Madrid City Council has an Accessible Tourism Plan which is reviewed on an annual basis and sets out lines of action for accessible tourism, such as implementing conscience- and awareness-raising measures in Madrid’s tourism sector, furthering accessibility in the capital’s tourist information centres and points and undertaking new projects aimed at promoting and consolidating Madrid as an accessible tourism destination. All of these initiatives are carried out in cooperation with representative groups from the sector.
Commitment to accessible tourism
The universal accessibility of the Plaza Mayor Tourist Information Centre is an excellent example of Madrid’s commitment to accessible tourism. This tourist assistance and information centre, which is the primary site in the network of tourist information points, offers assistance in Spanish sign language and features hearing loops, tactile paving, ischial supports, a haptic map and an adapted desk.
Accessible Guided Tours
Madrid offers an accessible tourism programme, which features tours especially designed for and aimed at people with disabilities and those who accompany them.
The tours, which are free and are given in Spanish, have four themes which encompass the most significant routes through Madrid’s historic city centre: Historic Madrid, Monumental Madrid, Cervantes’ Madrid and Notable Women in Madrid’s History. For more information (available in Spanish only), visit: https://www.esmadrid.com/programa-turismo-accesible-madrid-todas-todos.
Information
The city of Madrid also has an accessible map in Braille for people with visual disabilities, and two specialised accessible tourism publications. Madrid City Council, in collaboration with the association Predif (Representative State Platform for People with Physical Disabilities) and various organisations from the tourism sector, publishes the "Accessible Tourism Guide to Madrid: Resources" (available in Spanish -seventh edition- and English -second edition-), which provides disabled persons with detailed information on the accessibility of a range of tourist attractions. It also publishes the guide "Accessible Madrid in 7 Days" (in Spanish).
The latter publication is a travel guide that suggests seven accessible tourist itineraries around the city’s main tourist areas, one for each day. Each of them includes a brief description of the pedestrian itinerary as well as tips and suggestions, a map and a list of recommended stops.
For more information visit: https://www.esmadrid.com/en/accessible-madrid.