Azerbaijani cuisine appears to be difficult to seek around the Candy Cane Mountains hence one ended up in the country’s second largest city, Sumqayit. In contrast to Baku, the shores of the Caspian Sea are full of beaches and restaurants, much like your average seaside city.
The only thing that separates this beach to the likes of Benidorm is that one is able to drive a vehicle straight onto the sand from the main road. Of course, one can drive as close to the waters edge as they wish (at their own peril!). This makes it perfect for individuals who are unable to walk long distances and wheelchair users (if the thing can withstand beaches)…
Unfortunately, no sign of beach wheelchairs, perhaps in the future.
Prior to visiting Azerbaijan, one had booked a rental car with the vision of visiting the Azerbaijani village of Lahich in the Greater Caucasus. However, there has been one slight issue this week in that London Gatwick misplaced the manual wheelchair meaning that Superbunny is the sole method of movement. Of course, an electric wheelchair is near impossible to fit in a conventional rental car hence a rethink was necessary.
The Candy Cane Mountains (named after the mountains colours) form part of Greater Caucasus range and are easily accessible thanks to the road which winds it way adjacent. This is perfect if one only wishes to walk a short distance…
The districts of Azerbaijan where the Candy Cane Mountains are located also contain various settlements if one wishes to experience village life or a road trip!
One of the icons of the city of Baku are The Flame Towers comprising of three flame shaped towers and serve as a reference to Azerbaijan’s nickname “The Land of Fire”. As of 2025, reports suggest that two of these skyscrapers are unoccupied whilst the other contains a Fairmont hotel and Bar19.
The easiest way to access The Flame Towers from the shores of the Caspian Sea is via the Baku Funicular. Unfortunately, said funicular isn’t wheelchair accessible meaning that a walk up a steep hill criss-crossing Soviet-era streets is necessary. However, one has learnt how easy it is to hail down a wheelchair accessible London cab taxi in Baku, reasonably priced also.
As the name suggests, Bar19 is located on the 19th floor of the Fairmont and it is possible to roll in and use the lifts. Although a little expensive, the restaurant provides views overlooking the city of Baku and Caspian Sea…
When viewed on Google Maps, the city of Baku appears to be rather spread out. However, as one discovered today, its quite walkable providing that you choose your route carefully.
As mentioned previously, the hotel is situated a few minutes from the Caspian Sea. A large boulevard runs parallel to the shore and is an easy and picturesque way of avoiding the city streets heading into Old City. In addition, said boulevard is accessible for wheelchair users if one wishes not to gamble with the Soviet-era road system…
Before heading into Old City, one decided to resume the ongoing battle with Soviet-era streets. If one is unfamiliar with this blog, let me briefly elaborate. During the period of the USSR, Soviet city planning consisted of constructing streets with up to 6 lanes of traffic, however, in a bid to improve traffic flow, the only way to safely cross said roads is to use underpasses. Of course, it is unlikely that wheelchair users were consulted hence the majority possess steps. As a result, one is required to cross wherever possible and hope for the best.
Anyway, one soon arrived at the Old City walls…
As with the majority of Old City/Town districts, the majority of surfaces comprise of cobbles. In addition, Baku’s Old City is located on a rather steep hill meaning that steps are plentiful and the gradient of streets are something to be desired…
The most challenging aspect of Baku’s Old City for a wheelchair user is not knowing the location of steps. This means it is possible that one may turn a corner and then have to retrace their steps. Ever more steps are present when the Palace of the Shirvanshahs is reached, however, it does boast a great view of the iconic Flame Towers…
When seeking accessible accommodation in Baku, there are several options courtesy of the major international hotel chains including Ibis and JW Marriott. However, as the city is located on the shores of the Caspian Sea, it seemed appropriate to take advantage of this view hence one opted for the Radisson Blu.
Although the hotel is located behind the Park Bulvar Mall and 4 lanes of traffic, one can still admire the Caspian Sea from a ‘Sea View’ room. The wheelchair accessible rooms may not be of this luxury, however, they still boast plenty of room and a spacious wet room, it’s a shame about the single bed however…
It is worth noting that drop kerbs are non-existent outside of the hotel hence it is necessary to bump up or down the kerbs. As in Armenia, the drivers are very courteous and passersby are willing to assist by halting traffic.
Tomorrow is the ‘Day of the Armed Forces’ in Azerbaijan meaning that it is a ‘non working’ day for the country (joys!), however, the plan is to have a roll around the Old City and other famous sights before (hopefully) heading up the iconic Flame Towers to BAR19.
Nestled in between the Caucasus Mountains and the Caspian Sea lies the country of Azerbaijan aka the land of fire. To an outsider, Azerbaijan is probably known best for the Formula 1 taking place in Baku, the capital city. This is also where ones 5 day adventure begins thanks to direct flights from both London Heathrow and Gatwick.
Unfortunately, as of 2025, accessibility in Azerbaijan is somewhat limited and, it has to be said that one of the most trickiest parts when planning was to work out how to move Superbunny around said country. Granted, the bus network in Baku is mostly wheelchair accessible, however, this does not apply to the H1 service connecting Heydar Aliyev International Airport to the city. It is hoped that this regular bus service will become wheelchair accessible in the future.
Fortunately for wheelchair users, Baku Taxis, a government-backed taxi company possesses a fleet of London cabs complete with fold out ramps (built to UK standards). There seem to be plenty of these waiting outside the terminals at Heydar Aliyev, however, if not, one can request a cab at the desk. The only issue (which one has faced back in the UK) is that, for the older models of London cabs (which I believe Baku is phasing out), the driver must find a raised section of pavement to avoid a steep gradient. The newer models possess slightly longer ramps to combat this.
