STROLLING IN SPAIN
Wheelchair Accessible Travel In Spain -
2004
By Howard L. Chabner and Michele E. DeSha
© Howard L. Chabner and Michele E. DeSha
2004
Come along
as Howard Chabner and Michele DeSha explore the access of Spain's
principal cities and their attractions.
Howard and Michele previously shared their visits to Rome and Paris with
Global Access.
I. INTRODUCTION
This article
is the fruit of our May 2004 trip to Spain. We stayed in
Barcelona,
Granada, Cordoba, Seville, Toledo and Madrid, in that order, and spent a
day in Segovia. We discuss the cities in the order we visited them. This
article is intended as an introduction, a starting point for your research
and a way to convey realistic expectations. We hope it will help you plan
an access strategy based on your interests, budget and mobility
capabilities and limitations. This article assumes a basic familiarity
with Spain.
This article
is dedicated to our friend Bob Gustke and to the memory of his late wife,
our friend Patricia Gustke, who traveled the world together, Pat in her
wheelchair, Bob on foot. At a time when good access anywhere was only a
dream, they traveled to places far less accessible than Europe, planning
as much as possible and improvising as they encountered obstacles. Pat
wrote with wit, passion and humor for major newspapers about their
travels. Unfortunately, her articles aren’t available online. Whenever we
hit barriers on our trip, we remembered their stories, smiled and our
perspective was restored.
Many thanks
to George Clapper for typing this article, and to Lucy Arevalo for writing
the English-to-Spanish dictionary of access words (see below).
This was our
first trip to Spain. Though we’d heard good things about access, we were
impressed with the serious and sincere efforts to provide access. We saw
travelers and Spaniards in manual and electric wheelchairs every day. To
be sure, many barriers exist, and there are some significant flaws in
accessible design, but we found that people are receptive to suggestions
for improvement and that access is steadily improving. There is a desire
to do the right thing, even though the execution may be flawed.
In planning
our trip we used the Internet and other information sources but not a
travel agent. We traveled on our own. Michele speaks Spanish, which was
helpful and added to our enjoyment.
We have
tried to be as accurate as possible, but of course accuracy is not
guaranteed. The reader should confirm all information, especially access
details, directly with hotels, museums, transportation providers and other
facilities. As in all research, primary sources are much better than
secondary ones. Also, things change. It is essential to re-confirm
information shortly before acting on it.
Because one’s physical capabilities,
limitations and equipment affect the access achievable under a given set
of environmental and design conditions, and one’s point of reference
colors one’s perception of access, we’ll tell you about ourselves. We are
fortunate to live in San Francisco, where wheelchair access is generally
excellent. Howard has muscular dystrophy and uses an electric wheelchair.
Michele is able-bodied. On this trip Howard used a Quickie P110 folding
electric wheelchair that is 25” (63.5 cm) wide, weighs 100 pounds
(including the batteries, which are removable) and has gel cell
batteries. Howard is six feet (1.83 meters) tall and, when seated, 57
inches (1.45 meters) high. He cannot walk and can transfer to an
inaccessible car only with great difficulty. We drove from city to city
in a large but inaccessible car, and limited transfers to the bare
minimum.
In planning our trip we sent questionnaires to numerous
hotels inquiring about access. A form of hotel access questionnaire is
Appendix A. You are welcome to adapt it for your own use. A metric
conversion guide is Appendix B. A dictionary of key access
terms in Spanish is Appendix C.
This article (including the appendices) may not be reproduced or used for
profit without our written permission, but readers are welcome to
reproduce or use it for any other purpose.
II.
GENERAL
Smoke Warning
The rain in Spain may fall mainly on the
plain, but the smoke is almost everywhere. Our strong impression is that
far more Spaniards smoke cigarettes than the French, Italians or Israelis,
let alone Americans, let alone Californians. Almost every restaurant, bar
and café has old-fashioned cigarette machines; even many nice hotel
lobbies do. Cigarettes are relatively inexpensive and many Spaniards
smoke unfiltered ones. Non-smoking sections in restaurants are virtually
unheard-of. Some hotel elevators even have ashtrays. We mention this not
to scare anyone away, but to prepare you.
One way to mitigate the smoke somewhat is
to eat when the restaurants first open – which is early for Spaniards but
late for many Americans – and there are fewer locals. The disadvantage
of this, of course, is you will have less interaction with Spaniards and
will eat in an almost empty restaurant. It’s also imperative to request a
non-smoking hotel room; even though there is no guarantee it will be truly
smoke-free, the chances are that a smoking room will be very smoky.
