Everyone loves to travel, but not all cities are equipped to accommodate travelers with accessibility needs. Here are some of the best ranked accessible-friendly places around the world according to Valuable 500 and more.
Denver, Colorado
Denver is revered as one of the most wheelchair-friendly cities in the U.S., but the city also hosts many other accessible attractions such as the National Sports Center for the Disabled. This non-profit provides outdoor activities for anyone of any ability. Plus, at the Denver Museum of Contemporary Art, many options have been made for people living with disabilities. These include benches and chairs throughout the museum and EnChroma glasses for those with red-green color blindness. Denver’s bus and light rail services are fully accessible and VisitDenver features an accessibility page to help you better navigate the city.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Rights for travelers with disabilities are enshrined in the Netherlands’ constitution, which ban discrimination on any grounds, including for disability or chronic illness. Plus, in the early 2000s, the Equal Treatment of Disabled and Chronically Ill People Act mandated that modifications be made on public transport and throughout the country to allow for better access and opportunity for people living with disabilities. The country’s extensive network of bicycle lanes are open to wheelchair use with caution, and all metro stations in Amsterdam are wheelchair accessible. Learn more about Amsterdam’s accessibility offerings on their official site.
Paris, France
Though Paris is a bustling city, it’s actually widely accessible, and since hosting the Olympics and Paralympic games in 2024, the city has become even more accommodating for people living with disabilities. France historically ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2010. Though Paris’ metro is largely inaccessible, there are accessible alternatives above ground such as ferries, trains and buses, and city sidewalks are neatly paved. The city’s most famous attractions like the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower are both wheelchair accessible as well. Click here to learn more about Paris’s accessibility improvements.
Singapore
Singapore is advanced in many ways that modern cities around the world are still falling behind. One step ahead in ecological architecture, here, 95% of pedestrian walkways, taxi stands, and bus shelters are wheelchair accessible. The city, has implemented a universal barrier-free accessibility code for not only wheelchair users, but people with vision and/or hearing loss and other disabilities. The code is constantly being updated to ensure safety for all visitors and residents, and Singapore’s government consistently makes improving the lives of people with disabilities a priority on annual agendas. Currently, the country is working toward becoming a totally inclusive society by 2030. Explore accessibility options in Singapore and learn about your options here.
Sydney, Australia
In Sydney, Valuable 500 reports that a vast majority of attractions are wheelchair accessible. Plus, the country’s Disability Discrimination Act, which has been in place for more than 30 years, protects the rights of people living with disabilities and covers protections in public places, provisions of goods, services, and facilities. The nation also has a federal disability discrimination commissioner, and New South Wales has a Disability Council to advise its government. Learn more about how to explore Sydney’s accessibility options here.
