Just as in Trentino, South Tyrol also has several playgrounds suitable for children with disabilities, especially those who use wheelchairs. We’ve compiled a list of them for you, in the hope that these special play structures won’t be removed for safety reasons or damaged in the meantime—as has, unfortunately, already happened. We’d appreciate your help in reporting other accessible playgrounds—if you know of any—so we can make this article even more useful. If you happen to learn that any playground equipment has been removed, please don’t hesitate to let us know.
In the meantime, here’s an initial list—which we’re constantly updating!
BOLZANO (BZ) | Petrarca Inclusive Park (near the “Orso Pippo” café)—this is a fully inclusive park with integrated play structures suitable for children with various disabilities and a steel handrail for motor rehabilitation exercises. The entire area is paved with poured rubber in various colors to ensure easy access, even for strollers and wheelchairs.
BOLZANO (BZ) | Park on Via Segantini, at the corner of Via Martin Knoller. An inclusive park featuring a large ship, which is the area’s main attraction. The area, spanning over 500 square meters, is also accessible to children with disabilities. The ship is suitable for children ages 3 to 14 and consists of two interconnected towers of different heights, two slides, a climbing wall, vertical ropes, an access climbing net, activity panels with portholes, a rudder, and a compass. The playground also features a C-shaped trampoline with a galvanized steel support structure recessed into the floor; a picnic table accessible to wheelchair users; and a new sand play area. The surface is made of safety-rated poured rubber, featuring various color shades and patterns embedded within it.
BOLZANO (BZ) | Olimpia Carpi Park. Here you’ll find a new multifunctional playground (2022) suitable for children as young as two years old and accessible to children with disabilities. With a nature theme, featuring panels shaped like tree canopies with branches and leaves, the structure includes a small slide one meter wide, several play panels, and a ground-level rocking seat. The surface beneath all the play equipment is made of a special type of artificial grass—soft, antistatic, and abrasion-resistant—laid over a safety mat. (cover photo)
MERANO (BZ) | Playground on Wolf Street | This playground is located on the northern edge of the city of Merano. In addition to traditional playground equipment and an area with two towers, the playground features swings accessible to people with disabilities and a climbing cube.