Museum
and Monument Access
Access at most major museums and monuments is quite
good. We encourage you to try to tour all major museums and monuments
that interest you - they are likely to be at least partially accessible.
Store and Restaurant
Access
Stores and
restaurants typically are up one step, and the proprietors are very
willing to lift your wheelchair up it. Some have recently installed
permanent ramps that, while typically too steep even for a person in an
electric wheelchair to access independently, make access easier than the
step alone would have been. Many cafes and restaurants have outdoor
tables. Most branches of the major department store, El Corte Ingles,
have level access.
ATM Access
Michele used ATM’s at a variety of banks
in various locations. Most were too high or in a bank up one or more
stairs. We saw a few accessible ATM’s.
Electricity and Charging Your
Wheelchair
Spain uses 220-volt AC power. The
standard plug has two prongs and a hole for the ground pin (the ground pin
protrudes from the wall outlet). This is the same plug as in
France, and different from those in Italy. Plug adapters are
available at any good travel store in the U.S.
If you use
an electric wheelchair, we recommend obtaining a wheelchair battery
charger with settings for 110 and 220 volts. It eliminates the need for a
separate converter. A surprisingly small, lightweight and inexpensive
charger with dual settings is available from MK Battery.
www.mkbattery.com. Also try Lester Electrical.
www.lesterelectrical.com.
We highly
recommend gel cell batteries, which are non-spillable, safer and more
acceptable to airlines than wet batteries.
We
experienced no problems charging Howard’s wheelchair in hotel rooms.
III. PUBLIC BATHROOMS
Spanish public bathrooms,
whether accessible or not, generally are quite clean even though few are
staffed by attendants. It was easier to find accessible bathrooms than
we’d expected, although there are some important widespread design flaws.
Most accessible bathrooms are large enough for comfortable maneuvering and
are equivalent in size to those in California (and larger than in many
U.S. states). The main design problems are poor placement of grab bars
(which sometimes block the transfer space), inaccessible toilet flush
buttons or buttons that require too much pressure, and inaccessibly high
hand dryers. Also, many of the door lock handles are small and, for
people with limited grip strength, difficult to twist.
Almost every museum that is accessible
has an accessible bathroom. Most branches of the major department store,
El Corte Ingles, have an accessible bathroom. Even some restaurants –
though certainly not the majority - have accessible bathrooms.
Fortunately, employees at stores and restaurants are very willing to
direct you to the bathroom even if you aren’t a customer. There is a
gracious understanding of urgent needs.
IV.
TRANSPORTATION - GENERAL
Buses
Most cities we visited have many
accessible bus lines. The majority of buses have the wheelchair symbol.
We used buses only in Barcelona and Granada. The accessible buses in the
other large cities appear similar in design to those in Barcelona but,
except those in the old section of Granada (which are of a different
design), we didn’t try them. See the sections of this article on
transportation in each city for more detail.
We took a couple round trips on
different lines in Barcelona. The accessible buses in Barcelona are low
(lower than the typical American bus) and have a retractable ramp on the
side. They are similar to the accessible buses in Paris, though not quite
as well designed, and better than those in Rome. The ramps are wide –
almost as wide as the double door, which reduces the chances of falling
and, because they are deployed with the bottom edge on the sidewalk, are
not too steep. Also, the bus kneels a bit, which also makes the ramp
angle gradual. Unfortunately, however, the ramp has a large bevel or lip
at the upper edge (where the ramp connects with the bus), which is
difficult to climb over and would be dangerous without assistance (whether
in a manual or electric wheelchair). The ramps worked and the drivers
were proficient and courteous, always deploying the ramp safely at our
desired stop. Unfortunately, not only are there no tiedowns, but the
wheelchair seating area is narrow and has a pole in the middle, so one
must protrude into the main aisle; it’s impossible to maneuver your
wheelchair parallel to the length of the bus. But the buses are low, the
drivers drove well and the routes were mostly flat, so the ride was smooth
and the absence of tiedowns wasn’t as dangerous as it might seem.
Taxis
Accessible “Eurotaxis” are available in Barcelona, Madrid, Seville and
other major cities. The Eurotaxi is a minivan with a ramp at the rear.
