The layout of the historic centers of Emilia-Romagna, especially in small towns, can sometimes cause problems when moving around. For this reason, an industrious network of services active in the area offers various opportunities for people with disabilities.
In recent years, local administrations have been working hard to ensure that the word hospitality goes hand in hand with the word accessibility, so that any tourist who has come to the region can spend their free time or vacation without constraints and obstacles.
From cities of art to small villages, from the Apennines to the Adriatic coast, there are many projects, initiatives and services put in place (public and private) aimed at welcoming people with disabilities and providing them with the necessary means to better enjoy their stay.
Much remains to be done, but the path has been paved. Below is a collection of active services.
We also recommend that you contact (or go to) the tourist office of the destination where you decide to spend your holidays; the operators will be able to illustrate in greater detail the possibilities and active services, as well as making guides and printed material available to facilitate the stay.
In the art cities of Emilia-Romagna most of the monuments and public transport are suitably equipped with spaces accessible to any person.
For those visiting Bologna, the Iperbole website (only in Italian language) and the Bologna Welcome portal offer specific sections for people with disabilities, from which it is possible to obtain general information about the city. There is also BOforAll, an App that offers some accessible itineraries through the historic center starting from the university area.
In Parma, from the Parmaccessibile project (only in Italian language), a paper guide was developed for those who want to experience the spaces of the city and the territory freely and without hindrance.
Piacenza offers a map (only in Italian) of the center dedicated to tourists with disabilities.
Finally, Ravenna has the Hospitality Card (only in Italian language), a tool designed for all disabled people who are in the city for tourism, study or work purposes. The card allows you to obtain concessions such as discounts, right of way, free admissions to monuments and museums in the city.
Comacchio as well, between culture and nature, is a destination for everyone (only in Italian): a guide and two multimedia itineraries that can be downloaded for free and work on any device.
Along the coasts of the Adriatic there are many solutions and projects for people with disabilities, which guarantee the possibility to spend a pleasant day on the beach safely and in an equipped environment.
Many bathing establishments, as well as hotels, are equipped to accommodate disabled people and are able to offer a peaceful and relaxing stay.
In Ravenna and Cesenatico, for example, the Best project makes the beaches more accessible thanks to the installation of special signs for reserved parking, wooden walkways with dedicated paths, and special wheelchairs, which allow everyone to move freely on the beach and swim in the sea.
In Ravenna, on the beach of Punta Marina, there is an almost unique reality in Italy and in Europe: it is the bathing establishment "Tutti al mare, Nessuno Escluso", (only in Italian language), an equipped structure, created to accommodate people with disabilities, together with their family and friends, and also any pets.
In Cervia, the “Un bagnino per amico” project guarantees people with disabilities a free service with wheelchairs for the beach and a professional operator to swim in the sea.
Even throughout the province of Rimini, many bathing establishments combine environmental sustainability and accessibility, guaranteeing people with disabilities maximum freedom of movement on the beach and complete inclusiveness. The flagship is the Autism Friendly Beach (only in Italian language) project which allows people with autism to spend their beach holidays peacefully.
If the desire is to spend time outdoors, you must know that Emilia-Romagna offers many possibilities to those looking for an open and accessible contact with nature.
Some sites and visitor centers of the Delta Del Po Park (the Bosco della Mesola Visitor Center, the Cubo Magico Bevanella Visitor Center in Ravenna and the Cervia Natural Park), for example, organize guided tours and special excursions, designed for people with disabilities.
To these is added an informative guide that illustrates the entire territory of the Park, providing specific indications on the structures and routes above, focusing on the actual accessibility features.
Not far away, the Safari Ravenna wildlife park allows all visitors a close contact with the animals, while remaining on board their own vehicle in total safety.
Within the Casentinesi Forest National Park between the Emilia-Romagna and the Tuscan ridges, we find several highly accessible routes that guarantee everyone a visit in close contact with nature. An example? A boat ride on the waters of the Ridracoli Dam.
In Fanano, in the province of Modena, the Doccione waterfalls are accessible to everyone, thanks to an equipped path built in the area of the Parco Del Frignano.
A little further north, in the province of Parma, in the area of the Parco dei Boschi di Carrega in Sala Baganza, an excellent proposal is the Sentiero Di Alice, an accessible path designed to meet everyone's needs. In the park there are also other paths and itineraries which, despite not having adequate structures, can be traveled without great difficulty.
If, on the other hand, you are fascinated by slow tourism, we recommend the Via degli Dei (Path of Gods) from Bologna to Florence which is proposed as a path accessible to all nature lovers. The path was designed to be usable also by visually impaired and blind walkers.
If you love snow, we recommend the ski resort of Frassinoro - Piandelagotti in the Regional Park of the Upper Modenese Apennines. Here there are two circuits approved for disabled people.
Finally, if you want to know all the sporting proposals active in the area, the advice is to visit the website of the Silvia Parenti Foundation for Sport and discover the many proposals that our region and its operators can offer you.
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