Playing host to the Olympics in 1992 undoubtedly gave Barcelona a major leap forward in disability awareness and accessibility, and this delightful Mediterranean city in Northeast Spain continues to make its public spaces welcoming to all.

On a recent press trip promoting Barcelona’s “Year of Food, Cuisine and Gastronomy,” I also investigated disability access. The level of wheelchair accessibility throughout far exceeded my expectations.

Disability Access in a 2000-Year-Old City
Founded over 2000 years ago, Barcelona is the cultural and administrative capital of Catalonia. This lively city is a tourist’s paradise with its charming old neighborhoods, countless museums, fabulous restaurants and world-famous pedestrian walkways.

Both municipal buses and double-decker tourism buses are wheelchair-accessible, and most streets either have curb cuts or, in the Gothic Quarter, no sidewalks at all. At Port Vell, an entertainment hotspot, there are smooth wheelchair paths through the cobblestones and ramped footbridges.

Following Picasso’s Footsteps
Strolling La Rambla, the tree-lined walkway that runs from the statue of Christopher Columbus to Plaça Catalunya, is pure fun with its street entertainers, colorful flower stalls and sidewalk cafes. The metal-roofed, open-air food market, La Boqueria, is a must-see along the way with its mosaic pavement designed by Miró.

You can trace the footsteps of another native son, Picasso, on a walking tour organized by Barcelona Tourism, that ends at the popular Picasso Museum. Other guided tours include the Gothic Quarter, the architectural masterpieces of Modernisme (Catalonia’s unique version of Art Nouveau) and a gourmet tasting tour. All begin at the main tourism office under Plaça Catalunya, reached by steps or a platform stair lift.

These walking tours are complimentary with purchase of the Barcelona Card, a discount card that provides unlimited public transport and discounts at over 100 establishments, including museums, restaurants, shops, attractions and entertainment centers. Valid for 1 to 5 days, one can purchase the card online or from the various Barcelona Tourism offices.

Virtually all venues we visited—restaurants, museums, parks and shopping centers—were accessible by wheelchair, although for some historic buildings such as Gaudí’s House in Park Güell, one could tour only the ground floor.

Barcelona’s most popular attraction, Gaudí’s unfinished Temple de La Sagrada Familia has a steep wheelchair ramp manageable with assistance. Accessible restrooms were also more readily available than I had anticipated.  Even Las Golondrinas catamaran tours have wheelchair access and adapted restrooms.

Accessible Accommodations
Finding a suitable hotel should not be a problem either. At the luxury end, the newly rebuilt Gran Hotel La Florida, perched atop Mount Tibidabo, has two well-designed rooms with roll-in showers and a lift for its unique stainless-steel pool. The hotel’s restaurant, L’Orangerie, offers truly inspired Catalan cuisine and an unparalleled view, night or day.

For those who prefer to stay in center city, Avenida Palace also has 2 adapted rooms.

To learn more, contact the Tourist Office of Spain (212-265-8822).

Laurel Van Horn is an access consultant, educator, and journalist who has specialized in accessible travel and tourism since 1987. In addition to her travel columns for Able News and the Open Doors Organization website, her articles have appeared in Pulse, Agency, Inc., Travel Agent Magazine, Travel World News, Exceptional Parent, Paraplegia News, Caribbean Vacation Planner and Review of Disability Studies.

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Read Accessible Travel in Catalonia, Spain is Improving for more information on traveling in Spain with a disability.

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