It’s similar in length to a Dodge Caravan, with plenty of space for
luggage. The height in the wheelchair area is a bit lower than the
typical lowered floor minivan in the U.S. but the vehicle is otherwise
comfortable. We took taxis in Barcelona and Madrid; Howard was able to
fit, but he had to lean forward a bit and his head touched the ceiling.
(Howard is six feet (1.83 meters) tall and, when seated, 57 inches (1.45
meters) high.) The drivers were skilled and courteous and the taxis
relatively new and well maintained.
Generally, it’s necessary to call a taxi in advance. In most places the
fare includes meter charges to your location from wherever the taxi is
when you call. Airport pickup is a flat rate. Fares are reasonable, at
least compared to San Francisco. We contacted our hotel in Barcelona a
few days before departure and asked them to order an accessible taxi for
our arrival at the airport; upon our arrival one was waiting. In Madrid
we ordered an accessible taxi one very rainy late morning and waited only
20 minutes. Phone numbers for the taxis are listed below, in the
discussion of each city.
Car Rental
Despite
extensive research we were unable to find an accessible minivan or van to
rent. Any reader who finds one is encouraged to share the information
with the website where this article is published. We drove from city to
city in a large but inaccessible Peugeot 607, and limited transfers to the
bare minimum. Once in a city, we parked the car and didn’t use it until
we departed for the next destination. The 607 has four doors and
extremely comfortable leather seats, including a passenger seat with
electric height and angle adjustments. The adjustable leather passenger
seat made transfers somewhat less difficult. The well-designed trunk is
wide and long but not low, making it relatively easy for Michele to stow
the wheelchair because she didn’t have to bend down. The Peugeot’s
handling, acceleration and ride were superb, and Michele enjoyed driving
it.
Peugeot Open Europe. This program is available to U.S. residents. You can “purchase”
a brand new Peugeot, drive it in Europe for a period of 17 days up to six
months, and “sell” it back to Peugot at the end of the period. You must
pay in dollars. The “purchaser” avoids paying value added tax that would
apply to a rental. Complete insurance and roadside assistance are
included. The car can be delivered to, and picked up at, major European
airports. In some cities it may be possible, for an additional fee, to
have the car delivered to, or picked up at, your hotel if you explain your
special circumstances.
www.auto-france.com.
1-800-572-9655.
V. HOTELS - GENERAL
Although bus access is good, we still
believe that for hotels, as for real estate, the three most important
factors are location, location and location (assuming the hotel has good
wheelchair access). Strolling through a beautiful, interesting
neighborhood is one of the most enjoyable things about traveling, and it’s
best not to depend entirely on transportation to get to museums,
monuments, stores and restaurants. Staying at a central location also
makes it easier to stay out late, and Spain is a night owl’s paradise.
Hotel access is a mixed bag.
In our research we encountered good general awareness of the need for
accessible rooms, but it was difficult to find them in some cities. The
state of the art doesn’t include roll-in showers; we were able to find
only one hotel with a true roll-in shower. As with public bathrooms,
there are widespread design flaws in hotel bathrooms such as poor
placement of grab bars (which sometimes block the transfer space) and
inaccessible toilet flush buttons or buttons that require too much
pressure. Also, even hotels with fairly good bathroom access had several
barriers that would be obstacles for a solo traveler, such as heavy room
doors and inaccessible electrical controls, light switches and closets.
But the good news is that the obstacles are manageable, especially for
someone traveling with an able-bodied companion. Most hotel personnel we
encountered were eager to help and receptive to suggestions for improving
access.
Much of our trip involved intercity driving, so we
required parking in most cities. Don’t assume that a hotel offers
parking. Parking is scarce in the center, so it’s important to inquire
about parking at your hotel and, if the hotel has parking, reserve it when
you reserve your room. Parking is typically not included in the room
rate. Many hotels that don’t have on site parking have an arrangement
with a nearby parking lot.
Many hotels offer a buffet breakfast that is generally
not included in the room rate.
In planning our trip
we sent access questionnaires in English to numerous hotels, mostly three-
and four-star. The questionnaire, with minor improvements and turned into
a form, is Appendix A. You are welcome to adapt it for your own
use.
In Spain, as in France, “accessible” in
describing a hotel room means merely that there are no barriers such as
stairs and there is sufficient doorway width and other space for a
wheelchair to travel to, enter and move around the room - that there is,
in effect, what Americans would call an “accessible path of travel” to and
within the hotel room. Hence, an “accessible” room may have a completely
unusable bathroom and inaccessible elements such as light switches.
