Traveling can be stressful for people with disabilities, with children, or for the elderly. If you are in one of these situations, there are many aspects to take into account while preparing your trip.
If you want to go to Slovenia, do not worry. Slovenia can be considered as a disabled-friendly country. Although the country is not entirely flat, there are many accommodations and efforts put in touristic attractions and accessibility. The best example is the capital Ljubljana: one of the best cities for accessible tourism.
Slovenia is an excellent destination if you want a destination accessible for a wheelchair, a baby carriage, or any other impairment. Here are the pieces of information you need to know to prepare your trip.
Is Slovenia “Disabled Friendly”?
Slovenia is a country we could call “disabled-friendly.” It is perfect for accessible tourism. Accessible tourism aims to ease tourism and travel for people who may find it complicated, considering health reasons. It is made for locomotor and sensory impaired persons, persons with intellectual and mental impairments, but not only.
Accessible tourism is also necessary for people and families traveling with children and baby carriages.
In Slovenia, every public and touristic facility is adapted for disabled persons. You will almost always a reserved parking space. There are also special toilet facilities.
Slovenia has also tried to put pavements in most cities and lowered ATMs for easier access for disabled tourists and inhabitants.
Another advantage of Slovenia for accessible tourism is discounts for tourists with disabilities. Many attractions and tourist tours are cheaper, or even sometimes free.
In Slovenia, restaurants, hotels, spas, museums, and many other locations can receive a Disability Friendly certificate. It helps tourists to spot the best sites for them and encourages accessibility in many places.
What Destinations in Slovenia Are the Most Accessible?
Even though Slovenia is generally accessible for everyone, there are places better for disabled tourists than others. Here are the best destinations for accessible tourism.
Ljubljana and its Access City Awards
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia. In 2015 it won the Bronze Access City Award, which celebrates a city’s efforts and efficiency to ensure everyone’s accessibility. The city was also given the 2018 Silver Access City Award.
These awards show that everybody, no matter the age, mobility, or ability, can access Ljubljana and have a good quality of life there. The city is what we could consider a disabled-friendly city.
The most touristic attraction of the city is the Ljubljana Castle. It is on top of a hill that is accessible by a funicular or a bus-train. The National Zoo, located in the Tivoli Park and the central city post office, has also been made accessible.
In Ljubljana, most museums and galleries are wheelchair accessible thanks to elevators and large entrances. The capital is mostly flat and pedestrian. It is one of the most wheelchair-friendly cities in the world.
There are many other aspects of the city that make it easier to access and navigate. Most city buses have low floors and sound signals to let you know at which stop you are. Pedestrian crossings are also accessible for those with visibility impairments, thanks to sound signals.
The River Ljubljanica, in the city center, is crossed by many bridges. Most of them have been arranged for wheelchairs and baby carriages. The Butcher’s Bridge even won an award for its accessibility. It allows wheelchair users to access the boats on the Ljubljanica river.
The Karst Caves: The Accessible Postojna Cave
Slovenia is a country with a lot of karst terrain, and many beautiful caves to visit. The most famous and touristic caves have great accessibility for disabled tourists. There are also parking areas, adjusted toilets, and accesses made for wheelchair users.
The Postojna Cave has arranged the path for all visitors. The tour includes a cave train ride and a walk along an accessible footpath. It takes about an hour and a half. The journey is suitable for everyone: children, seniors, and visitors with mobility impairment are more than welcome and should not encounter any difficulty.
Timetable (they can sometimes change, to be certain of the times, be sure to check the official website):
- November to March: 10 am, 12 am, 3 pm
- April: 10 am, 11 am, 12 am, 2 pm, 3 pm, 4 pm
- May: every hour from 9 am to 5 pm
- June: 11 am, 4 pm
- July: 10 am, 11 am, 12 am, 2 pm, 3 pm
- August: 10 am, 12 am, 3 pm
- September: every hour from 9 am to 5 pm
- October: 10 am, 11 am, 12 am, 2 pm, 3 pm, 4 pm
Prices:
- Adults: 27,90 €
- Students (16 – 25 years): 22,30 €
- Children from 6 to 15 years: 16,70 €
- Children up to 5 years: 1,00 €
Learn more about the Postojna Caves here (insert hyperlink to article).
The second most touristic caves, the Škocjan Caves, are not as accessible for disabled tourists. The entrance to the underground part is not accessible for wheelchair users. However, virtual headsets are available for those who cannot access the underground cave.
Bled: a Mostly Accessible Destination
Bled, and Lake Bled, is one of the most fairy-tale-like and unusual places in Slovenia. The lake is surrounded by a path that is mostly accessible for wheelchair users and baby carriages.
However, access to viewpoints in the mountains is not accessible for disabled tourists. The walks to get up are relatively steep and difficult to take if you have some physical impairment.
But do not worry, it is still possible to enjoy Bled without going into the mountains. Most walking paths are paved or wheelchair accessible.
There is also a castle up the hill accessible by car. It is a five-minute ride from the town. Up there, the parking is about 3,00€.
The Adriatic Coast: Only Some Towns and Parks Accessible
If you came to Slovenia to swim in the Adriatic Coast and visit the Sečovlje Salina Nature Park, do not worry. Some places and paths are easily accessible. However, the Slovene coast may not be the best destination for accessible tourism.
For example, Piran is a beautiful city, but you will have difficulties entering the small streets inside the town with a wheelchair. You can still visit Tartini Square and the seaside.
There are some possibilities for physically impaired people. For instance, you can stay at the Paraplegic Home in Pacug. Over there, you can access excellent accommodation, with tons of treatments and activities.
If you want more information about the hotel, their activities and their prices, you can check their website.
Do not miss the tourist farm Hiša posebne sorte, in the karst near the settlements of Štanjel. The tourist farm has a Disability Friendly Certificate thanks to the numerous accommodations for disabled tourists.
At the farm, you can even organize weddings and parties. It is a lovely place for you to stay. You can get more information on the website of the tourist farm directly.
The No Limits Tour
The perfect way for accessible holidays in Slovenia without overthinking is to take a No Limits Tour. These tours aim to help people with wheelchairs, and locomotor impairments have the best vacation possible, even considering the lack of information about accessible tourism on the Internet.
The tours are also offered in Croatia and some other places in Europe like Venice, for instance.
All the tours are prepared by a team that knows the country entirely and is concerned by accessible tourism, so do not worry about scams.
On their website, you will find many different tours from one day to a week. You can book the Ljubljana City Break, a four-day visit to the capital and its surroundings. The prices are made for groups in a three stars hotel:
- 1,250€ for 1 to 2 people
- 1,760€ for 3 to 4 people
- 2,280€ for 5 to 6 people
- 2,770€ for 7 to 8 people
During the high season (May to October), you need to count 120€ extra charge per room.
The price might seem high, but be reassured, it includes a lot: a minibus transfer from and to Ljubljana airport, a guided tour of Ljubljana with a Return funicular ride to Ljubljana castle, a one-day trip to Gorenjska (Upper Carniola region) with a private minibus transfer, a licensed guide, a lunch, a Bled Vanilla Cream cake, and all fees included, and of course three nights (B&B) in a three stars hotel in Ljubljana.
If you want to check other tours offered by the No Limit Tours, you should check their website. They have a lot of information about accessible tourism in Slovenia and Croatia.
No Limits Tour
+386 1 620 84 03
info@nolimits-tour.com
Slovenia is an excellent country for accessible tourism because of the significant amount and efforts put into accessibility for everybody. Wheelchairs users, people with mobility impairments, and families with baby carriages will have minimal difficulty getting around Ljubljana and many other cities in the country.
