Accessible culture for all in Spain

Madrid’s culture is more accessible than ever. Guided tours adapted for disabled people are regularly organised. Visit Madrid's 'art triangle' in a wheelchair, without worrying about architectural barriers, go sightseeing or explore the district of Las Letras with voice-amplified guides, or experience the traditional Christmas celebrations to the full... all this is possible thanks to these special routes. If you wish to participate, simply sign up at the tourist office or by sending an email to turismo@esmadrid.com.Plus, major museums such as the Prado Museum and the Reina Sofía National Art Museum have accessible facilities. But if there is a museum that is fully designed for disabled people, this is the Typhlological Museum, in which visitors can feel models of great monuments with their own hands, such as the Royal Palace of Madrid, Alhambra of Granada or the Aqueduct of Segovia.

More and more cities in Spain are offering routes that eliminate all architectural barriers.A good example is the group of World Heritage Cities. Alcalá de Henares, Ávila, Baeza, Cáceres, Córdoba, Cuenca, Eivissa, Mérida, Salamanca, San Cristóbal de la Laguna, Santiago de Compostela, Segovia, Tarragona, Toledo and Úbeda all have accessible routes for touring most of their heritage areas.This is also true in Zaragoza, route of monuments that are fully accessible to people with reduced mobility, such as the basilica of El Pilar, the symbol of the city, and the Lonja building. Others, like the tower of the basilica of El Pilar and the Cathedral of San Salvador, are accessible but you will either need someone to help you or you can ask them to open an alternative entrance.Similarly, in Valencia you can explore the parks and sights along the former bed of the river Turia, the historic quarter, or the avant-garde City of Arts and Sciences, all of which are accessible, as are many more museums and monuments. You can consult them on the online guide to the city.

Another interesting option, especially given the initial complexity for some people with reduced mobility, is a visit to prehistoric caves. You can do this, for example, in northern Spain in the region of Cantabria at El Soplao Cave and the Altamira Museum, where there is an exact copy of the original cave. An app is also available for people with functional diversity and auditory disabilities.Accessible TheatreIn recent years, the performing arts have also joined in the movement to make culture accessible to all. Every year, the Accessible Theatre programme presents various plays adapted for people with auditory, visual or intellectual disabilities. Although many of the performances take place in Madrid and Catalonia, the Accessible Theatre programme has already reached dozens of cities across the country. You can consult its schedule on its website.