Top 10 Accessible Tirol Attractions

High above scenic Kaunertal Valley, the dramatic "Eagle View" Viewing Platform cantilevers over hundred metres of sheer drop and is a heart-stopping opportunity to enjoy 360 degree views of the surrounding "Three-Thousanders", high altitude peaks averaging 3,000 meters in elevation. The "Adlerblick" (literally, "Eagle View") Viewing Platform is accessible by electric wheelchair or Swisstrac (available for rental) along Verpeilweg, a 250-metre long broad gravel trail with a seven percent grade.

The outstanding Aqua Dome Thermal Spa Resort allows you to soak for hours while letting your eyes wander across the beautiful Oetztal Alps. This sprawling recreation complex is part water park, part geothermal hot springs, and it comes loaded with amenities that will please wheelchair users, such as a fully accessible Four Star Superior Hotel. Tirol has a varied array of accessible accommodations and the Aqua Dome Hotel is one of them.

With amazing views of iconic 2,662-metre Hohe Munde Peak, the Leutasch Handcycle Trip traverses Gaistal Valley, noted for being one of Tirol’s most beautiful valleys. Located en-route, steeped in history and character you will find the Ganghofer Museum Cultural Center that is accessible for wheelchair users and those with restricted mobility. Leutasch is dotted by many worthwhile chapels, some of which are situated along the route as well. The efforts of hand cycling are highly rewarded at Leutasch Alpine Bath, featuring a variety of pools and a health suite with sauna baths with access facilities.

Here’s to a fantastic wheelchair accessible adventure tour of Tirol’s lively capital Innsbruck: Architectural gems like the imposing Imperial Palace and the iconic Golden Roof lurk around every corner of the old town. Take in the atmosphere of this magical town, and you will find a host of exciting historical landmarks, parks and gardens, and inviting sidewalk cafés and restaurants. A special walk of town for visually and mobility impaired persons runs along the banks of Sill River. This interpretive trail features six tactile terminals that contain factual information about the rivers Sill and Inn and its plant and wildlife. A brochure in Braille is available to visually-impaired and blind visitors from the Tourist Information Office. The highlight in the true sense of the word is a ride on the fully accessible, space-age Nordkette Funicular that speeds you from the town centre to high Alpine pastures in 20 minutes. And will leave you breathless as you take in the awesome panoramic views of Innsbruck, Inntal Valley and the surrounding mountain scenery from Seegrube.

A giant’s head, created by Austrian artist André Heller, spewing water into a pond greets you at this fantastical playground. Visitors from every corner of the world have walked through these portals, yet few have experienced anything like the Swarovski Crystal Worlds before: A subterranean labyrinth of crystalline chambers of wonder that astonishes, amazes and amuses its viewers. In 2015, the Swarovski Crystal Worlds celebrate their 20th anniversary with a huge facelift and new, spectacular outdoor attractions. With a wide range of access facilities and services for wheelchair users and those with restricted mobility, such as accessible parking and restrooms and lifts throughout, you can be sure of a great day out at the Swarovski Crystal Worlds.

Paddlesteamers have been cruising Lake Achensee, the largest lake in Tirol, since 1887. In the year 2015, the two steamships named “MS Tirol” and “Stadt Innsbruck” are accessible to all. A special delight is an evening cruise with music and the rock faces illuminated. Those wanting to burn up some extra energy can embark on the popular Handcyle Loop around the lake.

Hintertux Glacier hosts Austria’s one and only summer skiing experience—with year-round skiing, the resort also boasts the longest snow season in Austria. The Hintertux Glacier Ski Resort is as well known for state of the art, accessible ski lifts, personalized service and adaptive skiing and riding opportunities for people with a disability or special need, making it a popular training ground for disabled athletes. Tuxer Fernerhaus (2,660m) and Sommerbergalm (2,100m) on-mountain restaurants have fully accessible entrances, accessible restroom locations and lifts throughout.

A fully accessible summer gondola whisks you from the base at Söll to the top, where the Magical Witches’ Water is located. This amazing nature-themed water play park gives the young of age and young at heart a chance to enjoy sensory experiences with water—and to learn about the importance of water. The “Hochsöll Time Travel” introduces visitors to the age-old traditions of cheese making, bread baking, honey extracting and beeswax candle rolling. Visitors with a disability pay a concessionary rate (75 percent off).

The SchauSennerei Zillertal in Mayrhofen is a working dairy farm where visitors can learn about how cheese, butter and yoghurt are made by hand, either on their own or as part of a guided tour. Children are accompanied on their journey by the dairy farm's friendly mascot "Zilli" as they make their way along eight tasting stations where they can try different types of milk and yoghurt. The farm also has a large adventure play area and its own restaurant, the "Sennereiküche".

It can't have been an easy task to make a centuries-old castle designed to protect its inhabitants from marauding invaders wheelchair accessible, but thanks to a lot of hard work and some clever thinking that is what the people at the Burgenwelt Ehrenberg near Reutte have managed to do. The areas of this fortress and castle ensemble which can be accessed by wheelchair users include the visitors' centre, the Ehrenberg Arena, the Spielplatz Klause play area, the Salzstadl and Gasthof Klause restaurants and the Ehrenberg-Liner lift. Located right to the castle ruins, the highline179 – the longest hanging footbridge in the world – is also wheelchair accessible. However, please be aware that the bridge is quite narrow. There is not enough space for two wheelchair users to pass each other travelling in opposite directions. On the eastern side of the bridge there is a steep section where wheelchair users may need help.

What was once a huge ocean 200 million years ago is today a ski resort in winter and a hiking paradise in summer. The Triassic Park in the Cheimgau Alps shows how this landscape has changed and developed over many millions of years up to the modern day. There is a cable car accessible for wheelchair users and families with pushchairs transporting visitors from Waidring up to the Triassic Park. There, at 1,600 metres above sea level, there is a wheelchair-accessible viewing platform plus an info centre and an adventure trail with a stalactite and stalagmite cave.