Barrier free holidays in Tirol

These include over 30 ski areas with mono-skiing, adapted lifts, car parking facilities and expert help and access in summer months to the mountain worlds and trails, with step-free, stumble-free paths and easy wheelchair access, as well as hotels adapted for wheelchairs and less able guests.

The Tirol commissioned four wheelchair users to put their facilities to the test. Andi Kapfinger, a professional handbike athlete, tested the Tirol's summer sport facilities and said “The infrastructure is well thought out and guarantees sports and leisure fun for us wheelchair drivers". Summer activities accessible to wheelchair users include handbiking, hiking, paragliding and parachuting, rafting and diving in Lake Achensee.

Less active pastimes include wheelchair access to the Tirol’s many mountain worlds such as the "Hexenwasser" in Söll, the Kaunergrat Nature Park and the Kundler Klamm.

The Tirol is also well served by hotels specialised in wheelchair access which must have sufficient manoeuvring space throughout the entire hotel, including in the corridors, in front of the beds and in the restaurant. Doors must meet specific widths and be capable of opening outwards, the sanitary facilities must have handles to grip and wash basis must have wheelchair space beneath.

One such hotel is the Aqua Dome spa, hotel and waterpark centre in Längenfeld is also suitable for wheelchair users, with spa hotel facilities geared to the less able (www.aqua-dome.at). Other hotels adapted successfully for wheelchair users include the Glockenhof at Walchsee (Glockenhof) and the Hotel Innsbruck in the old town of Innsbruck (www.hotelinnsbruck.com).


Extensive information on barrier free holidays in the Tirol can be found on the new website: www.easyaccess.tirol.at