Nath, Author at The Wheelchair Traveller

Day 2 (Porto) – Landmarks and Bridges

Although Porto is a very walkable city, one must say that the centre is rather hilly hence it is prudent to plan around this. Coincidentally, the Stay Hotel is located atop of a hill hence it was possible for one to take in some of Porto’s famous landmarks whilst on the descent towards the River Douro…

Although Porto’s São Bento station is a mainline railway station, it is also a prime example of ajulejo architecture. As of May 2025, the exterior is under renovation, however, it was delightful to see the ‘accessible’ entrance clearly signposted…

One of the icons of Porto is the Luís I Bridge which spans the River Douro connecting the city with Vila Nove de Gaia. In addition to a roadway, the bridge also carries a section of the Porto Metro and a pedestrian walkway providing panoramic views of the city…

As the images above suggest, the walkway may be a little narrow for wheelchair users, however, it is possible to use the metro tracks when no vehicles are present.

When one crosses over to Vila Nove de Gaia, the quickest and easiest way to its centre is to use the Gaia cable car. It is worth noting that the area also contains unassuming steps hence the system is a great avoidance tactic.

The Gaia cable car is fully accessible for wheelchair users equipped with ramps, elevators and cabins wide enough for the majority of wheelchairs…

N.B. It’s also necessary for the system to stop completely before one can board, much safer than this running and jumping business!

Day 1.5 (Porto) – Stay Hotel (Centro Trindade)

A mere 8 minute walk from Trindade Metro station can be found the Stay Hotel (Centro Trindade) where one is staying for the next 3 nights. As mentioned previously, one of the benefits of visiting a Western European country such as Portugal as a wheelchair user is that accessibility is of a greater importance, particularly in hotels. As a result, one was able to book a ‘cheap’ hotel without any concerns over accessibility.

Granted, the room does appear to be a little basic, however, it has what is needed i.e. ample space for Superbunny and an adequate accessible wet room…

The only thing to note is all the accessible rooms are located on the ground floor away from all the other guest rooms located on various levels.

The plan for tomorrow is to explore the historical centre and the famous Luís I Bridge before catching the Gaia Cable Car to Vila Nove de Gaia. This area is known for its numerous Port Lodges/Cellars hence the hope is that one of these will be wheelchair accessible.

Day 1 (Porto) – Airport to City Transportation

After nearly a year of travelling to countries where accessibility is to be desired, one has returned to Western Europe. This adventure takes place in northern Portugal in the city of Porto. Although Superbunny is making a return after Romania, it has to be said that it’s not in the best shape. This means that one will be ‘limping’ the thing around Porto and, indeed Azerbaijan next month until Superbunny2 is released into the wild!

One of the great things about visiting Western European countries as a wheelchair user is that accessibility is almost guaranteed. The cheapest and most efficient way of getting from Porto’s Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport to the centre is via the Porto Metro (Line E) located opposite the main terminal building. However, in order to access said station, one must descend a level to an underpass rather than simply crossing the road.

The Porto Metro rolling stock can be likened to a conventional tram vehicle hence allowing for level boarding for individuals using wheelchairs. Once inside the vehicle, the designated wheelchair space is located at the very front, however, as the metro it is quite roomy, it is possible to sit by the majority of the doors (unless it’s rush hour in which case the designated space may be a better option!)…

As the Porto Metro runs straight to the airport, it seemed appropriate for one to book a hotel within walking distance of the network.

Day 4.5 (Northern Romania) – Final Thoughts

After a very odd experience at Cluj-Napoca International Airport including a group of pigeons treating the landside of the terminal as a racetrack, one touched back down at London Luton who were, again, very efficient in de-boarding.

It only seems appropriate to comment on Northern Romania given that one visited Cluj, Turda and a section of the Carpathian Mountains. Due to the current infrastructure, a rental car (or a wheelchair accessible vehicle from the likes of Accessible Romania) is certainly one of the best ways to explore the country, especially the Transylvania region. However, we have seen that attractions such as Salina Turda in addition to rolling around Cluj-Napoca may impact on the overall experience for an electric wheelchair user, a portable ramp could improve this to some extent.

It would be interesting for one to visit Southern Romania including the bright lights of Bucharest to see if there is a divide in terms of accessibility.

Ones travels continue in the city of Porto, dubbed as Portugals second city with Superbunny. One of the things that I am looking forward to is a little bit of ‘normality’ in terms of accessibility!

Day 4 (Cluj-Napoca) – Old Town Landmarks

Cluj-Napoca is a very walkable city, especially within the Old Town where the majority of landmarks are in close proximity to each other. In addition to this, the surfaces (bar the cobbly Unirii Square) make for an easy roll for wheelchair users with drop curbs in appropriate places.

One of the main city landmarks is, of course, Saint Michael Church located in Unirii Square. One is able to simply walk in FREE of charge with a large portion of the main area being wheelchair accessible…

Other notable landmarks including Dormition of the Mother of God Metropolitan Cathedral are just a stones throw away making it perfect for a slow wander…

However, it is worth noting that the majority of shops and restaurants do have steps to enter. The plan was for one to visit the Turnul Croitorilor fortification before heading back to Cluj International Airport, however, several flights of steps made one think again.

Day 3 (Romania) – A Western Carpathian Mountain Drive

One will be surprised to discover that we are still in Cluj-Napoca, let me briefly explain! Last week, I pulled ones shoulder whilst working out and, essentially, made it a whole lot worse when visiting Turda Salt Mine thus a change of plans were in order for today.

When it comes to mountain ranges, Romania is famous for the Carpathians which form a ring around the country. Said mountain range has always been of interest, perhaps because of its name association with the Titanic? After a quick Google, it appeared that the Western Carpathians run approximately 90 minute drive from Cluj-Napoca within the Apuseni Natural Park hence becoming our new destination.

