Wheelchair Accessible Places To Visit Near Me – After speaking at the World Summit on Accessible Travel Destinations, I took a two-day trip to Brussels. The aim of these intensive days is to learn more about the accessibility of Brussels and its tourist attractions.
Although Belgium’s beautiful capital is difficult to reach for wheelchair users in many areas, there are definitely some easily accessible places to explore! So, here is our list of the best places to visit in Brussels that are wheelchair accessible. You’ll also find tips on how to get around and where to stay!
Wheelchair Accessible Places To Visit Near Me
Let’s start with the most famous landmark in Brussels – Grand Square. The impressive central square is surrounded by beautiful historic buildings such as the Town Hall and the King’s House (also the Bread House). As seen in the picture, there is paving everywhere. It’s definitely a bumpy ride, but you won’t regret visiting the beautiful Grand Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998.
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Just a short walk from the Great Square to the famous Pin Boy statue (approx. 300m). A small bronze statue depicting a naked child urinating in a fountain is one of the tourist attractions in Brussels. Honestly, I was shocked when I saw how small the statue was! We love seeing Piing’s children in uniform. Manneken Peace has more than 900 costumes in her wardrobe, and the statue is dressed up several times a week. Once, Piing’s little son even sat in a wheelchair as a tribute to the Belgian Paralympic Committee. Most of the clothing can be seen at the Garderobe Manneken Pis museum, which is unfortunately not wheelchair accessible (10/2018).
The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium consists of a total of six museums. All museums, except the Meunier and Wirtz Museums, are located around the Place Royale. The main entrances of the Magritte Museum and the Fin-de-Siècle Museum are wheelchair accessible. Wheelchair users wishing to visit the Old Masters Museum and/or Modern Museum should use the accessible entrance located at Rue de la Régence, 1A (very close by). The wheelchair code prompts you to call. These museums are completely wheelchair accessible. As part of the museum’s “Made Museum” initiative, trained staff also offer sign language and tours for visually impaired visitors (so far only in French and Dutch).
The Natural Science Museum, sometimes referred to as the Dino Museum, offers many attractions for visitors interested in science. The dinosaur collection is truly amazing and consists of 30 nearly complete Iguanodon skeletons. The museum is accessible to wheelchairs thanks to lifts, ramps, elevators and display tables at good heights. I especially love the amazing humanity gallery.
A short walk down the hill will take you to the House of European History in Leopold Park in the European Quarter. This tour takes you through the outlines of European history. The renovated building is fully wheelchair accessible and there is no entry fee. All visitors must go through a security check when entering the building. Regular visits take an average of 90 minutes, but you can spend more time in the easily accessible House of European History.
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Another interesting thing to do is spend a day in Louvain-la-Neuve (New Leuven in French), about 30 km southeast of Brussels. Louvain-la-Neuve is a completely pedestrianized city and is home to the University of Louvain. You won’t find any cars in the city itself. Student cities are designed to be accessible to everyone and I agree that they are wheelchair accessible. However, some areas of Louvain-la-Neuve are very steep. While power wheelchair users will be fine, manual wheelchair users may face problems. In Louvain-la-Neuve, you can explore the wheelchair-accessible Hergé Museum and the Musée Universitaire de Louvain (Musée L). The Herge Museum is dedicated to the life of the Belgian artist Herge, creator of the comic “The Adventures of Tintin and Snow”.
A good way for wheelchair travelers to get around Brussels is by taxi. During my stay, I tried the available taxi parking, Taxi Verts. Existing taxis are equipped with a ramp and strap system to prevent the wheelchair from moving. One cab also had a headrest and backrest which made me feel very safe in my manual wheelchair. I think taxi fares are too high. Available taxis charge 1.70 EUR/km. I don’t use the bus system, but I found that most buses in Brussels have ramps for wheelchair users.
I stayed at the Aloft Schuman wheelchair accessible hotel in the Brussels European Quarter. The hotel has some wheelchair accessible rooms. Access in the room is very good, but the distance between the sink and the room divider may be a bit narrow for a long wheelchair. Additionally, wheelchair users must use the lift to access the breakfast buffet. The staff were friendly and helpful and I enjoyed our stay at Aloft Schumann in Brussels.
If you want to know more about Brussels, read “Exploring Brussels’ Great Places in a Wheelchair” by fellow traveler Stacey.
Summer Wheelchair Travel: 10 Must See Accessible Roadside Attractions
Have you ever explored Brussels in a wheelchair? Please tell us about your experience by commenting below! Summer is just around the corner and the world is full of amazing destinations waiting to be explored.
This article presents 10 wheelchair accessible cities to visit this summer. The list has not been rejected. Some cities are easier to access than others, but each meets the following requirements:
These are the cities I added to my summer vacation bucket list, and I hope you find inspiration for your next trip!
The Eternal City is the perfect destination for a summer vacation—with highs in the 80s and lows in the mid-60s, you’ll have a great time exploring ancient monuments, enjoying some of the world’s tastiest cuisine, and enjoying the warm weather. gelato
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The free Rome Wheelchair Guide has everything you need to plan a holiday to one of Europe’s most popular destinations, an unforgettable experience that includes the wheelchair-accessible Colosseum and a visit to St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. City (where wheelchair users can meet the Pope!) and toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Rio de Janeiro is the most difficult destination on this list, but I promise the trip will be worth it.
As one of South America’s most accessible cities and once host to the Olympics, Rio de Janeiro has a lot to offer travelers of all abilities. With so many wheelchair accessible activities including the amazing cable car to Sugarloaf Mountain, the largest aquarium in Latin America, the Museum of Tomorrow and amazing street food, you won’t want to.
Wheelchair accessible taxis and a partially accessible public transport system make traveling around Rio wheelchair accessible, although with some difficulties. To learn more and decide if Rio is the right destination for you, check out our Wheelchair Guide to Rio de Janeiro.
Wheelchair Accessible Destinations To Visit This Summer
Boston is my hometown – I’ve lived here for a year now, but I have a long history of visiting the city before I moved. This city appears on this list because it is one of my favorite cities in America and, along with Philadelphia, it is one of the two most important cities in American history.
Far from here, at Lexington and Concord, the first shots rang out that started the American Revolutionary War. The city is also home to the Boston Tea Party and Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride. The Freedom Trail, a must-see American history tour that takes visitors to each of these sites and more, is just part of what Boston has to offer.
Wheelchair accessible attractions include the New England Aquarium, Museum of Fine Arts, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, Boston Common, and of course, Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox baseball team.
Boston is a small city with a widely accessible subway system, accessible bus ramps, and wheelchair accessible taxis (including those from Uber and Lyft!) all making it a fun and easy place to get around. See the Boston Wheelchair Guide for more information. Be sure to contact me if you visit here! Vilnius, Lithuania
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I visited Vilnius for the first time in the summer of 2022 and think that it might be my favorite city on the Baltic coast, if not in all of Central Europe.
The city’s medieval Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and while Vilnius is a history lover’s dream destination, it is also one of Europe’s most progressive cities – with significant investment in making its attractions accessible and welcoming. .
Tourists can ride the cable car
