30 of the Most Accessible Cities in Europe

Ironically, some of the things that travelers love most about Europe-ancient winding streets, antiquated buildings-can conspire to make swaths of the continent feel unwelcoming to those with accessibility issues. Things are changing though, and no more so in the following 30 cities. They have all received accolades or recently made strides toward making their cities more accessible.

Located in Northwest England-near the border with bewitching North Wales-Chester is one of Britain's most historic cities and has many small touches to make accessibility easier. Most notably, the Roman era walls that encircle the town are accessible as is the famed shopping precinct called The Rows. The town is so respected for its efforts, that it was awarded the 2017 European Union Access City Award.

Sadly, Rotterdam was devasted during World War 2. The city that rose from the ashes is renowned for its cutting-edge contemporary architecture and its these modern buildings have helped the dynamic Dutch port garner a reputation as an accessible city that also happens to be one of Europe's coolest.

Generally speaking, Scandinavia is ahead of the game when it comes to accessibility and the Danish capital is no exception. Whether it's a historic palace, a legendary amusement park or a dazzling modern building like the famous Black Diamond you want to visit, you will find a minimum amount of impediments.

Fascinating Luxembourg's capital city its atop a series of rocky cliffs and while the romantic town is well known for its warren of crooked streets, it is also picking up accolades for its accessibility efforts. Public buildings are particularly welcoming as is the city's fleet of public transportation.

Since 2011, Italy's most fashionable city has been working hard to remove barriers for travelers and residents with accessibility concerns and this resulted in it being crowned EU Access City in 2016. The grand Milan Central train stations-a hub of Italian rail travel-is fully accessible and the city also provides several accessible tourist trails on its website.

This gem of a town in Southwestern France has a fully accessible central public transportation system which includes retractable ramps on all trams and buses. Travelers can even get live updates on the next arrival in both visual and audio forms.

Sweden's swoon-worthy second city finished first in the 2014 EU Access City award competition. They landed at the top spot due to a steadfast dedication to creating a "city for everyone" through mandating that all public spaces be accessible and the creation of a team of travel instructors that help assist those facing accessibility challenges.

Saxony is one of Germany's most underrated regions and the gorgeous capital of Dresden is becoming more and more accessible each year. This city on the banks of the River Elbe has garnered accolades for its interactive map and city guide with details the locations of services like wheelchair paths and accessible toilets.

Poznan is one of Poland's prettiest towns-and that's saying something in this country full of stunners-and it is also pretty accessible. The town is extremely proud of its online portal which provides those with disabilities details on which public spaces are accessible.

Germany's capital is hands down one of the most happening cities in the world and due to their accessibility efforts, no one has to miss out on a minute of the fun. A special roundtable has been set up in recent years to push forward the quest to make Berlin truly barrier-free and significant process has been made regarding public transport and public buildings.

Enchanting Stockholm has been making accessibility a top priority since the 1990s. The Swedish capital has a vice-mayor for accessibility whose job is to keep things moving in a positive direction for those with mobility concerns. Ramps are plentiful in the city as are pedestrian crossings that cater to wheelchair users and those with visual impairments.

Another Polish city with a storybook medieval center, Krakow rolls out the red carpet for those with accessibility concerns. Most notably, the Royal Route-the town's beloved historical trail-features over a dozen architectural models of famous local buildings for those with visual impairments.

Each year, tens of thousands of people find out that there's much more to Pamplona than just the Running of the Bulls. And many of them are travelers with accessibility issues, taking advantage of the city's efforts to make Pamplona a place for all people.

The winner of the 2012 EU Access City award, this elegant town offers accessibility at the foothills of the Alps. Through the use of floor lowering and extendable ramps, public transport here is essentially fully accessible. In fact, many of the improvements of this city were created in conjunction with input from a conference of local disabled people.

Slovenia's captivating capital city continues to make additions to an already strong accessibility record. All new buildings built must be accessible and nearly 100% of buses sport low floors. There is also stunning tactile map and series of special paths for those who are visually impaired or blind.

The capital of Northern Ireland has truly transformed itself in recent decades and included in this metamorphosis is an increased level of accessibility. Young people especially love the Therapy Garden at Musgrave Park which features an inclusive environment where visitors can have fun either learning or simply just playing.

While everyone and their brother is beating a path to Prague, savvy travelers know that Olomouc offers much of the same Czech charm with much smaller crowds. Visitors with accessibility concerns will find a town striving to make as many public spaces and buildings accessible.

Located on the banks of the Rhine-not far from one of the most romantic stretches of the mighty river-Cologne has been fully dedicated to accessibility since 2004. Things get more welcoming each year here and the city even offers a series of barrier-free tours to local landmarks including the Cologne Cathedral and a local brewery.

Barcelona has become one of the world's most popular places to visit-maybe too popular according to some locals-and much of this was spurred on by its starring role as host of the 1992 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. The city was given a modern facelift around this time, which included adding to its accessibility options.

To some, Lyon is France's true gastronomic capital and those with accessibility issues are truly able to join in on the feast. While there is no question there are steep hills and cobblestones here, for every obstacle you encounter there is another charming sight that is freely accessible. So much so in fact that the city has claimed the EU Access City Award in 2018 for its efforts.

This historic walled city in Spain was the inaugural winner of the EU Access City Award in 2011 and it has become a model for historic cities all over Europe. The Visitor Reception Centre is the place to go to learn all about the myriad of assistance options available to travelers with accessibility concerns.

Frankfurt offers up a fascinating mix of fast-paced modern Germany and traditional Deutschland delights and the city is fully committed to being a barrier-free place. Whether you want to scale a skyscraper or tour the romantic old Romerberg area, access won't be a problem. Additional accessible offerings include "Feeling Frankfurt"-a city tour for the visually impaired-and a special tour of the town's cozy Christmas markets.

Norway's largest and liveliest city has made great strides in recent years and now boasts nearly full levels of accessibility on its public transport. This includes the ferries and boats that ply the waters around this gorgeous harbor town.

To many, Manchester is England's "second city", but this soccer-mad metropolis does its best to ensure that everyone can experience the sights. The People's History Museum offers a glimpse into the city's role in the development of British Democracy while both Manchester United and Manchester City offer plenty of accessible seating options.

The elegant capital of Austria aims to offer "more information and less frustration" to travelers seeking out accessible sights. Therefore, the city has loaded its official travel portal with details on the accessibility of its many historical sights, grand cafes and even its cherished theatres and opera houses.

Budapest has set ambitious goals to reimagine its entire cityscape by the year 2030 and this includes an increase of accessible travel options. As far as the present is concerned, hundreds of buses with low floors have been added to the city's fleet and all of their historic trolleys are fully accessible.

Paris' labyrinthine streets are certainly still full of their fair share of challenges for those with accessibility issues, but things are on the upswing. Most notably, the city now publishes a guide called Accessible Paris and many of the biggest sights like the Louvre and sections of the Eiffel Tower are accessible.

Ancient Athens has caught up with the modern world of mobility and accessibility, in no small part due to the city's hosting of the 2004 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. Things are constantly improving here and many of the city's most historic sights now offer elevators and assistance.

The Spanish capital teems with life and no one visiting here is left behind. The city has published an in-depth guide to "Accessible Madrid" which includes numerous tourist trails that can be enjoyed by all travelers. The amount of detail provided within about accessible access points to the city's buildings and public transportation links is truly astounding.

Bergen is beginning to blossom into a great destination for travelers with accessibility issues. Paramount in this is the enthralling Bryggens Museum, which houses a collection of historical artifacts and exhibits that offer an insight into the history of this fjord-side town.