Is Italy Good For a Dog-Friendly Holiday: Rome, Venice & Tuscany

Italy is a fantastic European country to visit with a dog, and there are many places to choose from. We visited various cities and regions, including Rome with Henry, and enjoyed it very much. It is a superb country for a city break, including the capital, Rome, and Venice, which were both special for sightseeing and dog walks.

Dog-Friendly Places to Visit in Italy

Bologna

Bologna is a pretty city in the country’s north, famous for its food and red-brick centre. We found that a good deal of food and drink establishments are welcoming of pets. The food in Bologna was rather special, especially the tortellini. However, as is the case in many cities, tourist attractions, including churches and museums, are, like most places, restrictive about visiting with a pet. Attractions I enjoyed with Henry included Piazza Maggiore, the parks and the porticoes of Bologna.

There were plenty of options for dog-friendly accommodation. We opted for a nice studio apartment and a hostel; both were near the centre of Bologna.

Rome: One of the Most Popular Places in Italy

Rome is a fantastic city with world-class tourist attractions. This includes St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City and Roman ruins such as the Colosseum. It has lots of interesting things to see, making it an excellent dog walk.

Walking through Vatican City with the dog was rather special.

When walking dogs in Italy, be ultra-careful at road crossings; many drivers seem to ignore them.

In addition to sightseeing in Rome, Henry was welcomed into all the bars and restaurants that we chose. Some even offered him dog water, or they happily filled his travel bowl. There were other locals and tourists out with their dogs, too.

Iconic places to visit, like the Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, and near the Roman Forum, were great for an evening dog walk in Rome. For daytime fun, we stuck to areas with shade or grass underfoot. Finding suitable accommodation in Rome was pretty easy. We were on a tight budget, so we opted for a campsite just outside of the city.

Siena in Tuscany

We stayed in Tuscany for 18 nights and spent most of the time in the impressive city of Siena. Siena is beautiful with lots to see, which made for an interesting walkies. Outside of the centre were also some great parks and countryside. Getting around the region was straightforward, as the buses are pet-friendly and have few rules.

We found suitable accommodation in Siena for Henry, including an apartment for 10 nights and a central hotel for 4 nights. Finally, dining out at restaurants and cafes with Henry was straightforward, and there were dogs out and about everywhere. This was one of the most enjoyable places we visited with the dog.

Bari in Puglia

We visited Bari in the Puglia region of southern Italy for just under a week with our dog, Henry. Bari has many fascinating sights that enhance the dog walks, especially the early-morning forays into the old town. As Bari is on the coast, there are also beaches a 20-minute stroll from the centre.

We found a range of options for pet-friendly places to stay. We plumped for a budget-friendly place within easy reach of the centre. Most bars and restaurants that we frequented were pet-friendly, and we regularly saw dogs out drinking or dining with their owners.

We also saw dogs out shopping, including being carried in supermarkets. Henry’s not into being carried, so he didn’t get this experience. Bari is an excellent place for a holiday with a pet; however, it gets hot in summer, so choose accommodation with air conditioning.

Venice

Venice is a top city and is a rather unique place with lots to see. Thus, there were lots of opportunities for sightseeing. We went during the peak summer season, so we explored a lot early in the morning, when it was quiet and cool.

Henry enjoyed walks near many iconic sights, including the Grand Canal and the Rialto Bridge. We even met some other dogs while out and about. Our favourite places were along the quieter canals.

We enjoyed drinks and food out with Henry and found it welcoming to dogs. We also saw many other pets dining out with their owners, too. As a bonus, some had bowls of water. Although our accommodation wasn’t up to par, there were many pet-friendly options in Venice.

Trieste: A City By The Sea

Trieste is a city on the Adriatic Coast of Italy. It is a blend of Habsburg and Italian architecture, with a port thrown in. There are lots of nice things to see while exploring the city, including a castle. We found Trieste to be rather dog-friendly, with people out and about with their pets. Most eateries seemed to accommodate canine guests, with some providing water bowls. Also, quite a few shops had dogs’ welcome signs.

Trieste is a perfect city for a dog walk. There are loads of interesting sights to see and quite a few green spots. Trieste is a top-drawer place for watching the sunset, especially from the pier. Finding suitable accommodation was very easy, and Booking.com had options at a range of price points, including budget rooms.

