Wheelchair Holidays : Portugal - Algarve

Wheelchair Accessible Holiday Facilities in Portugal - Algarve

Wheeling Around The Algarve

Client Comments

The Algarve is a beautiful place and made very accessible by Wheeling Around The Algarve. The transportation services to/from the Faro airport were quite accommodating as well as any other trips we chose to take while there, such as amazing excursions to Lagos. The Gill Apartment in Quarteira is ideal for anyone who is not interested in renting a car, as the beach promenade is very wheelchair accessible. The apartment itself is lovely, accessible, and practical. One suggestion, though, would be to invest the money in renting a mobile phone (if you do not have one that works in Europe) for any necessary communication. Overall, Dave Player and his staff at Wheeling Around The Algarve - www.player.pt - make visiting the Algarve a joyful and relaxing holiday site for anyone, regardless of their abilities.

Kim Anderson, Ph.D.
Assistant Adjunct Professor
Reeve-Irvine Research Center

About Wheeling Around the Algarve

I broke my neck (C6/7) diving into a shallow lake in May 1991 and did my rehab in Stoke Mandeville Spinal Injuries Unit in England, returning home in November. I went back to work after Christmas but soon realised that the chances of earning a living from selling properties from a wheelchair were very limited. I had 2 dogs to feed and for a long time they ate better than me - they struggled to get the tops off the bottles of beer though, so I did better than them when it came to beer!

After a few months the stress built up and during an arguement with the boss (my father), I got fired. We're friends again and both say that, looking back, this was the best thing that happended to me! I didn't feel like that at the time!

With no money or income, I started working from home on some ideas and within a year found myself running a variety of little businesses, one of them being this holiday business.

I felt I could use my knowledge of the Algarve and combine it with my needs as a wheelchair user and provide a holiday service to disabled people like myself that wanted to enjoy a normal holiday in a normal villa. The aim was simple - to provide other disabled people with a 'normal' selection of 'normal' holiday facilities.

I never imagined that there would be such a high demand for these type of facilities and soon realised that this small business needed much more of my time than it was getting. In 1994 and 1995 I ended my involvement in the other businesses and focused only on Wheeling Around The Algarve. Since then things have grown in many directions.

To start the ball rolling, just send us an email stating the number of people, type of accommodation and car hire needed, preferred dates and any other supporting information (equipment, etc)..
For example:

"We are a party of 5 people (1 wheelchair) and need a 3 bedroom property for 2 weeks in June. We want car hire with hand controls and need somewhere quiet but not too far from facilities. We need a 'wheel-in' shower and a shower chair."

This is enough information to get everything moving. We can then reply and will list options so you can come back to this web site and check if the accommodation suits you. When you have decided on everything, we will then hold dates for you so you can check on flights - don't book flights without confirming accommodation etc.

Have a good look around this site as there is lots of information here and useful links. It is important that you understand exactly what is available so you can be better informed about what you can get from a holiday in the Algarve.

David Player
Wheeling Around The Algarve
Rua Casa do Povo 1
Apartado 3421
8135-905 Almancil
Algarve - Portugal

Tel: 00 351 289 393636
Fax: 00 351 289 397448

Website: Wheeling Around The Algarve

Wheelchair Holidays : Portugal - Algarve