Moreover, there doesn’t seem to be a uniform, generally accepted standard
for “accessible” - many hotels consider a room accessible if it is
literally, but just barely, physically accessible. “Adapted” means that
the room has been modified to allow a wheelchair user to use the bathroom
and other features are usable by people in wheelchairs. Unfortunately,
however, almost all adapted rooms reported lack roll-in showers. In many
hotel and third-party websites, the presence of the wheelchair symbol
means only that the hotel is “accessible,” not necessarily that there are
any “adapted” rooms. This is especially true of the tourism sites for the
cities. Therefore, unless you are able to use what Americans would
consider an inaccessible bathroom, when inquiring about access, ask
whether the hotel has an adapted room.
In our
discussion of each city, we describe where we stayed. We also list other
hotels that told us they have adapted rooms and those that told us they
don’t have any. We include the latter to provide a more complete picture
of the current state of hotel access and to emphasize a caveat: if you
inquire about those hotels and are told they have an adapted room, be sure
to double check and get specific information; perhaps they’ve renovated
the rooms since our inquiries. Note that, although we use “adapted” in
categorizing hotels, the hotels we list as not having adapted rooms aren’t
necessarily even “accessible.” Also, we omit the many hotels that
failed to respond to our inquiries.
We
visited a few hotels but most entries are based solely on the written
responses we received; therefore, we cannot vouch for the accuracy of the
information. Accuracy depends entirely on the respondent, typically a
reservationist; we did not specifically ask the hotels’ general managers
to respond. We asked follow-up questions when a response was ambiguous
but did not send a second round of surveys to ascertain whether the
answers would be the same both times.
We’ve heard that four- and five-star
hotels are legally required to have adapted rooms, but many four-star
hotels don’t. We inquired about only a few five-star hotels, so can’t
generalize about them.
Almost needless to say, it’s imperative to
contact the hotel directly to verify access, as one would in the United
States. Don’t rely on the central reservation systems of hotel chains or,
even worse, third party reservation websites. The information provided by
the hotel sometimes contradicted those websites, some of which display the
wheelchair symbol irresponsibly and misleadingly.
VI. ACCESS FOR BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
PEOPLE
This section is quite limited. We
report those aspects we observed; we know that we’ve missed many important
items.
Barcelona.
There is no bevel at the sides of the curb ramps and curb cuts – there is
a straight vertical edge, which poses a potential danger for a blind
person approaching the intersection from the side or standing too close to
the edge. Around the dirt perimeter of the trees and plants along the
sidewalks there are wide, deep (perhaps 10 inches) empty holes with no
grates covering them. This poses a danger to blind people, who could
easily step in them.
Seville. Many major crosswalks have audible traffic signals.
Madrid.
Many intersections have gradual curb ramps with textured surfaces for
blind pedestrians. Many major crosswalks have audible traffic signals.
VII. BARCELONA
Barcelona – Terrain
The Gothic quarter and most
of Eixample are basically flat, with a very gradual slope downward toward
the waterfront. Montjuic is a steep hill. Some of the outer
neighborhoods, such as the area around Parc Guell, are hilly.
The vast majority of intersections in the
city center have curb ramps or curb cuts. Many curb ramps, especially in
the Eixample, span the entire width of the crosswalk. A clever design,
this eliminates the common problem of an able-bodied pedestrian standing
in and blocking the small ramped area. Unlike in some European cities,
the curb ramps are smooth and continue all the way down to the street;
there are no 1” or 2” high ledges presenting obstacles at the bottom.
Many curb ramps are steeper than the U.S. standard of 12:1, but not much.
The only problem is that there is no bevel at the sides – there is a
straight vertical edge, which poses a potential danger for a blind person
approaching the intersection from the side or standing too close to the
edge. Many restaurants and stores in Barcelona have ramps, albeit short
and steep because of space constraints. Overall, we were impressed with
the efforts in Barcelona to provide ramps, both in the streets and in
buildings.
Barcelona – Transportation
Buses.
We took a couple round trips on different lines. For a detailed
description of the accessible buses, see “Transportation – General,”
above. The ramps worked and the drivers were proficient and courteous.
