Accessible Europe: 2008
Foot-loose and fancy-free is not so easy if you have a disability. Which countries take better care of travelers with physical limits, and how? Any practical tips for those dreaming of travel but concerned about mobility?
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Wheel adventures website
Wheeladventures website. I just checked this website and it looks like the forum has been taken over by spammers. The website is still great, but do not go into the forum.
Jo
Frankfurt, Germany Wed 12/17/2008
Disabled accomodations in Scotland
Be careful when making reservations at B&B's that are labelled as Handicapped Accessible, even 3 or 4 stars in the UK. I walk with forearm crutches. In 2001 we stayed at a B&B in Southern Scotland labelled as disabled accessible. Since a lot of time has passed, I won't mention the establishment. The bathroom facilities consisted of a shower with a seat. I had to hoist my self up onto the seat with my crutches, and when I closed the shower door it was difficult to move around. If someone more disabled then me, (wheelchair) had tried to use it, it would've been near impossible. I give the UK credit for trying to meet needs, but we are really blessed in the US for accessability, and the rest of the world hasn't caught up yet.
Jeff Komar <email>
Bothell, WA USA Fri 11/14/2008
Wheeladventures
Here is a great new website for travelers on wheels. It has videos, photos, and lots of really detailed information about getting around the different cities, their airports, train stations, public transportation, and hotels and restaurants.
http://www.wheeladventure.com/
Jo Ator
Frankfurt, Germany Tue 11/11/2008
Attitudes in Europe
I know that accessibility is an extremely important issue, but I'm also interested the attitudes that you have encountered as a disabled person in Europe. Some would argue that the level of accessibility in a country reflects the culture's general attitudes towards the disabled, but I have found that to not always be true. Can people please discuss how you were treated as a disabled person in Europe? Are some countries more accepting than others? What countries did you feel the most comfortable in? Which societies made you feel unwelcome?
Katie
KY USA Wed 10/15/2008
Handicapped toilets in England & Wales
While the UK came to ADA regulations later than the US, they are even more serious. The true wheelchair user will have every handicapped toilet include its own wash basin conveniently located right at the W/C.
Ellen from Seattle <email>
Seattle, WA USA Sat 09/06/2008
MOBILITY SCOOTERS ON BRITISH RAIL FORBIDDEN
Mobilty Scooters on trains in UK are forbidden. If you are traveling with one, you will find that it has to be able to fold up small enough to stow in the small luggage area of the trains. They are not ready to allow the use of a medium sized scooter due to horrible accidents having recently occurring. One lady drove in one access door and immediately out the opposite door- out onto the tracks of an on-coming train! Brit Rail is now horrified at the possibility of it happening again. RECOMMENDATION: rent a scooter in London for that part of your trip and then turn it in. The Brit Rail service for wheelchair assist is excellent for transit between cities. You might check into the bus system as their stowage areas are larger - but they don't guarantee service either.
Ellen from Seattle <email>
Seattle, WA USA Sat 09/06/2008
Mobility Scooters for Hire in London
Direct Mobility in north London will deliver a mobility Scooter directly to your hotel and pick it up. Extremely friendly and prompt service. Be sure to book early. They swapped a defective scooter within hours on the same day. Love Frank & John. website: http://www.directmobility.co.uk/
The other "Hire Mobility Scooters" websites didn't even return my email requests for info. Highly recommend Direct Mobility. Really made my 5 days in London packed full of places visited. Much better than my husband pushing me in a wheelchair.
