Accessible getaways abroad: Accessible Barcelona

One of the most famous cities in the world, Barcelona is also one of the most accessible. Its historic areas are surprisingly easy to get around. It is also a very modern city that has thought carefully about every visitor’s needs.

Incredible architecture, great beaches and wonderful food and drink: Barcelona has something for everyone. So, with that in mind, here is our guide to some of the best that Barcelona has to offer.

Explore the Gothic Quarter

It is one of the oldest parts of the city – but don’t worry about cobbles and uneven steps here. In Barcelona’s stunning Gothic Quarter, you will find it is actually largely flat and generally accessible. Most areas of the quarter are paved rather than cobbled, and are often pedestrian-only, making them a joy to explore on your scooter.


Head down the broad, bustling boulevard of La Rambla and then turn left into the Gothic Quarter. Most tours of the area begin in Plaça Sant Jaume. It has been the city’s political centre for millennia, and it is flat and completely accessible for scooter users.

Visit the Cathedral

Barcelona’s main cathedral is in the hilliest part of the Gothic Quarter, but don’t let that put you off. It is still a more than manageable slope for a scooter user, and it is well worth the effort once you get there. While this building is often overshadowed by Gaudi’s remarkable Sagrada Familia cathedral, we think it’s also well worth exploring.

The cathedral was built over six centuries (they don’t rush cathedrals here – the Sagrada Familia is still being built!) and is a stunning example of Gothic architecture.

You won’t be able to use the main entrance, although there is an accessible way in via the cloister entrance on Carrer del Bisbe. There is an adapted toilet in the cloister, and most of the interior (except for the crypt and the chapels) are accessible.

Take in some sea views

With all its spectacular buildings, we sometimes forget that Barcelona is also a city with a seafront. Miles and miles of it in fact, with most of it accessible via a level promenade that’s perfect for scooters.

All the city’s beaches are barrier-free, but we recommend heading to Barceloneta, the city’s ‘fishing quarter’. It is the perfect place to do as the locals do, and eat, drink and just enjoy the sunshine. It’s a great place to get tapas, or if you’re veggie, then try out ‘The Green Spot’. It’s fully accessible, and the food is gorgeous.

As for Barceloneta beach itself, it’s completely accessible, with dedicated areas for bathers with reduced mobility. There is also an adapted toilet and changing rooms, and a wooden path out onto the beach.

Explore Gaudi’s genius

In many ways, Barcelona belongs to the great architect Antoni Gaudí, and no visit is complete without seeing some of his remarkable creations. The Sagrada Familia cathedral is his most famous creation. This is also accessible just head to the Groups Services Centre on Carrer de la Marina or the Visitors Services Centre on Carrer de Sardenya to gain entry.

But it is also possible to explore his other buildings too. Casa Batlló is a beautiful (if slightly bonkers) building, which is almost completely accessible. Meanwhile la Pedrera, with its curved balconies, is also unmissable. Both buildings have accessible lifts to take you up to their rooftop terraces, where you can enjoy spectacular views of the city.

A great place to go for general accessibility information about many of Barcelona’s key attractions is the city’s official site, here.

Did you know?

We’ve been raving about how wonderful the beaches in Barcelona are – but there’s one thing you should know: they aren’t real. We don’t mean they don’t exist (they do, and they’re lovely), just that before the 1992 Olympics, there were no beaches. Now that’s what we call a legacy.

Getting to Barcelona

Barcelona is one of Europe’s premier city break destinations. So, it’s no surprise that there are plenty of options when it comes to flying to the city. From the UK, you can choose from regular, direct flights out of London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Humberside, Belfast, Nottingham, Bristol, Newcastle, Cardiff and Liverpool.

At Barcelona airport there is a special assistance service – just give them a call on (+34) 902 404 704 or  (+34) 91 321 10 00 to book. As is the case in most European airports, you’ll need to give them 48 hours’ notice to arrange the service.

Getting into Barcelona itself is also straightforward. There is an accessible metro (L9 Sud) that takes you directly into the city. There are also regular trains and excellent buses with ramped access.

For more general information about getting around Barcelona on public transport (much of which is accessible), head to the city’s official transport site here.

Travelling with scooters

The great news for those of you travelling abroad is that Quingo Scooters are all approved for air travel by IATA so you won’t have any problems taking them on the plane. That said, it is always well worth getting in touch directly with any train, bus and airlines you want to use just to double check their rules on scooters before you go. For more handy tips on travelling with your scooter by air, take a look at our page here.

Share your accessible getaways abroad with us

Do you have any accessible getaways abroad recommendations? In Europe or perhaps further afield? If you do, we’d love to hear from you, so drop us a line and we’ll feature them.

About Quingo Scooters

The Quingo Scooter range features six models to suit your needs and budget. New models are now available from just £22/week on our new contract hire scheme which includes all servicing and maintenance, Insurance, Roadside Recovery, Call Outs and Consumables including Batteries and Tyres. For more information on this or the latest Quingo Scooter range, please visit our website. Alternatively, if you have any Service questions you can always contact us or call customer services on 01582 430 900.

Keep up to date with the latest mobility scooter advice, tips and interesting places to visit on the Quingo Scooter Users Blog. Connect with Quingo and keep up to date with all our latest news on Facebook and Twitter.

All Quingo Personal Mobility Vehicles are provided by Forever Active, the UK’s exclusive distributor. Forever Active is a trading name of Advantage Marketing Corporation Limited (AMC).  AMC Limited is an appointed representative of First Senior Insurance Services Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. First Senior Insurance Services FSA Register number is 30847