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Vienna, 2025 Access City Award winner -

Vienna has been voted the most accessible city in Europe. The Austrian capital won the 2025 Access City Award for its outstanding efforts in making the destination accessible for people with disabilities.

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Why did Vienna win? -

Vienna earned the prestigious accolade after the city was recognized for its continued progress in becoming a more inclusive and accessible place.

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Facilities for the physically disabled -

For example, over 95% of bus and tram stops and all U-Bahn stations in Vienna are accessible, noted the judges, with tactile guidance systems, low-floor vehicles, and multisensory emergency systems available.

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Innovative projects -

The city's accessibility projects, such as barrier-free swimming pools, smart traffic lights, and initiatives promoting integration in housing and employment, were also recognized.

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Nuremberg, Germany -

Vienna was among four finalists competing for the 2025 award. Nuremberg received the runners-up prize for its committed and strategic approach to accessibility, in areas such as transport, employment, sports, and leisure. The city's accessible sports infrastructure won particular praise.

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Cartagena, Spain -

In third place was Cartagena, chosen for its efforts to making tourism and cultural life more accessible for persons with disabilities, initiatives exemplified by offering help for people with disabilities when bathing at popular beaches.

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Borås, Sweden -

Borås in Sweden earned a special mention for its forward thinking in built environment and transport, setting national accessibility standards in public transport, streets, and buildings. Borås actually won the award in 2015 and continues to lead by example in removing barriers for persons with disabilities.

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What is the Access City Award about? -

Organized by the European Commission and the European Disability Forum, the Access City Award was established in 2010.

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Award criteria -

The award criteria assess both implemented and planned measures in areas such as built environment, public spaces, transportation, and information and communication.

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What is an accessible city? -

A city is accessible when persons with disabilities can, for instance, enjoy public spaces, like parks and playgrounds.

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Routes and paths to follow -

Facilities include accessible, wheelchair-friendly trails created over flat terrain devoid of obstacles.

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Public toilet facilities -

Public toilet facilities feature at least one cubicle designed for persons confined to a wheelchair.

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Public transport -

An accessible city ensures that people with disabilities can use public transport, for example buses, trams, and the metro, and related infrastructure.

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Ease of access -

Getting in and around civic buildings, places like town halls and libraries, should be a seamless experience. So, too, should access to their services.

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Signs in braille -

Besides wheelchair ramps, elevators clearly signed and featuring instructions in braille for the visually impaired need to be made available to those with physical disabilities.

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Online and offline information -

A city is also deemed accessible when a person with disabilities can obtain information online and offline and has access to new communication technologies.

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Orient and inform -

Museums can take this need one step further by offering the visually impaired audio files and replicas of historic buildings. A 'Blind Kit' trolley is used to help orient and inform blind people, and includes scale models of structures that can be handled so that the user can literally get a feel for what's being described.

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Sport for all -

And providing equal access to sports halls and other sporting infrastructure also reflects a city's willingness to become a more inclusive and accessible place.

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Record number of applications -

The 2025 edition saw the highest number of applications of the last decade: 57 cities applied for the award, with 33 candidates preselected by national juries.

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2024: San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain -

In 2024, the winner of the Access City Award was San Cristóbal de La Laguna in Tenerife, Spain. It prioritized the accessibility of persons with mobility issues across urban spaces, transportation systems, and social activities.

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2023: Skellefteå, Sweden -

In 2023, Skellefteå won the award. A city in Sweden's Västerbotten County, Skellefteå was chosen for its outstanding efforts and groundbreaking approach in improving accessibility to public spaces.

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2022: Luxembourg City, Luxembourg -

Luxembourg City claimed the Access City Award in 2022. The jury was impressed by the city's far-reaching range of innovative solutions to enhance and promote accessibility for persons with disabilities.

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2021: Jönköping, Sweden -

Another Swedish city, Jönköping won the award in 2021. Located in the southern portion of the country, Jönköping was rewarded for its ongoing improvements across the city in collaboration with various organizations representing those with disabilities.

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2020: Warsaw, Poland -

Poland's capital Warsaw was voted Europe's most accessible city in 2020. Warsaw was singled out because of the substantial overall improvement made to the city's ease of access in a short space of time. It achieved this by involving people with disabilities and accessibility needs at all levels.

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2019: Breda, Netherlands -

The 2019 Access City Award went to Breda in the Netherlands for its continued improvements in making life easier for those with mobility issues.

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2018: Lyon, France -

Lyon is the second-largest city in France. It took home the 2018 Access City Award for a range of initiatives aimed at making life easier for people with disabilities, things like a public bus network that's 100% accessible, and reading machines, audiobook readers, and magnifying screens installed in libraries for the visually impaired.

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2017: Chester, England -

The attractive cathedral city of Chester, located close to the England-Wales border, was named Europe's most accessible city in 2017. The jury noted the authorities' work in ensuring that the destination and its beautiful medieval walls can be enjoyed by as many people as possible.

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2016: Milan, Italy -

In 2016, Milan took home the Access City Award. Milan was applauded for its commitment to accessibility above and beyond what is required by law.

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2015: Borås, Sweden -

Previously mentioned Borås, a finalist in 2025, claimed the accolade in 2015. The city was recognized for its comprehensive and strategic approach to creating an accessible city, an initiative that called on local action to help remove the barriers many disabled people face.

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2014: Gothenburg, Sweden -

The first time a Swedish city was named Europe's most accessible city was in 2014, when Gothenburg claimed top spot. The dedication shown by local authorities in enhancing access to employment, housing, and transportation was enough to convince the jury of its accessibility credentials.

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2013: Berlin, Germany -

The 2013 Access City Award went to Berlin. The city's advanced public transport network and investment in accessibility for disabled people on buses, trams, and the metro, plus its strategic and inclusive disability policy, saw it claim first prize.

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2012: Salzburg, Austria -

Salzburg was handed the Access City Award in 2012. The city was honored because of its improvements in facilitating access for disabled people to key pubic areas and points of interest.

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2011: Ávila, Spain -

The first-ever destination to win the Access City Award was the Spanish city of Ávila. The city set the standard by making progressive changes to its architecture to help mobilize the less able, and by fostering equal participation of people with disabilities.

Sources: (European Disability Forum) (European Commission) (European Network for Accessible Tourism) 

See also: The best villages to visit in 2025, according to the UN

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