Autumn Foliage, or so-called 'Ruska' in Finnish, is when leaves start turning into shades of yellow, orange, red, and brown to finally leave the tree and remind us about seizing the moment. Autumn foliage can be seen in Espoo typically from the third week of September and, depending on weather conditions (primarily the wind), may last from 10 days up to 3 weeks. By the end of October, the majority of colorful leaves already be gone.  So where to head when the 'Ruska'/Autumn Foliage time is at its best?

The Finnish Nature Centre Haltia is a highly accessible building. The front door opens automatically, although there were some issues with it during our visit. There is plenty of space to move indoors and the exhibition areas are spacious. The multi-sensory experience is arranged magnificently and the signs and touch panels can be reached in a wheelchair. The main exhibition area has plenty of folding chairs on the wall if you want to sit down to rest. There are also fixed seats in the exhibition area. The lobby has a spacious, accessible toilet with folding support handles around the toilet seat fixed to the wall. There is also a slightly smaller accessible toilet upstairs next to the restaurant. The Haltia auditorium and conference rooms are also accessible and the private sauna that can be reserved is also accessible in a wheeled shower chair, based on my previous experiences.

It is very easy to navigate EMMA’s spacious, accessible premises in a wheelchair. The artworks are on display at a suitable height for wheelchair users and I was able to reach the signs with touch panels easily. There was an accessible, roomy toilet on both floors I visited. If you need an assistant to accompany you, they can get in for free. There are a wide variety of different types of tickets, so be sure to check if you are eligible for a discount. Both the EMMA and WeeGee websites have comprehensive information about accessibility and the WeeGee website has photos that provide valuable additional information.

For me, the metro is the most independent form of public transport. The new West Metro stations in Espoo are magnificent, spacious, and completely accessible. The roomy lifts have motion detectors and buttons that are activated automatically when you get near them, which makes using the lifts so much easier for me. The buttons are at a lower level than in older metro stations, so I can press them myself if I need to. The West Metro stations are much more than just places that allow easy mobility. After taking the Evenio Oy guided tour of the metro’s art and technology, I have seen the stations in a whole new light.

I know that Nuuksion Taika enables accessible celebrations, but I have come to explore in more detail what else can be experienced accessibly from their offerings. Nuuksion Taika is committed to responsibility and sustainable nature tourism. A big part of responsibility is social responsibility and considering and respecting different individuals. This also includes considering accessibility as much as possible within the confines of nature.