6 nature and culture experiences in a wheelchair or on a handbike

Embrace diversity, all the more so on holiday. Community and inclusion– that's what it's all about. On this page, you'll find some ways to experience the diversity and beauty of nature in Germany, even with a disability, and to enjoy cultural and culinary offerings without barriers. For older people or families with prams, it is also important to have information about where you can get around accessibly. This makes the trip or holiday an enjoyable and enriching experience for everyone.

On the move enjoying sports in the Franconian Lake District

Franconian Lakeland: Handbike riding at the Brombach Lakes ©DZT (Jens Wegener)

That's right! This trip is going to be sporty. The cycle path network in Germany is very well developed, so many routes are also suitable for handbike tours. The Franconian Lake District is one region where this works particularly well. For example, if you decide on a route around the Kleiner Brombachsee, you can ride leisurely beside the water on your handbike. If you feel like a little break in between, have a picnic on the shore and watch the passing sailboats, or relax on one of the family-friendly sandy beaches.

The path around the Kleiner Brombachsee is well paved, mostly flat and well signposted. There is also a beach wheelchair hire service at Kleiner Brombachsee.

Hamburg – An Original Animal

You can marvel at 210 different animal species up close in Hamburg's Hagenbeck Zoo – which is accessible to all. But that's not all: at designated feeding times you have the chance to feed coatis, South American fur seals, elephants, giraffes and other animals. Hamburg Zoo is also particularly famous for its walruses, which frolic in an eight-metre-deep pool of the "Arctic Sea" and gaze at the park visitors. In addition to the variety of different animals, Hagenbeck offers one of the most beautiful parks in Europe, with a wonderful plant world that in the spring is captivating with its magnificent sea of blossoms. And if you are feeling hungry after all the excitement, you can enjoy delicious snacks or dine in the Flamingo Lodge with its panoramic African setting. Plus: all year round at Hagenbeck Zoo you'll find enchanting baby animals in all the enclosures. So cute!

In addition to designated disabled parking spaces at both entrances, all paths throughout the park are suitable for wheelchairs, walkers and delta scooters. The enclosures are designed so that people in wheelchairs also have a clear view of the animals. There are also five accessible toilet facilities that are clearly signposted.

Marvel at the Baroque: Ludwigburg Residence Palace

Ludwigsburg: garden north; blooming baroque with residential palace ©Tourismus&Events Ludwigsburg (Achim Mende)

Truly impressive: the Ludwigsburger Palace is one of the largest baroque buildings in Europe that has been preserved in its original state. It was built between 1704 and 1733 and offers its visitors an impressive journey through the centuries – from Baroque to Rococo to Classicism. However, this magnificent palace can only be visited with a guided tour. The Fashion Museum, the Carl Eugen Apartment and the Ceramics Museum can also be visited independently of the guided tours – a multifaceted world of discovery for young and old alike.

The Residenzschloss Ludwigsburg is almost entirely accessible and barrier-free. With the exception of the Theatre Museum on the first floor and the Baroque Gallery on the second floor, all attractions and facilities are accessible via lifts and ramps. There are also special guided tours for blind and visually impaired guests, tours with sign language, and for hearing impaired visitors.

Wine tastings in the Palatinate

Maikammer: Couple goes for a walk with a wheelchair in the wine region of Maikammer, Southern Wine Route ©DZT (Jens Wegener)

The Palatinate is known as the second largest wine-growing region in Germany and has a Mediterranean climate. This makes outdoor activities particularly popular. All year round, there are a variety of wine-related adventures waiting for you: why not visit a wine festival or spend some time on a wine hike? One of the best places for this is the Southern Wine Route, where you can walk or cycle along the "Biblical Wine Trail" with views of Hambach Castle and other great panoramas. You deserve a wine tasting at the end of the tour!

The "Biblical Wine Trail" is a wide, easily accessible hiking trail. The "Palatinate Festivals for All" initiative makes festivals, including wine festivals in the Palatinate, accessible to everyone. This is facilitated by wide passageways and step-free entrances. Accessible toilet facilities are also available at these venues.

Vintage cars as far as the eye can see in Weserbergland

Vintage cars, motorbikes, tractors, trucks or buses: Europe's largest collection of classic cars in Einbeck in Lower Saxony really fulfils every classic car lover's wish. You can trace the history of motoring spread over an exhibition area of 22,000 square metres – the exhibits are arranged and displayed chronologically through all the epochs and development phases of custom motorisation. Regardless of whether they have four, three or two wheels: the"PS-Speicher"is more than just a conventional museum. The impressive collections of famous car brands are certainly a magnet for car enthusiasts. But there are also many unique exhibits – including those from brands that have long since disappeared or been forgotten.

Entry to the PS-SPEICHER is fully accessible. All levels of the main exhibition and the restaurant are accessible via a lift. There are four disabled parking spaces at the entrance and various accessible toilets on the grounds. The guided tours for the main exhibition are also geared towards visitors with disabilities.

Upper Middle Rhine Valley: On the Trail of Beautiful Mysteries

Sankt Goarshausen: View of the Rhine Valley landscape from the Loreley rock, Loreley figure ©AdobeStock (Alice_D)

In the Loreley Culture and Landscape Park, you can embark on a journey through time and discover a wealth of interesting details about the legend of the Loreley, viticulture on the Rhine, the fauna and flora of the area, its geology and shipping on the Rhine. Experience a fantastic Rhine journey on your tour – in the form of a 3D movie experience in the "Myth of the Loreley" experience room. Or take a walk through the park and along the cliffs, looking down into the wonderful Middle Rhine Valley. The "Upper Middle Rhine Valley" between Rüdesheim, Bingen and Koblenz was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2002.

At the Loreley Visitor Centre there are parking spaces for wheelchair users and wheelchair-accessible toilet facilities. The exhibition platforms are connected to each other via a ramp and the "Myth of the Loreley" experience room is also accessible at ground level.