Ellen from Seattle <email>
Seattle, WA USA Sat 09/06/2008
Premier Inn London County Hall for Disability access to London
Loved Rick's book Easy Access Europe which recommended a list of hotels. In London, The Premier Inn London County Hall has highest recommendations. The staff is young as this is a budget hotel. The rooms are huge with equally large handicappe accessible bathrooms. We reserved the Disability room early and had more than we expected. The staff was extremely motivated and helpful. A bit musty smell was one knock on it, but an open window for a few hours took care of that. The LOCATION even surprised my British friend! It is around the corner from the London Eye and across from Big Ben. What Rick doesn't mention is that everything is so close, that we were able to view the entire south side of the River from Westminster Bridge (home) to Tower Bridge on the far east. Globe Theatre and the Tate Modern. The Golden Hind, Hay's Market and Borough Market are extremely accessible from this site. Easy to press on to the Anchor Bankside Pub and further on to the Tower Bridge and cross to the Tower of London. The mobility Scooter made this extremely easy. North of the River, we transited to Trafalgar Square via the Horse Guards and on to Leicester Square and Picadilly Circus. Pressed on to Buckingham Palace and back via St. James Park. All within easy walking or scootering of the Premier Inn London County Hall
Ellen from Seattle <email>
Seattle, WA USA Sat 09/06/2008
BLANCO'S HOTEL IN PORT TALBOT WALES
Blanco's Hotel in Port Talbot Wales is a very comfortable hotel for the disability customer. The location is odd or "grotty" in an industrial area, but the hotel features very upscale fresh, local organic cuisine. Much better food than most hotel restaurants with excellent attention to my disability needs. The physical layout is perfect and the access to the M4 is easy. A quick ride to Swansea or Neath.
Ellen from Seattle <email>
Seattle, WA USA Sat 09/06/2008
Travel in Barcelona and Valencia
In this site we can quickly find interesting discounts in restaurants in Barcelona and Valencia, also offers up to date maps. http://www.connectclub.com
Dimitri <email>
Paraguay Thu 09/04/2008
Accessible Travel
The wonderful medieval cities of Florence and Rome offer special challenges if walking and stairs are an issue for you! Also, navigating reservations or waiting lines for special sites is intimidating! But you can't miss these experiences! Guided tours are worth every penny and Rick has great recommendations in his Italy tourbook! We hired the lovely, articulate and accommodating Paola Migliorni of Tuscany Tours for a tour of Florence. She picked us up at our villa in Tuscany and faciliated the most wonderful day,with a perfect balance of walking and driving. It was a pleasure to hear her speak in Italian and English (she speaks other languages as well) and she offers wonderful insights on history, architecture and art. She made our reservations and expedited our time at the Academie.
We also hired the handsome, warm and helpful Conzezio Monti "Ezio" of Montitours for a full day of Rome. He picked us up at our hotel and tailored the day to our wishes, including a fantastic lunch! What a great tour of the city with wonderful stops! He is a true gentleman and offers so much in information and experience. If you want to maximize your time and energy, guided tours are exceptional!
Christina Jordan <email>
Lawrence, Kansas USA Wed 05/28/2008
accessible europe
good time for you all, my name is Michelle and I`m a germany based touroperator for people, using a wheelchair. I`d like to invite you visiting our European countries, wether the high North, with Denmark, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Finlande, St.Petersburg, Sverige or the middle and southern european Regions of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and many more - I travelled all of them along WITH an electric powered WHEELCHAIR - and I found much more than 1000 barriere-free self catering vacation homes, houseboats, river-cruise ships and hotels out, that should be fantastic places to stay for you and your dear loves. If you once decided to come over here will you of course beeing well supported - by me - Michelle, and by my very comprehensive and multilanguage staffs of accessible-van drivers or personal care assistants. We`ll like to accompain you to europe`s most romantic places like the Loire Valley Castles, the Danube, Mosel and Rhine River Valleys, the Castle of Mad King Ludwig 2nd and many more. You `ll see important historical places of 2nd WW e.g. the Eagles Nest in Bavaria or the Invasion landing Beaches Gold, Juno, Omaha and Yutah in the French Normandy. You may participate an Audience with his Holyness Pope Benedikt at Rome, a Rail Tour across Switzerland by Glacier Express, a guided tour around Granada`s Alhambra or Gaudi`s famous church Sacrada Familia in Barcelone - Spain.
If you`d like visiting european Museums, such as Louvre, Rijksmuseum, Museum Island Berlin or the Uffici at Florence, they`re fantastic wheelchair accessible, and some of europe`s museums even provide tactile elements for those who cannot see. Cross the Baltic Sea on an accessible cruiseliner, visit the famous Eremitage in St.Petersburg - Russia, which is also called "Venice of the North" step over to Helsinki , Finland`s Capitol and, and, and .. this list should be endless
But be sure - ITīS ALL wheelchair accessible. If you do have now any question about the accessibility of any european place - can you call me at
++49 160 258 4789 I `ll provide you with all needed information regarding accessibilities.
Michelle <email>
Meerfeld, RLP USA Wed 02/20/2008