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Budapest, the capital city of Hungary, is one of the most photogenic cities in Europe. It’s well-known for its underground caves and for being the world’s top spa destination. Unfortunately, the underground caves and spas are not (easily) wheelchair accessible. So in July, I embarked on a mission (or two) to find some cool wheelchair-accessible activities and to celebrate my 25th birthday with an adventure. If you’re looking for fun, wheelchair accessible things to do in Budapest, this post will definitely help you out.
By the way, are you ready to visit Budapest but searching for a wheelchair accessible hotel? Don’t worry; in this post, you can read my full review of the wheelchair-accessible room we stayed at.
“We don’t need objects; we need adventures” – Unknown
That is a very good question! The location of our hotel was quite central, allowing us to visit most attractions in Pest on foot. The public buses are all wheelchair accessible and equipped with a ramp, which will be operated by the bus driver. Traveling by metro or tram is a bit different, as not all the stations are accessible. Learn everything you need to know before your journey here.
This was, without any doubt, the highlight for me, and fulfilled my birthday mission. The Ferris wheel offers a panoramic view of all the city’s sights every day of the year between 11:00 AM and 11:00 PM.
Pro-tip: visit around sunset for the full, magical experience!
On their official website, you see a ‘Barrier-free’ logo, but no additional accessibility information at all. The lack of accessibility information doesn’t necessarily mean it’s inaccessible. It simply means that one of us has to go out there and find out about the possibilities, and so I did. I was pleasantly surprised by the effort they had put into making it wheelchair accessible, with multiple ramps and a special (wider) cabin. We were told that the cabin could hold up to 450 kg, but there were no labels to confirm this. Speaking from experience, we survived this adventure with a total weight of 300 kg 🙂
For more information and tickets, visit their website
The eye-catching structure appears as though it was plucked straight from a fairy tale. Trust me, you should definitely include it on your must-see list when visiting Budapest. It’s nestled in the historic district of Castle Hill, on the hilly Buda side. Determining its accessibility and the best way to reach it proved to be quite a challenge, but luckily, I was determined to uncover this information.
Essentially, there are two ways to reach Fisherman’s Bastion: by bus or by embarking on a hike that involves climbing hundreds of steps. However, for wheelchair users, there’s only one realistic option: the Buda Castle bus (which is free with the Budapest Card). This bus will conveniently take you all the way up to Holy Trinity Square.
For more detailed information about the accessibility of Fisherman’s Bastion, you can refer to this website.
Ahh, one of my favorite things to do at night is to visit rooftop bars. It’s usually quite a struggle to find wheelchair accessible rooftop bars, but we managed to visit three, and here’s all you need to know before visiting. Make sure to plan your visit ahead and make an online reservation, as it’s usually fully booked.
The first rooftop bar we visited was on the Pest side, right next to the famous St. Stephen’s Basilica. The High Note SkyBar was named one of the Top 10 Best Rooftop Bars in the World in 2018. A spacious elevator will take you up to the 9th floor, where you’ll find a bar, terrace, and very helpful staff willing to make some space. Despite the staff’s willingness to accommodate, it was still challenging for me to maneuver freely.
Right next to the famous Chain Bridge on the Buda side, you’ll find the trendy Leo Rooftop bar on top of Hotel Clark Budapest. The nighttime views were some of the best I’ve seen in the city, especially of the Buda Castle and Chain Bridge, both beautifully illuminated. With a fancy elevator, you can reach the 6th floor, where you’ll immediately be blown away (not literally tho) by the view. The terrace was spacious and step-free, making it easily wheelchair accessible for a visit!
My absolute favorite of the three was definitely the White Raven Skybar & Lounge on top of the Hilton Budapest Hotel. It’s located on the Buda side, in the Buda Castle district. This is a luxurious hotspot with a dress code, so reservations are highly recommended. White Raven offers truly amazing panoramic views over Budapest, including the Danube, Parliament, and Margaret Island. But why was this my favorite? The White Raven Skybar was the only one with a wheelchair-accessible toilet!