The cost from Heydar Aliyev International to the Radisson Blu is slightly more expensive if one wishes to use a wheelchair accessible London cab compared to a conventional taxi costing around 70AZN.
Returning to a Western European country such as Portugal reminded one just how much of an impact accessibility has both in terms of cost and movement around the chosen place. For example, one was able to book a ‘budget’ hotel in the knowledge that it would be up to a high standard in terms of accessibility. This simply would not be possible in countries such as India.
The central area of Porto is very hilly indeed (on par with Valletta) hence it is prudent to plan your walking route carefully to minimise said hills, especially for wheelchair users. The great thing about Porto is the fully accessible transportation system whether it be the Gaia cable car, metro or the funicular. As a result, a wheelchair user should use it to their advantage. For example, after trekking up the hills of Vila Nove de Gaia, Superbunnys battery began to drain rather quickly whilst we were still 40 minutes walk from the hotel (excluding the gradients). One was able to head down to the Gaia cable car and then swiftly hop onto the Porto Metro taking us within 10 minutes of the hotel.
In regards to general accessibility, drop curbs are present for the majority making for a smooth roll.
After a little sense of normality in terms of accessibility in Portugal, one steps off the beaten track once again with a trip to the Azerbaijani capital of Baku. From here, the plan is to head into the Caucasus Mountains once more and to the country tourist hotspot of Gebele. The main hurdle for this trip is the lack of accessible transportation from Heydar Aliyev International Airport to the centre of Baku.
The flight back to the UK being at 8:45pm meant that, essentially one had another day in Porto. One of the top things to do whilst in the city is to cruise the River Douro. Although there are a few companies offering this service, none are fully wheelchair accessible. Saying that, if one wishes to go sailing, there is a company offering wheelchair accessible experiences along said river, this is provided by BBDouro.
Anyway, one braved the multiple hills from the Stay Hotel down to Ribeira Square. From here, boats depart every 30 minutes during the day. The most popular cruise is the ‘6 Bridges’ which lasts around 50 minutes. It is possible to take a wheelchair down onto the pontoon, however, due to the width of the gangway (and the large gap between that and the boat), it is not possible to traverse any further without walking.
Once onboard, comfortable seating is available both inside and outside or opt for benches along the sides…
Although the cruise covers a relatively short distance, it still provides an unique view of Porto including the Luís I Bridge…
The cruise also takes one past Funicular dos Guindais which is another transportation method taking one, effectively from the bottom to the top of the Luís I Bridge. Of course, one had to try this on the way back to the hotel. As with most modern funiculars, it is fully wheelchair accessible i.e. ramps and level boarding.
When visiting northern Portugal, one must visit the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte located just outside the city of Braga. As the name implies, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is an architectural-landscaped complex/sanctuary comprising of a Basilica, a staircase masterpiece, some hotels and a funicular aptly named the Bom Jesus Elevator.
As mentioned yesterday, one decided to leave Superbunny in Porto due to the numerous steps within the complex enabling us to use Uber for the 50 minute drive. The Bom Jesus Elevator allows visitors who approach from the bottom of the complex to travel up to the top bypassing the staircase, however there is also road access, the latter being the only option for the majority of wheelchair users.
If by default, the Uber driver dropped one at the top entrance meaning that it was a mere 10 minute walk through the ‘forest’ to the heart of the complex. One must say that the journey isn’t the smoothest, however as soon as one reaches the Basilica, surfaces become smooth paving.
Although there are, indeed, numerous steps throughout the complex, it is still possible to admire the architecture and panoramic views of Braga from the top of steps…
At the heart of the complex sits the majestic Basilica of Bom Jesus for which wheelchair users can access via a side entrance and a rather steep ramp…
After eating at the ‘Panoramic’ restaurant located inside one of the hotels thus fully wheelchair accessible, it was time for the Elevator. Granted, it is completely inaccessible for wheelchair users, however, what is a harm in trying!
Even before one reaches either entrance, it is necessary to ascend or descend a flight of steps. Once at the top entrance, further steps lead down to the funicular…
Coincidentally, the outside section of the vehicle is the perfect size for a manual wheelchair…
However, it isn’t until you are on the vehicle that one realises that the gradient is too steep to keep a wheelchair upright thus it is necessary to prop said chair against the exterior wall.
Akin to Romania, ones flight back to the UK isn’t until 8:45pm hence the plan for tomorrow is to take a short river cruise along the River Douro back in Porto. Unfortunately, one has been unable to source a wheelchair accessible boat for Superbunny.
As mentioned yesterday, one of the aims for today was to seek out a wheelchair accessible Port Lodge. In addition, one wanted to explore at leisure rather than part of a tour. The place that ticked both of these boxes was Taylor’s Port Lodge.
Aside from being located at the top of a rather steep hill, the site is fully wheelchair accessible. As a result, disabled individuals do not receive an entry discount. However, the 25 euro fee includes a self-guided tour around the site plus a wine tasting session located in the gardens.
Wheelchair users should note that, although the site is wheelchair accessible, a few ramps are on the steep side. In addition, surfaces within the cellars compromise of gravel with a risk of getting stuck if one decides to venture off the main path…
Tomorrow, one heads out of Porto without Superbunny to explore Bom Jesus do Monte located near Braga.
