Benidorm improves accessibility in Tossal de La Cala, where since the beginning of February has exceeded 2,300 visitors

Benidorm City Council has improved "global accessibility" to El Tossal de La Cala site and its surroundings with various actions carried out in recent weeks that "have increased the attractiveness of an emblematic space of our city, as well as facilitated its visit to the population in general and especially for people with functional diversity ”, as indicated by the mayor, Toni Pérez.

The mayor explained that “the departments of Historical Heritage and Universal Accessibility, directed by Ana Pellicer and José Ramón González de Zárate, have been working in a coordinated way so that the development of these actions coexists with the normal operation of the site-museum itself and it will not affect pedestrian traffic ”.

As detailed by the mayor, the signage on Ermita Street, which is the one that gives access to El Tossal ‘castellum’, and the streets around Montbenidorm urbanization has been resurfaced and repainted. In addition, the lighting of the entire environment has been reinforced and renewed with ‘led’ technology, and maximum accessibility to La Virgen del Mar hermitage, located a few meters from the entrance door to the ‘castellum’, has been guaranteed. At this point, and as in El Tossal viewpoint, a section of the existing wall has been replaced by a glass railing.

Toni Pérez stressed that "this intervention has improved visual accessibility, which is sometimes neglected, and that it is assuming a significant effort on the part of the City Council in those points where people go who due to a functional motor diversity do not agree to have their line of sight rather than the height that the mechanical elements they need for their mobility allow ”. Therefore, he added, "they are global accessibility actions, both from the point of view of motor accessibility, as well as visual accessibility".

Already inside the site, and following the same line of improving accessibility, “two electric wheelchairs have been acquired so that people with mobility problems, who lack their own elements or who have them but are manual, can save the ascent slopes of the Tossal and to cross and crown the 'castellum'.

The mayor has pointed out that “these chairs are already available to visitors, as is the audio guide hosted on the municipal website since last summer and available through QR codes with which we improve accessibility, in this case sensorial, by making available to people with visual disabilities a resource that brings them all the information about the site and details about the importance, operation and characteristics of this 'castellum' from the 1st century BC, the only one excavated in extension ”.

Since February began, and coinciding with "the culmination of these improvements", the number of visitors "has grown exponentially compared to previous months, as evidenced by the daily statistics prepared by the personnel in charge of maintaining the site" . Thus, in the first three weeks of February and as “part of a safe outdoor activity”, more than 2,300 people “have at some point come to El Tossal to see the remains of the Roman 'castellum' up close and enjoy the magnificent panoramic view of Benidorm that this enclave offers ”.

Toni Pérez has reported that the month of January closed with 1,631 visitors, "so in three weeks these records have already been surpassed, reaching a record of influx on Sunday, February 14, in which throughout the day they passed for our Tossal 257 people ”.