Accessible travel in Calabria: 5 destinations for everyone

A stop in Cosenza, the city of the Bruzi, rich in history and culture and located about half an hour away from both the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Sila mountains, is a must.

A word of advice? Visit the beautiful Cathedral in the historic centre. Inside, there is a three-dimensional model of the façade of the cathedral with Braille lettering that allows blind and visually impaired visitors to get to know the shape of the church.

A walk along the city's main street, entirely closed to traffic, is a must. The pedestrian island is full of shops where you can do shopping, but it will also give you the opportunity to admire the sculptures of artists such as Salvador Dalì, Giorgio De Chirico, Mimmo Rotella, Pietro Consagra, Amedeo Modigliani, Giacomo Manzù and Sasha Sosno up close.

The Bilotti Open Air Museum is accessible and equipped for people with disabilities. It has a tactile path for blind visitors and the plaques of the works are also written in Braille. A QRcode on the same plaques allows everyone to access in-depth information, including vocalised information on the work.

If you need a break to regenerate and reconnect with nature, there is an oasis of peace and wellness in Calabria that will make your experience unique. It is the Sila National Park, equipped to meet every need and to be fully accessible and inclusive.

To plan an excursion adapting it to your level of stamina or to that of the people who will be with you, on the Sila National Park page you will find detailed descriptions of the park's 31 trails, including levels of difficulty, walking times and height differences.

Within the park there are two Visitor Centres that provide information on all the services for people with disabilities. The park has trails for the blind and visually impaired and some of the protected animal species, such as roe deer, red deer and eagle owls, have been made accessible.

In the visitor centre in the Cupone locality, close to Lake Cecita, in the municipality of Spezzano della Sila (CS), a botanical garden has been created where there are 115 native plant species to touch and the paths have explanatory panels written in Braille or with marked characters for the visually impaired.  People with reduced mobility will be able to enjoy spectacular walks along the park's paths, thanks to the joelette chair, a single-wheel off-road wheelchair that allows hiking with the help of two escorts.

The ‘’A. Garcea‘’ visitor centre in the municipality of Taverna (CZ) is also equipped with this special chair and provides visitors with information brochures in Braille. There is a path dedicated to persons with motor disabilities and a path equipped with tactile orientation signalling systems on the ground and handrails has been created. Nature can thus be made known through descriptive tables of the surrounding environment, created on a metal support with alphanumeric characters in Braille language.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Codex Purpureus Rossanensis, one of the most important manuscripts in the world, is a treasure that deserves to be known by all.

This masterpiece of Byzantine art, a precious testimony to the history of Christianity, is housed in the Diocesan Museum of the Archdiocese of Rossano (CS), where people with sensory disabilities are guaranteed an intense and exciting experience. An innovative tactile tablet, in fact, allows even blind and visually impaired visitors to appreciate the beauty of this artefact composed of188 sheets of the finest purple parchment and 15 splendid miniatures. Through the use of a QR code, it is also possible to access an explanatory video translated also into Italian and international sign language so that the work can also be fully enjoyed by deaf visitors.

Bars and restaurants overlooking the sea, equipped lidos, rides and games for children, benches from which to enjoy the view. The seafront of Soverato, a delightful locality in the province of Catanzaro, is truly a place for all needs and all ages.

Easily reached by car and occupying a single flat area, it is also accessible to people with walking difficulties or in wheelchairs and their families or friends.  One kilometre long, the promenade is busy all year round but particularly lively in the summer months, at any time of day. They call it ‘’the pearl of the Ionian‘’ and you will soon discover why. Soverato conquers anyone who decides to get to know it: fine white sand, clear blue waters and an atmosphere that makes every holiday unique and unforgettable.

A spiritual path that reconciles faith and nature. This is the jubilee itinerary devised by the diocese of Locri-Gerace in Calabria called “E ti vengo a cercare”, recalling the song by Franco Battiato.

A journey in which all people who want to live this intense experience of spirituality and sharing can participate. The aim is also to involve people with disabilities, guaranteeing routes without barriers and adapted to their needs. Each route designed by the dioceses in the different Italian regions is inspired by saints, Shrines and places of worship.

The Calabrian itinerary crosses the Stilaro valley, between the municipalities of Pazzano, Bivongi and Stilo to promote villages rich in charm, history and traditions, but far from the routes of mass tourism. During the Jubilee, there will be special conventions with reduced rates for accommodation, transport and experiences related to the activities of the Calabrian dioceses.

A stroll along the marvellous Falcomatà Seafront - not by chance defined by D'Annunzio as ‘’The most beautiful kilometre in Italy‘’ - is certainly an excellent introduction to a rewarding stop in the city of the Straits of Messina.

Reggio Calabria can be reached by train and public transport, and by bus you can easily head to the National Archaeological Museum where you can admire the famous Riace Bronzes. If, on the other hand, you move by car, it is good to know that outside the building that houses the museum there are parking spaces reserved for people with disabilities, to whom access is guaranteed through an external platform. 

To visit the various levels of the museum's permanent and temporary collections, visitors who need to do so can use the lifts. The entrance and the connections between the various rooms make it possible to move around without problems in a wheelchair, and the lift is also adequately sized. The arrangement of the exhibits in the showcases makes them clearly visible from all heights. For deaf visitors, a Lis videoguide service is available at the ticket office for visiting the collections on display. The version for the blind and visually impaired provides the necessary spatial indications to be able to move correctly along the audio-guided route.