We didn’t have to wait more than 12 minutes. In Eixample the streets have
truncated corners, a clever, unique innovation in urban planning and
street design. One good effect of this is that the bus ride is smooth
around the corners: turning a corner means turning 45 degrees, going
straight for a short distance, then turning 45 degrees again – there are
no 90 degree angles.
Funicular (to Montjuic and the Miro Museum). The station at Avignuda
del Paral-lel (near the end of Carrer Nou de la Rambla) is accessible via
elevator. The Montjuic Parc station is up many stairs and is accessible
via a large, modern, well-maintained stair lift. There is a gap of
several inches between the platform and the funicular car, so some
assistance is required. We don’t advise trying to walk and roll to
Montjuic – the streets are extraordinarily steep and some have stairs.
Metro. We didn’t take the Metro but were informed that many stations
are accessible. In various places we saw people in wheelchairs waiting
for or emerging from Metro elevators.
Information. Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona has a good website
with bus and metro information, including an English section.
www.tmb.net.
Taxis.
We contacted our hotel in Barcelona a few days before departure and asked
them to order an accessible taxi for our arrival at the airport; upon our
arrival an accessible Eurotaxi was waiting.
We used: Juanjo; Monorolumen Adaptado:
Phone 011-34-609-324-006.
Others: Barna Taxi and Taxi AMIC
. Phone 011-34-934-208-088.
Barcelona Taxi.
Phone 011-34-933-581-111.
Barcelona – Hotels
Where We Stayed
Hotel Apsis Atrium Palace.
Four star. Gran Via Corts Catalanes, 656. Phone 011-34-933-428-000; Fax
011-34-933-428-001.
www.hotel-atriumpalace.com.
This 80-room
hotel, opened in 2003, has much to recommend it. It’s conveniently
located in an elegant neighborhood near Passeig de Grŕcia at the beginning
of Eixample, only a few blocks from most of the Modernist architecture yet
close enough to walk to the Gothic quarter and the trendy El Born
neighborhood. This 1888 neoclassical building has been carefully restored
with attention to detail in a style that is modern and sleek rather than
charming. Our room featured a lovely (though inaccessible) balcony with
large doors and a good view; even though it faced the main street Gran
Via, it was quiet with the doors closed.
Service was attentive and sophisticated;
the hotel was spotless; it was very reasonably priced; hi-tech amenities
including wi-fi Internet access are prominently featured; the bathrooms
are marble; and there are a beautiful (though small and inaccessible)
pool, Jacuzzi and sauna. There is a good café off the lobby. One nice
touch: a few days before our arrival we received an informative email
from the hotel containing sightseeing suggestions, current cultural events
and helpful website links.
The front entrance has a gradual ramp and
electric glass doors. There is an accessible bathroom off the lobby.
There are two elevators, one small and one smaller. Howard fit in both
but could use the smaller only with the wheelchair footplates in the
shortened position. Although the elevators are too narrow to turn around
in, there’s no need to because they have front and rear doors (a design
common throughout Spain). The buttons in the elevators have Braille
markings but they and the call buttons in the hallway are very high and
difficult to reach.
We stayed in room 502. We were told
there are two other identical adapted rooms. The bedroom is medium size
and has a long, wide hallway that enhances the spacious feeling and
affords very good turning space. There is very good natural light,
excellent recessed lighting and well-placed light fixtures. But some
important items are inaccessibly high, including the receptacle for the
master cardkey necessary to turn on the electricity in the room, and the
hair dryer and phone in the bathroom. The room door is very heavy and has
a tight closer; it would be impossible for most people in wheelchairs to
open and close the door.
The room has two bathrooms – one
accessible, which is medium size, and one regular. Each has a large
bathtub; there is no roll-in shower. The bathtub has one short horizontal
grab bar on the side wall and one small built-in handle on each side. So
there is no way for most wheelchair users to transfer to the tub. The
shower hose is very long, though it and the controls are hard to reach.
Fortunately, the sink is deep and wide, so one can wash one’s hair using
the shower hose. There is little space on the sink for toiletries and no
vanity or shelf.
The toilet is problematic. There is one
wall-mounted fold-down grab bar on the side nearest the wall, and no fixed
grab bars. The fold-down bar is too close to the toilet, reducing one’s
leverage. Most important, there is insufficient space between the toilet
and the sink for a wheelchair. Also, the toilet is similar to those
common in France – it’s very short (i.e. the distance from the front of
the toilet to the wall behind it is short because there is no tank behind
the seat). The toilet height is okay. Moreover, two toilet paper holders
protrude from the back wall, impeding placement of a wheelchair for a side
transfer. So, only someone with a very strong upper body who is able to
transfer from the front could transfer to this toilet.