Foggia in Puglia

Foggia is a city in the Puglia region of southern Italy where we enjoyed a month with Henry. We found it very pet-friendly, and there were dogs in many bars, shops, and restaurants during our stay. There were loads of opportunities for Henry to socialise, which was nice. Foggia also has a good selection of pet shops, including those with food for sensitive bellies.

Ferrara

We only visited Ferrara in the Emilia-Romagna region for 24 hours but enjoyed drinks at a few bars and saw lots of people out with their pets. The city has some epic buildings to see while out exploring. There were also quite a few parks to enjoy with Henry. Finding pet-friendly accommodation in Ferrara was straightforward online.

Udine in the North

Another city we had a good time with Henry in was Udine in the north of the country. Our main reason for visiting was that it is well connected with the Balkans and Austria. Udine is a pretty town with some nice features, including a castle on the hill, a loggia, a cathedral, and some piazzas.

It is also a popular football destination, home to the local club Udinese. In addition to the sights, we enjoyed some local cuisine at the mostly pet-friendly bars and restaurants in Udine. It was quite a chilled place, and from my observations, not many tourists.

Pompeii: A City With a Famous Archaeological Site

Visiting the ruins of Pompeii was a bucket list trip. Pompeii is in southern Italy and is easy to reach by train with a dog. The ruins of Pompeii are rather special, with some excellently preserved buildings. The site is massive and can take all day to see everything. Other than the ruins and the main town square, there’s not much else to see in the city, which is possibly why many come only for a day trip. The nearby Mount Vesuvius dominates the horizon and is visually appealing, especially as the sun is setting.

We found that bars and restaurants allowed canine guests. Finding pet-friendly accommodation was straightforward, and there were options. The major downside of Pompeii was the not-so-friendly strays and the abundance of poorly socialised dogs in the area, which put me on edge. It’s not somewhere I would return to with Henry.

Disclosure! Keep in mind that some links in these posts are affiliate links. If you click one of them, I may earn a small commission (for which I’m extremely grateful) at no extra cost to you. Thanks for visiting!

Eating Out at Dog-Friendly Bars & Restaurants

Italy is famous for its cuisine, and it’s lovely to try dishes in their home. Most eateries in the country welcome dogs with open arms and a bit of fuss. On our visit, we were never turned away, and, more often than not, Henry was offered water.

Dining out in Italy was a pleasure, especially in Bologna, which consistently had great restaurants. The food in Bologna was my favourite out of all the places we visited in Italy. This included the local speciality Tagliatelle al Ragù Bolognese. In Rome, we popped into a few small restaurants, all of which were happy to have dogs. One of my favourite meals out in Rome was at the Colonna Cafè & Restaurant. We enjoyed their ravioli washed down with a few beers. They even provided some cold water to refill Henry’s bowl.

Treviso

A chilled city that we enjoyed walking Henry in was Treviso, 20 minutes from Venice. It’s a pretty place with canals, narrow streets and riverside for walks. Pet-friendly accommodation was reasonably priced, and Henry was made welcome in all the bars and cafes we visited.

Finding Dog-Friendly Accommodation in Italy

Finding pet-friendly hotels, apartments and hostels is straightforward in Italy, as with most of Europe. You can use Airbnb, Booking.com, Pitchup.com, or a host of other smaller sites to find accommodation that suits your needs. These have a pet-allowed filter, making it very simple to find a suitable place to stay. Note that some places charge extra for those staying with dogs, so it’s best to check terms before booking.

Travelling in Italy By Train & Public Transport

Italy is easy to get around, with a comprehensive public transport system. Pets can travel on the trains and buses in the country.

We usually travel by train while backpacking in Europe with the dog, and Italy was no exception. We found that train and other public transport companies in the country welcome dogs, with a few rules and fees in place.

Trenitalia, the country’s main train company, has a concise set of rules on its website. However, our visit to Italy coincided with this offer, which made visiting cheaper.

Entering Italy With a Pet

We travelled from Slovenia to enter Italy, another Schengen country; thus, it was straightforward. There are various rules you need to follow if entering Italy from third countries. They detail the rules for travelling with pets in the EU on this handy website.