As I mentioned, one has been hiring a Renault Austral, perfect for storing luggage and a manual wheelchair…

Driving around Romania and, indeed, Cluj-Napoca, it is clear to see that the choice to join the European Union in 2007 has created a sense of pride in addition to the numerous infrastructure projects being funded.

The scenery changed drastically as one headed into the Apuseni Natural Park from flat rolling hills and plains to winding roads producing spectacular vistas…

There are many restaurants dotted around the area, however, it seemed appropriate to choose one located on the banks of one of the lakes, tranquillity at it’s finest…

Tomorrow, the plan is to roll around the Old Town which has yet to be explored on foot before heading back to the UK via Cluj International Airport and to Superbunny!

Day 2 (Romania) – Salina Turda

One of the highlights of the Transylvania region that has gain attention recently is the Turda Salt Mine (Salina Turda). This attraction has been born out of a former salt mine and contains fairground rides and shops.

During research, the website stated that the salt mine is partially accessible for wheelchair users, however, the ticket office simply looked at ones wheelchair and said ‘not possible due to steps’. Disabled individuals can enter for FREE providing that they can provide evidence of disability.

Indeed, there is an elevator to access the main area of the mine, however to get to said elevator, one must first descend a series of staircases, some easier than others…

To add to this, steps are present when exiting the elevator, however, the sight once at the bottom is spectacular…

It must be said that the majority of surfaces are on the rocky side meaning a bumpy ride for wheelchair users. In order to access the very bottom and the lake, it is necessary to descend another elevator. From here, one can hire boats. Now, when one says boats, I mean paddle boats. Although there are no assistance features, seeing the salt mine from the water is a surreal experience…

Tomorrow, one leaves Cluj-Napoca and heads down to Brasov through the Carpathian Mountains to visit the famous Bran Castle the following day.

Day 1 (Cluj-Napoca) – Radisson Blu Hotel

After a short 2.5 hour flight from London Luton and a rather precarious ramp into the Ambulift, one exited Cluj-Napoca International Airport. As mentioned previously, this trip is slightly different as one has decided to hire a car for the duration rather than wheelchair accessible transportation. More details on that to follow.

For the next two nights, one is staying at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Cluj-Napoca located around a 20 minute walk from the Old Town. As the hotel is a new development, accessible rooms contain ample space for wheelchair users plus a spacious wet room…

Tomorrow, we head out of Cluj-Napoca to Salina Turda, an underground salt mine turned tourist attraction. The website states that it is only partly accessible for wheelchair users, let’s find out!

Day 0 (Cluj-Napoca) – A Romanian Road Trip

Romania, especially the region of Transylvania has been full of myth and magic for centuries. It has also been on ones bucket list, however, as of 2025, the Transylvania region has some way to go in terms of accessible infrastructure.

Of course, when one thinks of Transylvania, it is probable that images of Bran Castle come to mind due to its association with Count Dracula. Unfortunately, a large proportion of this famous attraction i.e. the castle itself is off limits to most wheelchair users due to an unfathomable amount of steps. The region, surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains is also home to the Turda Salt Mine just located outside of Cluj-Napoca.

When planning this trip, one toyed with various ideas as to how to best explore Northern Romania including driving the WAV down from the UK! However, as Superbunny would be unable to access Bran Castle and a proportion of the Turda Salt Mine regardless, it seemed appropriate to leave said wheelchair in the UK and hire a car for the duration.

For the first two days, one is staying in Romanias second largest city, Cluj-Napoca to visit the Turda Salt Mine before heading down south to Bran Castle which is around a 4 hour drive. One has then booked a (cheap) hotel nearby before heading back to the airport in Cluj-Napoca.

Let’s go roadtripping!

Day 5 (Jordan) – Final Thoughts

Steeped in history and mystery, Jordan is a country overlooked by many individuals due to issues with the preconceived infrastructure. Whilst this is true to an extent, companies such as Alpha Bus and Limousine Co. are making strides to ensure inclusivity despite these barriers, especially for foreign tourists.

It is worth noting that only a limited number of hotels in Jordan are fully accessible for wheelchair users i.e. wet rooms. This also applies to international hotel chains such as Marriott and Hilton hence one would recommend that it is checked out before booking.

Although it is clear that Jordan is becoming more inclusive, one cannot ignore the issues with the current infrastructure and it is important to work in harmony with it rather than perceiving it as an obstacle. This is evident driving around Amman where drop curbs are limited in addition to tree roots blocking the pavements. For this reason, one would highly recommend hiring a driver and accessible vehicle.

For one, staying at the Movenpick Dead Sea Resort enabled more freedom despite its isolated location. Superbunny was able to roam around the vicinity of the hotel without needing to step into crazy traffic in contrast to staying in the heart of Amman.

However, it must be said that there is a caveat to staying at the Dead Sea. Nearly all the hotels will not allow any type of food to be taken in, presumably so said hotel can charge extortionate prices. A shopping centre is located around 5-10 minutes walk containing a number of much cheaper restaurants. Rather cunningly, the street lights have been turned off between the hotels and shopping centre but if one is prepared to roll a little with very limited lighting, it is definitely worth it budget wise.

One of the highlights of Jordan is, of course, Petra. Due to the lack of information regarding the accessibility of the site for electric wheelchairs, oneself and Superbunny were flying blind. However, there was no need to worry providing that one is prepared for a bumpy ride at times, especially on the way to the Treasury.

Thanks again to Alpha Bus and Limousine Co. for opening up the beautiful country of Jordan to wheelchair users, definitely a ‘must see’ country…

Nath