If bathroom access weren’t an issue, we’d
recommend the Atrium Palace without qualification. But we recommend it
only for wheelchair users traveling with a companion and who either don’t
need to transfer to use the toilet or have great upper body strength.
Other Hotels to Consider
The following hotels told us they have
adapted rooms though, except as otherwise indicated, without roll-in
showers:
Hotel H10 Gravina.
Three star. One adapted room. Renovated in 2001. Gravina, 12. Phone
011-34-933-016-868; fax 011-34-933-172-838.
www.h10.es;
h10.gravina@h10.es.
Hotel Majestic.
Four star. Four adapted rooms. Passeig de Grŕcia, 68. Phone
011-34-934-881-717; fax 011-34-934-879-790.
www.hotelmajestic.es
reservas@hotelmajestic.es.
Le Meridien.
Five star. Four adapted rooms. Renovated in 2002. Ramblas, 111. Phone
011-34-933-186-200; fax 011-34-933-017-776.
www.lemeridien.com;
www.lemeridien-barcelona.com.
Prestige Paseo de Gracia.
Four star. One adapted room. We were unable to ascertain the existence
of a roll-in shower.
Passeig de Gracia, 62.
Phone 011-34-932-724-180; fax
011-34-932-724-181.
www.prestigehotels.com;
paseodegracia@prestigehotels.com.
Hotels Without Adapted Rooms
The following hotels told us they do not
have adapted rooms:
Hotel Colon. Four
Star. Avenida Catedral, 7. Phone 011-34-933-011-404.
www.hotelcolon.es. They told us they will be making rooms adapted in
the “near future.”
Hotel Neri. Three or
Four Star. Calle Sant Sever, 5. Phone 011-34-933-040-655.
www.hotelneri.com.
Barcelona – Monuments and Museums
Cathedral (Barri Gothic).
There is a steep but short semi-permanent ramp at the side entrance (to
the left as one faces the front). The floor inside is level but most of
the chapels are up stairs.
Synagogue Mayor (Major Synagogue).
Calle Marlet, 5. (Near Placa Sant Jaume in the Gothic Quarter.) Phone
011-34-933-170-790.
www.calldebarcelona.org. This newly restored synagogue, dating from
the late Roman period, is down several steep stairs and isn’t wheelchair
accessible. But if you wait at the entrance in the narrow street, an
enthusiastic English-speaking guide will come out and explain the history
of the synagogue and Barcelona Jewish history. The website has good
photographs of the interior.
La Pedrera (Gaudi’s Casa Mila).
Gaudi’s dazzling, organic masterpiece cannot be described in words. If
you like the photographs of it, you won’t be disappointed; if you don’t,
see the real thing before judging it.
There is a
small but accessible modern (more or less) elevator from the ground floor
to the attic. Be careful backing out of the elevator at the attic – there
is a stairway nearby. The attic, with its famous vaulted brick ceilings
supported by catenary arches (an arch shaped like a chain suspended
upside-down from two points), has an extensive, well-documented museum
with models of many of Gaudi’s projects and thorough explanations of his
methods and innovations. From the attic you can take the same elevator to
the roof. The elevator landing at the roof consists of a steep
compound-angled steel floor; anyone in a wheelchair – manual or electric -
will require assistance. From there you can wheel to one small area on
the roof; the remainder is full of stairs. It’s exhilarating to be on the
roof and one can see a lot from the accessible area.
One apartment (there are four large
apartments per floor) has been restored with typical period furniture (but
not Gaudi’s furniture) and is part of the tour. It’s accessed by the old,
original elevator from the ground floor. This is a different elevator
from the one to the attic/roof; it’s still used by the apartment tenants
(yes, many of the apartments are still being rented and occupied). Howard
just fit with no room to spare; both tires brushed the sides of the
doorway. For people who can transfer easily or stand a bit, a narrow
wheelchair is available that fits in this elevator.
The employees were very helpful and the
audioguide is comprehensive and rich in detail.
Casa Battlo.
