SOMTOTS

Experience the inclusive Alt Empordà by land, air and sea

On a sunny day, two men in wheelchairs are walking along a path through the vineyards of La Vinyeta. The head of the winery accompanies them. Picture by Diego Espada.

The Alt Empordà is a region where the tramontana wind blows. This north wind shapes the clean, dry landscape of one of the three Girona counties with a seafront. Here, coves and beaches with crystal-clear waters and dreamlike landscapes await you. Active tourism is very present with numerous proposals by land, sea and air. The Alt Empordà is also a walk through history. You can visit dolmens, megalithic menhirs, Greek and Roman remains, and Romanesque, Gothic and Art Nouveau buildings. It is also a land of good food and wine. And all this, with the constant presence of Salvador Dalí.

Part of this offer can be discovered in Els sentits de la descoberta (The senses of discovery), the e-book of inclusive experiences in the Costa Brava and Girona Pyrenees, in which several hosts from the area with different abilities guide us through the experience. The publication includes audiovisual materials with the testimony of these hosts and also of tourism organisations and professionals from the sector who work for inclusive tourism. All audiovisual materials include English subtitles and SSI interpretation. Welcome to Alt Empordà.

Do you want to fly or sail?

If you want to experience the freedom of flying, don’t miss a visit to Windoor Realfly in Empuriabrava. In the wind tunnel, a transparent cylinder about 14 metres high, you can fly. Yes, just as it sounds. Last January, the facilities hosted a flight session adapted for flyers with reduced mobility, an initiative framed within the European project #WindTunnelHandifly project.

Inside the cylinder of the wind tunnel, a man with a device holding his legs is experiencing flight. Two monitors assist him. Picture by Diego Espada.
Inside the cylinder of the wind tunnel, a man with a device holding his legs is experiencing flight. Two monitors assist him. Picture by Diego Espada.

If you prefer the sea, activities such as kayaking or sailing await you in the Alt Empordà. In Llançà, SK Kayak has experience in guiding people with sensory, physical or cognitive disabilities. It offers tailor-made products in a privileged setting: the Cap de Creus Natural Park and the Aiguamolls de l’Empordà Natural Park. And the Sailing School of the Club Nàutic l’Escala offers simplified manoeuvring and unsinkable boats for everyone.

A walk through history

Empúries, the gateway to the peninsula for the Greeks and Romans, is located in the village of l’Escala, facing the sea. It is the most important Greco-Roman archaeological site in Catalonia. During your visit, you can walk through the streets of the Greek and the Roman cities and contemplate the mosaics that decorated the floors of the wealthy houses. There are 150 of them. During the coldest months of the year, they are covered to protect them, but you can still see them until early autumn.

At the Ruins of Empúries, two men in wheelchairs walk along a wooden walkway leading to the Greek city. Picture by Diego Espada.
At the Ruins of Empúries, two men in wheelchairs walk along a wooden walkway leading to the Greek city. Picture by Diego Espada.

The visit is accessible to all visitors. There are reserved parking spaces for people with reduced mobility in front of the reception building. There are also signposted routes for wheelchair users and people with reduced mobility. The facilities have a magnetic loop and support material for the visually and hearing impaired.

Accessible