Wheelchair friendly European holiday destinations

[Purpledogcollar]

Looking for European holiday ideas to celebrate our big wedding anniversary in October, not a city break though. Will be myself and husband plus our adult daughter (wheelchair user, has learning disabilities). Have holidayed in USA a few times. We love to go on long walks but they have to be wheelchair friendly (Disney was brilliant for walking!). Don’t mind if they are along a seafront, in a town or in the forest as long as we can get out and about. Haven’t been to Spain, Canaries etc in a long time and no idea where to go so would love some suggestions please.

I noticed Playa Blanca in Lanzarote was very 'wheels' (wheelchair/pushchair) friendly last time we were there. The hotel we stay at there (Princesa Yaiza) also has a pool hoist if this is something that your daughter would appreciate.

Thank you @JadeVS72 that’s really helpful. Will have a look at the resort and hotel.

A colleague who has a family member who is a wheelchair user has just come back from a holiday and they booked with this this company https://www.enableholidays.com/beach

They went somewhere on the Costa Del Sol and had a great time (the weather wasn’t perfect but it was the end of March) but I’m not sure which hotel they stayed at.

Thanks @Muchtoomuchtodo . I’ve see these accessible travel companies adverts but never had any recommendations so that’s good to know. Will have a look.

We just went to Azores and stayed in Furnas and it is a beautiful island, flew to Ponta Delgada. The whole island was like a big botanical garden and lots of lakes and waterfalls. There were also lots of hot springs in Furnas can go in, our hotel had thermal swimming pools at 37C outside and in. It might be too hilly. I found these tours which say wheelchair accessible. https://www.getyourguide.co.uk/azores-l152/wheelchair-accessible-tc239/ We hired a car.

One place we stayed we saw lots of wheelchair users was Italian lakes.

@Purpledogcollar I have a friend who has NS who goes to playa Blanca a lot- I would also say Puerto pollensa very suitable- long wide promenade, might not be your bag at all, but Benidorm has a ton of disabled friendly facilities and the poniente end is more Spanish and lovely wide prom and beach

Thanks @Silkierabbit and @Crikeyalmighty that gives me a few more options.

I will enjoy the research and feel a bit braver about going somewhere different already.

Torreblanca and feungirola in Spain are very flat on the beachfront and have the walkways down to the sea and disabled changing rooms on the beach.

www.disabledaccessholidays.com/disabled-holidays/disabled-accessible-resorts/abroad-resort/Fuengirola.asp

Thanks for the info @itsgettingweird, sounds ideal.

Think I’ve got a few years worth of holidays to plan 😊.

The area around the Mar Menor in Murcia (Spain) is very flat and you can walk for a long way along sea front promenades. I stayed in Santiago de la Ribera and could walk the 6k or so to Lo Pagan without crossing roads. They also had boardwalk things running down the beach at points and I remember a wheelchair deck area on the beach at Lo Pagan.

We went in winter and it was very quiet and lacking a bit in lots of cultural things to see which is something I usually like to have on my doorstep. It was pleasant and relaxing though. Los Alcaceres is another place on the same coast that’s also flat and easily navigable.

I think Nerja (Costa del Sol) is worth a look as long as you stay in the beachfront area. You would be able to navigate the wheelchair around the town quite easily.

As a pp said, Benidorm is probably one of the most disability friendly resorts around and I would assume it’s not too rowdy in October. I spent an afternoon once in January and it was clean and full of older tourists and Spanish families. Very much altered my perception of it.

Thanks for all the info @MangosteenSoda. Seafront promenades sound a lovely walking option. It would be interesting to go somewhere like Benidorm as if we like it slightly out of season it might be an affordable/more frequent place to go. Will add them to my list.

@Purpledogcollar out of season and staying in the right part of town in Benidorm- it can be really nice, so long as you don't mind hi rises!! Fabulous beach and they have special areas down to sea for wheelchairs or anyone finding it hard to walk on sand. My grandparents lived in that area for 12 years so I have been dozens of times. I'm actually quite a snob holiday wise but I've had some cracking fun holidays there and it has a really nice wide prom . If you need any recommendations I'm happy to help

Thanks @Crikeyalmighty

Milan is board flat and a gateway to places like Lake Garda where the boats are well equipped. You go there to eat well and relax so there is no expectation of doing other stuff and missing out.
Definite no-no's would be places seemingly designed for climbing like Dubrovnik, Catania the Amalfi Coast.

Thanks @Sudeko. Yes, that sounds a good place. The flatter, the better for wheelchair pushing.

I was temporarily in a wheelchair a few years ago. We went to Puerto del Carmen in lanzarote and had a brilliant time. Hotels/apartments at the casino end onwards are on the flat. Most are only two storey so a lot of ground fooor rooms available. The promenade is long in both directions from there and flat. I found loads of accessible toilets in restaurants and bars and everyone helped loads. I either sat in the wheelchair or transferred to normal chair and the restaurant stored the wheelchair. I basically messaged the bar/restaurant on Facebook messenger and asked what their disabled facilities were, so it did take a bit of planning but was worth it. Taxis incredibly cheap too

Thanks @Scottishlanza hadn’t thought about messaging the bars and restaurants so good tip. Will add Puerto del Carmen to my list.

I went to Fazana in Croatia last year. I don't know about the surrounding area, but the town itself is very well set up with things like ramps and handrails right down into the sea (the Croatian coast is generally rocky and it can otherwise be a challenge to get into the water). There's a long, flat concrete path along the waterfront through the town and along to the next town/resort. It may go further and go in the opposite direction too, I'm not sure.

Thanks @MarkWithaC. I probably wouldn’t have considered Croatia, although I have heard how beautiful it is, but will have a look.

The coast is very beautiful indeed. I’ve been three times in recent years; have fallen a bit in love with it!