Beautiful Barcelona: The World's Best Accessible City

Sights

• Camp Nou: Book the on-pitch/locker room experience for super fans. Teens will love the chance to shop the megastore and shoot on a robo goalie.

• Sightseeing Bus: Great to get from place to place, if you don't need the most exciting audio tour. All buses are accessible and run all day, great value for touring when you don't want a fixed schedule.

• Casa Batilo: Book the Interactive Gold Tour, accessible with a private elevator (smaller chairs and strollers only).

• Sagrada Familia: Even during the off-season, book tickets ahead. Think about adding a guide, skipping the line and braving the walk to the top.

• Funicular: Take a cable car across the water, or up a mountain to see the best city views.
  
  
  

Shopping in Barcelona

I found a store to buy real Picassos in Barrio Gotico (wow)! and I loved a woman's shop called Nunita.

Plazas for Instagram

• Plaça de Sant Felip Neri: Those are bullet holes in the walls. A small metal plaque recounts the tragic history of assassinations during the Spanish Civil War which cost the lives of 42 children and badly damaged the façade of the church and the other buildings which line the square.

• Plaça Reial: Are you sure this isn't Italy?
  
  
  

Wheelchair accessibility in Barcelona

This is the mecca for those with reduced mobility. There are cabs on the streets with ramps. Every bus is accessible. Most major metro lines are accessible. There are wheelchairs everywhere. Ramps are standard and well-graded. The city is pretty flat. This really shows how accessible life CAN be.

Here are my top restaurants and tips - you will need reservations!

Restaurants

• Experience tapas and view the signed photos of celebrities worldwide who dine at Cañete when in town. The perfect place to sample steak with foie gras, razor clams, tuna tartar and jamon serrano. This often-booked restaurant needs reservations - book far in advance for the best availability.

• El Pintor (Barrio Gotico): Try the best salt cod or roasted on-table grill-fired steak. The restaurant is small and cozy, perfect for a romantic night or group meal.
  
  
  

While sightseeing

• Ciudad Condal (by Casa Batilo) Wonderful covered patio close to Las Ramblas (3 blocks from Casa Batilo) or inside, on multiple levels. This classic Catalan tapas spot is frequented by locals and tourists. It is a bargain for innovative tapas alongside the classics.

• Paisano Bistro: Tiny, family-run Italian with homemade pasta a few blocks from Sagrada Familia with about four patio tables. This yummy Italian spot rivaled Rome for Amatriciana. We loved the zucchini croquetas, house wine and pizza. Great way to try something different in Barcelona.

• Churrería Laietana: Best churros of the trip. Salty sweet perfection, made with love by the same family for decades. It is a basic storefront that only does churros, coffee (also the best coffee we had) and freshly squeezed OJ. Order churros with azucar. You can eat at the one counter or down the street to the right in a plaza.

• Bo de B: The Barca equivalent of some of the Roman sandwich cult classics. We waited 20 minutes to get one. This cash-only spot offers simple sandwiches with fresh ingredients and Greek undertones. Come early, it is a hit with local hipsters and study-abroad students. Cash only and limited seating space.

Ride a Hot Air Balloon Over Three Dormant Volcanos

Take the ride of a lifetime just 1 and 1/2 hours from the city center. The best part is that this uniquely accessible tour allows participants to avoid climbing into the basket, making it a completely welcoming activity for those with reduced mobility or the elderly.

The experience is full of included perks and food, making it the best day activity. Be greeted with coffee, tea and pastries upon arrival, experience chilled glasses and champagne with local cake while in flight and end with a hot breakfast with wine, coffee and dessert upon landing. You'll even walk away with an artistic memento from your trip.

If ballooning scares you, you will likely be able to do this with ease. The gentle takeoff and descent are much different than an aircraft and you hardly feel the movement when you are up in the air. Balloons are flown with the wind, so you must patiently wait to land. There is nothing rushed about this experience, keeping us in the sky for over an hour. Cars (even accessible ones) wait to drive you back after the flight lands.

Book a Massage And End With Sea Views and Private Water Suite

Upon return from the balloon, make your way to the Hotel Arts Spa, on the 43rd Floor. From there, have a relaxation massage and end with a private session in the whirlpool, sauna and steam room suite. You will be alone (or with your partner) in the spacious suite, with ceiling-to-floor windows overlooking the Mediterranean.