Gaudi’s expressive, colorful, exuberant and airy masterpiece on the
“Street of Discord” was recently restored with careful attention to each
extraordinary detail. The main entrance is level. However, the only
elevator is the original one; it has folding wooden doors and was a couple
of inches too narrow for Howard’s wheelchair. So Howard was admitted for
free and given an audioguide. On the ground level are the entrance lobby
with a beautiful stairway, including the wooden “spine” railing, and the
radiant courtyard/light well with aqua blue scalloped ceramic tiles.
These areas alone are well worth waiting in a long line. The complete
tour includes the primary residential level, rear terrace, attic and
roof. While Michele toured the inaccessible areas, Howard enjoyed waiting
in the lobby and listened to all segments of the superb audioguide to
learn about the inaccessible areas.
Parc Guell.
Accessible bus 24 from Passeig de Gracia goes to the park, which is
located on a hill in the outskirts of Barcelona. Other bus lines also go
there. The main entrance is at the bottom of the park. The main bus stop
is several streets below the main park entrance, but those streets are
extremely steep, the intersections have steep compound angles and
vehicular traffic is heavy. It’s far better to ride the bus uphill past
the main entrance and ask the driver to let you off at the upper entrance
to the park. (It may not be an official bus stop but the driver was
cooperative.) From there, a reasonably level path leads to the upper park
entrance.
From the upper park level a steep stone
path with railings leads down to the Gaudi house/museum. The house
entrance has one stair. The ground floor is accessible but the basement
and upper floor are not.
A series of fairly steep dirt paths leads
down from the upper park level to the top of the pavilions (where the
beautiful, serpentine benches of colorful ceramics are located), from
there to the bottom of the pavilions, and from there to the main (lower)
park entrance with its main gate flanked by whimsical buildings. Howard
required some assistance on those paths and a person in a manual
wheelchair would need to be pushed in many areas. Also, each level has
stairs on one side and a path on the other, but the path at one level
isn’t on the same side as the path at the next level, so it’s necessary to
switch sides from one level to the next. There is a large clean
accessible bathroom (with an attentive attendant) near the café at the
main (lower) park entrance and a smaller, unattended accessible bathroom
near the café at the upper level.
After your visit, we strongly advise
backtracking uphill through the park, leaving via the upper entrance and
catching the bus there, rather than exiting the main entrance and trying
to negotiate the steep streets downhill to the main bus stop.
Sagrada Familia.
There are entrances at the front and back, both of which are up steep
slopes from the sidewalk. There are tricky compound angles and assistance
is required for electric and manual wheelchairs. The cavernous interior
is accessible. (The interior is cold and windy; a jacket or sweater is
advisable no matter the weather.) One can roll alongside the construction
area via wooden walkways with railings; the walkways are steep in a few
places and people in manual wheelchairs may require assistance. The
elevator to the tower is up several stairs and is too narrow for a
wheelchair. The large basement has informative, extensive exhibits on
Gaudi, including some of Gaudi’s actual models and photographs of
construction of the cathedral. The basement is accessed via a steep ramp
and assistance is required for electric and manual wheelchairs. Wheelchair
users are charged a reduced admission fee.
Music Palace of Catalonia (Palau de la
Musica Catalana).
www.palaumusica.org. This emblematic jewel of Modernist (Catalan Art
Nouveau) architecture by Lluis Domenich i Montaner – architect,
architectural historian, professor and legislator – was recently restored
and modernized with deep respect for its historical significance, unique
regional character, rich ornamentation and superb craftsmanship.
Featuring a dramatic stained glass ceiling and windows, gorgeous floral
motifs of colorful ceramic, and intricate brickwork, it’s considered one
of the world’s most acoustically outstanding concert halls. The main
entrance has stairs just inside the doorway, but there is a level entrance
around the corner near the box office. The main floor and upper balcony
are accessible via a modern, medium size elevator. Other areas are
accessible via ramps. Building tours in English are given a couple times
per day; it’s advisable to go there and reserve tour tickets in advance.
Tour tickets may also be purchased on the website. The guide was
knowledgeable, witty and proud of the building and her Catalan heritage.
In Barcelona we tried to get tickets to a concert but they were sold out.
Had we known when we planned the trip how extraordinary this concert hall
is, we would have purchased tickets to a concert - any concert - in
advance.
Hospital Sant Pau.
