Most disabilities shouldn't stop anyone from traveling. There are more options and resources out there than ever before.

Because of the endless flights of stairs in most buildings in Barcelona and narrow footpaths, visitors with disabilities may have difficulty getting around, but conditions are slowly improving. Newer hotels are more sensitive to the needs of those with disabilities, and the more expensive restaurants, in general, are wheelchair-accessible. Most museums in the city are also now equipped for the disabled as are most buses and some Metro stations. However, since many places have limited, if any, facilities for people with disabilities, you might consider taking an organized tour specifically designed to accommodate travelers with disabilities.

Organizations that offer assistance to travelers with disabilities include the MossRehab Hospital (www.mossresourcenet.org), which provides a library of accessible-travel resources online; the Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality (tel. 212/447-7284; www.sath.org; annual membership fees: $45 adults, $30 seniors and students), which offers a wealth of travel resources for all types of disabilities and informed recommendations on destinations, access guides, travel agents, tour operators, vehicle rentals, and companion services; and the American Foundation for the Blind (tel. 800/232-5463; www.afb.org), which provides information on traveling with Seeing Eye dogs.

For more information specifically targeted to travelers with disabilities, the community website iCan (www.icanonline.net/channels/travel/index.cfm) has destination guides and several regular columns on accessible travel. Also check out the quarterly magazine Emerging Horizons ($15 per year, $20 outside the U.S.; www.emerginghorizons.com); Twin Peaks Press (tel. 360/694-2462), offering travel-related books for travelers with special needs; and Open World Magazine, published by the Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality (see above; subscription: $18 per year, $35 outside the U.S.).

In Barcelona itself, TMB (the public transportation system, both bus and Metro) has a help line for disabled travelers (tel. 93-486-07-52) and ECOM is a federation of private disabled organizations (tel. 93-451-55-50).