Dog Friendly Bologna: Bars, Restaurants & Places to Stay

We’ve visited Bologna with Henry several times and found it easy to explore with a dog, with plenty of dog-friendly bars, restaurants, and places to stay. However, many tourist attractions, including churches and museums, were, as with most places, restrictive to visiting with a pet. Staying in good-quality, dog-friendly accommodation means we can visit the sights while the dog naps.

The city is fantastic for exploring, especially with a dog; the 42km of porticoes in the historic centre provide lots of shade, which is great for walking a dog even in the summer or when it’s raining.

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Dog-Friendly Bars & Restaurants in Bologna

Many bars and restaurants in Bologna have outdoor seating, and everyone we visited with the dog welcomed him. Many had water bowls outside; however, some brought Henry a bowl over, usually before my beer. Many other people were out enjoying food and drink with their pets.

NOTE: It’s best not to sit too close to the pavement when dining with a dog. Your dog may get in the way or startle a reactive dog passing by.

Trattoria Vineria

For our first meal out in the city, we chose Trattoria Vineria, a nice-looking restaurant with a good-sized outdoor seating area. They were very welcoming of the dog and even brought him a bowl of water. Here, we enjoyed some local dishes in a relaxing setting while Henry watched the comings and goings at the restaurant.

QCorner

A lovely cafe that we visited many times with Henry was QCorner near the municipal theatre. They were pet-friendly, and many dog owners seemed to visit. They have a fantastic drink menu including coffee, craft beer and fresh juices. Their cakes and pastries are excellent, especially their filled cornetto.

Ristorante Pizzeria Il Saraceno

In the centre of Bologna, on a side street, Ristorante Pizzeria II Saraceno is a pleasant restaurant with an outdoor dining area. They were dog-friendly and had canine guests. Their pizzas were delicious, and Henry approved of the quattro formaggi

Bamboo

Near the two towers is Bamboo, a pleasant bar for a drink or a snack. They have a happy hour in the early evening with free food to snack on while you drink. The staff were accommodating and also welcoming of the dog.

Roberto Bar

Another pleasant bar for drinks was Roberto Bar. Roberto Bar has a nice outside seating area that is dog-friendly, and Henry enjoyed his visit. They had a brilliant choice of drinks. I enjoyed a few glasses of Birra Sardegna and enjoyed the vibe of the side street.

Bar Piazza dei Martiri di Hong Jianmei

One of the cheapest places I found to enjoy a drink was Bar Piazza dei Martiri di Hong Jianmei. This is slightly out of town but very close to our dog-friendly accommodation. Henry visited with me a few times for a beer. As a bonus, they serve 660ml bottles rather than the 330ml bottles that seem popular elsewhere.

Ein Prosit

Another bar we visited in Bologna with Henry, our dog, was Ein Prosit. Ein Prosit is a German beer hall-style bar serving delicious beers. They have a nice outdoor seated area that’s in the shade, which was ideal for visiting with dogs. They provided at-the-table service, and it was a pleasant place to spend time.

Bar Senza Nome

Bar Senza Nome has a lovely venue with indoor and outdoor seating. Senza Nome is special, as all the staff here have a hearing impairment. They serve some rather nice draught beer options, and the service was great. We enjoyed a few beers in the shade outside with Henry, our dog.

Fabrik

We also enjoyed food and drink with the dog at Fabrik. They have a really nice menu, including sandwiches, bruschetta and taglieri. They also have a wonderful beer and wine menu. I enjoyed some wheat beer while my wife enjoyed some local wines. For food, we enjoyed some nibbles with our drinks. Overall, Fabrik is a nice place to visit for drinks with a snack.

Rossopomodoro A Restaurant In Central Station

If you are waiting for a train at Bologna Centrale station, Rossopomodoro is a great restaurant for Italian food. They were fine with Henry, our dog, visiting, and it was a fantastic railway-station eatery. We sat outside on their platform terrace to keep an eye on the information boards; however, they have a welcoming inside dining area.

Dog Friendly Accommodation in Bologna

While searching online for dog-friendly places to stay in Bologna, we found lots of options. Booking.com offered many options, including hotels and apartments. We wanted somewhere near the centre with good facilities and a kitchen to keep costs down.

 U Zone Apartment

We stayed in the university district on our latest stay at U Zone Apartment. This was a small, pleasant apartment with a lounge, kitchen, and bedroom. We found it comfy for a week-long stay, especially the good air conditioning to keep Henry cool during the summer heat. They had no extra charges for pets. The area was also pretty quiet and good for walks and pet-friendly places to eat out or go for drinks.

Residenza Piazza Dei Martiri A Pet Friendly Apartment

Residenza Piazza Dei Martiri is a studio apartment between the city centre and the railway station. It has a handy location for getting around the city and excellent nearby facilities, including supermarkets, a launderette, and bars.

Residenza Piazza Dei Martiri is dog-friendly and was a great place for Henry to chill with the air-conditioning on when it was hot. The apartment had a lush bathroom, a functional kitchen, a dining area, and a comfy bed. We had a great 10-night stay and felt very comfortable.

MyRoom CenterStation Bologna

MyRoom CenterStation Bologna is a budget hostel near the railway station, which we found good for a few nights. This place had private rooms, and there were no extra fees for Henry. We arrived late, and the self check-in was pretty straightforward. The bedroom was big, with 3 beds and a private bathroom. The communal areas were functional for our needs.

Dog Walks, Attractions & Events in Bologna

There were loads of fantastic options for walkies in Bologna, including the city’s parks, the side streets and town squares. Dog walking is a great way to do some sightseeing, too, and you get to see the city’s beautiful architecture.

Piazza Maggiore was a popular spot for walking Henry, where he met many people and dogs. The square is stunning and a great place to hang out. On our visit, there was an outdoor cinema in the evenings, which we visited with the dog. We enjoyed some wine and beer while Henry enjoyed dog water and treats.

The porticoes of Bologna are beautiful; however, they also provide pleasant shade for dog walking in the summer. The city has 40km of porticoes, and we enjoyed walking through many of them.

Parco della Montagnola was also an excellent place for canines to visit. There is lots of open space to walk through, and they have an off-leash exercise area. As a bonus, bars are scattered throughout the park, which are great places to grab a drink in the shade. We also went shopping with Henry, and he was allowed in quite a few shops, including Feltrinelli Librerie, a nice bookshop.

Getting to Bologna With a Dog By Train

We mainly travel by train while backpacking with the dog and find that most train companies welcome dogs, with a few rules and fees. Trenitalia has a concise set of rules on their website. We’ve come to Bologna by rail from abroad many times and found it a positive experience, especially when travelling business class from Vienna.

Pet Shops and Dog Food

Bologna has pet shops, including chains and independent stores. There is a DM in the city centre, and they sell a fantastic grain-free food which agrees with Henry’s belly. You can also order dog food delivery on the Deliveroo app from Arcaplanet, which has an extensive range of pet products.