top of the list was Chisinau, the capital of Moldova. Only 3,17 percent of accommodation in this city is accessible. When it comes to wheelchair-accessible tourist attractions, Chisinau fared even worse: not a single attraction was fully accessible.
Kiev in Ukraine and Zagreb in Croatia were the cities with the lowest ranking in terms of accessible accommodation. Both have only 1,83 percent wheelchair-accessible accommodation.
Overall, the least accessible cities were as follows:
- Chisinau, Moldova
- Kiev, Ukraine
- Belgrade, Serbia
- Sofia, Bulgaria
- Tirana, Albania
You can view the full list of accessible destinations in Europe here.