St. Antoni M. Claret, 167. Phone 011-34-932-919-000.
www.santpau.es. Another Modernist masterwork by Domenich i Montaner,
this architecturally and medically innovative complex is off the tourist
path but well worth a visit. In order to afford the patients fresh air
and abundant light and prevent the spread of germs, it comprises numerous
separate buildings connected by underground tunnels. It’s easily reached
by accessible bus lines, including several lines from the streets that
intersect Passeig de Gracia. The site is a moderately steep hill and is
quite windy. Entering the main hall, with its stained glass windows,
vaulted ceilings of rose-colored ceramic brick, arched doorways and ornate
mosaics, one knows immediately that this is no ordinary hospital. The
buildings feature turrets, towers, complex brickwork, huge windows and
roofs of multicolored ceramic tile. Some buildings are up steep
driveways. Tours are given once per day; we arrived too late and explored
the buildings on our own.
Picasso Museum.
The museum is housed in a series of interconnected ancient palazzos. The
entrance is through a rough cobblestone courtyard, but access is good in
the buildings. The elevator is fairly large. All changes in level
between galleries have permanent ramps, some of which are medium steep.
There is a small accessible bathroom with insufficient transfer space
adjacent to the toilet.
Miro Museum (Fundacio Joan Miro).
This museum is perched atop Montjuic hill. The best way to get there is
via the funicular. We had tried rolling/walking from the bottom of the
hill but encountered one street with stairs and another far too steep to
navigate. This unattractive concrete building in 1970’s Brutalist style
has very good access, abundant natural light and large white walls. There
is a fairly steep slope from the sidewalk to the front entrance; people
using electric wheelchairs won’t require assistance but most people in
manual wheelchairs probably will. A large modern glass elevator serves
all floors. All changes in level between galleries on the same floor have
permanent ramps, some of which are medium steep. There is a small
accessible bathroom with insufficient transfer space adjacent to the
toilet.
Barcelona – Restaurants with Accessible
Bathrooms
Taller de Tapas.
This tapas bar in the trendy El Born neighborhood has a large variety of
delicious tapas. The fish and seafood are particularly good.
Cacao Sampaka.
This innovative chocolate café and store in the Eixample serves delicious,
intense but not overly sweet hot chocolate, truffles, other chocolates and
cocoa beans. It is the creation of the brother of the E Bulli chef.
There is also a location in Madrid.
VIII.
PEURTO LUMBRERAS – PARADOR
On the
way from Barcelona to Granada we spent a night at the Parador de Peurto
Lumbreras. Six hours’ drive from Barcelona (with mostly forgettable
scenery) and two hours from Granada (with the spectacular Sierra Nevada
mountains), Peurto Lumbreras is a convenient stopping point, but we are
not aware of any sites or monuments there.
Parador
de Puerto Lumbreras. Three
star. Avenida Juan Carlos I, 77. Phone 011-34-968-402-025; fax
011-34-968-402-836.
www.parador.es;
pto.lumbreras@parador.es.
Access is quite good, especially
considering that the parador is a modest building at a stopover location,
not a destination. Still, a wheelchair user traveling alone probably
would require some assistance. There is a very good restaurant (try the
delicious local specialty dessert of lightly fried orange leaves with
honey and cinnamon). All the employees were extremely gracious. There is
a large parking lot, and parking is included in the room rate. The rate
is reasonable.
There is one small step at the entrance.
Inside, there are several stairs and an old stair lift too small for
Howard’s wheelchair. So Howard went the long way to our ground floor
room, through the lounge, kitchen and dining room; the kitchen hallway has
some moderately steep slopes that would be difficult without assistance
for a person using a manual wheelchair. Going this way was only a trivial
inconvenience.
The bedroom is relatively large and quite
well designed, with plenty of room to maneuver a wheelchair. The bathroom
is very large. There is a bathtub with many grab bars and a very long
shower hose. Best of all: though technically there is no separate roll-in
shower, the main bathroom area has a drain the middle, with the floor
sloped toward the drain. There is a small wall-hung fold-down bench in
the main bathroom area, so clearly it’s intended that people shower
there. There is plenty of transfer space alongside the toilet and a well
placed wall-hung fold-down grab bar. The sink has a large area for
toiletries. Bathroom access was better at this parador than in all our
hotels except in Toledo.
Editor's note: Howard & Michele's adventure continues
in the following cities.
Granada
Cordoba & Seville
Toledo, Madrid, Segovia
Additional Information &
Appendices A, B & C
Read Howard & Michelle's other adventures.
Rolling in Rome
Paris Passerelles
Travel Archives
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