Putting together holidays for disabled people can oftentimes be difficult to do. You want to find appropriate and inclusive activities that are still a whole lot of fun. Barcelona is great place for anyone to travel to, especially if they happen to be hard of hearing. With all the wonderful and colourful visuals, there are endless things to see and do in this sunny Spanish country – and here’s a list of some of the best attractions for the hearing impaired.
So Much to See, So Little Time
•Mirador de Colom – Built in 1888, Mirador de Colom is a tribute to the explorer Christopher Columbus. The impressive monument has a lift inside that will elevate visitors 60 metres into the sky to a viewing gallery. Once there, they will be able to look out over the sea, the city and countryside, and take in all the gorgeous and breath-stealing visuals Barcelona has to offer.
•Font Mà gica – This stunning light and waterworks fountain show relies highly on its visual displays, making it the perfect destination for those who are hard of hearing. With its lights that shift and change to over 50 colours and its intricate water acrobatics, it’s no surprise that this is one of Barcelona’s top attractions.
•Ciutat del Teatre – If you like live performances, you’ll love Ciutat del Teatre, one of Barcelona’s best performing arts venues. As it mainly focuses on dance, and as its shows are accompanied with captions, loops and print outs of any scripts involved, this is a great night out for those with impaired hearing.
•Gran Teatre del Liceu – This historical and beautiful building houses some of the most wonderful operas in the world, operas that are easily made available to those who are hard of hearing with the help of screens with subtitles on them.
•El Born Centre de Cultura i Memòria – This phenomenal site is a great way to get up close and personal with Barcelona’s rich and vibrant cultural history, dating as far back as the 1700s. The subtitled and sign language audioguides the museum offers will only add to the enjoyment of those who are hard of hearing.
Finding the right thing to do when abroad can make or break your holidays – for disabled people, this is something that is especially important. Many people who are disabled or who are travelling with someone who is physically impaired use tour operators who specialise in these kinds of holidays. They’re able to organise great itineraries, transport and accommodation options that suit your specific needs so you can focus on enjoying your holiday.
In the meantime, if you’re hard of hearing and heading to Barcelona anytime soon, this list of five attractions could be perfect for you. From theatres to light shows to cultural museums, there’s something for everyone who is hearing impaired. But why take our word for it? You know better than anyone that seeing is believing.
Philip Scott is the owner and founder of Can be Done, a fully licensed UK tour operator specialising in worldwide holidays for disabled individuals and groups. With over 31 years’ experience organising long and short breaks for disabled travellers, Philip has built a reputation for helping his clients select hotels and accommodation that offer high standards of accessibility, to ensure that those with special needs can experience truly relaxing and carefree holidays.
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