The ruff guide to Europe: 15 dog-friendly holidays

The Guardian

08-06-2025

It's not just the scenery (toothy limestone peaks and vast wildflower meadows) that makes walking the dog in the Dolomites so invigorating. A hike along the extensive trails in Alta Badia promises delicious diversions by way of the region's myriad mountain huts, each of which has its own talented chef crafting intriguing local dishes.
Base yourself in La Villa and take the cable car up to Piz La Ila, a ski station that's ideal for hiking in summer. At the top, a small pool offers dogs a place to cool down before a walk to Rifugio Ütia Bioch, an alpine hut at more than 2,000 metres (6,560 ft), which serves cocktails with foraged flowers and herbs alongside traditional Ladin food from the region.
Over in Colfosco, another gondola lifts you to the terraces of Jimmi Hütte for red wine risotto and alpine aperols with views of the jagged Pizes de Cir. Where to stay In La Villa, Hotel Antines has striking views of the Dolomites and an owner who loves dogs so much she'll make yours a freshly cooked dinner. Rooms from €278 a night half-board.
A slow, meandering road trip through the low-lying hills of the Valpolicella wine region north of Verona is an idyllic way to spend a few days with your dog in summer or early autumn. Italy is famously a dog-loving nation, and that doesn't stop at the cellar door – many of the wineries and agriturismos here open their doors to dogs.
Head to La Cantina e Agriturismo Corte Merci to taste its Valpolicella Ripasso, which is given a second fermentation to create a richer and pleasingly complex red, or sample the wines at Tenuta Santa Maria di Gaetano Bertani, which allows small dogs inside for its tours and tastings. Dine at Enoteca del Bugiardo in the town of Pedemonte for excellent pairings of locally sourced cheeses and the region's best wines. Where to stay Sleep amid the vines at Dimora Buglioni Wine Relais, which has a fantastic dog-friendly restaurant. Rooms from €122 B&B a night; dogs €24 a night.
Most Italian beaches are off limits for dogs in summer, but not in Liguria. The fine yellow sand, thatched parasols and rows of loungers at Bau Bau Village in Albissola Marina, 22 miles west of Genoa, look like your average beach club, but the majority of its patrons do their paddling with four legs instead of two.
Founded by Elisabetta dall'Orto in 1997, the beach has become the go-to destination for sea-loving dogs and their owners, offering an agility area on the sand, evening film screenings and a dog-friendly restaurant. There are even showers for getting the salt out of your pooch's coat before you head into town to visit the dog-friendly Casa Museo Jorn, the former home of Danish artist and sculptor Asger Jorn. Where to stay NH Savona Darsena, less than two miles from Bau Bau Village, has rooms from €129 a night, dogs €25 a night (must be under 25kg).
Few dog walks feel quite as fancy as those that take place in the grounds of the Loire valley's great chateaux. This region, located just a couple of hours south of Paris, is known for magnificent castles that were once the summer residences of kings, queens and nobles. Château de Chenonceau is the jewel of the valley, its steeply pointed turrets rising several storeys above the Cher river, and dogs are welcome throughout the grounds on a lead and indoors too as long as you carry them (they won't judge if you want to give your labrador a firefighter's lift).
In nearby Amboise, explore both the Château Royal and Château du Clos Lucé, which have some fascinating Leonardo da Vinci heritage, and don't miss eating your way around Tours with Food Tours in Tours. Where to stay A week at troglodyte cave dwelling Le Martin Pêcheur from €396.
Posh dogs, walk this way: the world‑famous Champagne region is a truly dog-loving destination.
While many of the larger champagne houses in and around Reims don't allow pets, a handful of smaller winemakers welcome them with open arms (and a glass of bubbles). Tours are dog-friendly at GH Martel, as are the cellar visits at Champagne Harlin Père et Fils, a 35-minute drive from Reims. Many other houses and vineyards allow dogs in drinking areas for tastings on terraces or inside their bars.
For walks, head to Parc de Champagne in central Reims, which has beautiful landscaped gardens and wooded areas for shady strolls when the sun's out, or drive out to the Parc Naturel Régional de la Montagne de Reims for longer trails in the hills.Where to stay Appart'City Confort has self-catering apartments from €70 a night (dogs must be under 30kg).
Dog-friendly beaches can be hard to come by during summer in France, as dog bans come into force throughout much of the country from May until September. But you needn't go far to find spectacular sands to share with the dog in the Pas-de-Calais, as several seaside towns along Côte d'Opale have really embraced what they are calling toutourisme – travel designed with dogs in mind.
Head an hour south of Calais to Berck, home to a wide, brilliantly bright white-sand beach where dogs are welcome on its northern and southern sections even in August. Or stop in bougie Le Touquet, 10 miles north of Berck, for wonderful walks through sand dunes that end at the dog-friendly restaurant La Base Nord right on the Baie de Canche. The tourist offices in both towns offer welcome packs for dogs, including treats, plus maps showing walks, eateries and accommodation suitable for dogs. Where to stay A five-minute walk from the dog-friendly Plage Sainte-Cécile, Evancy Camiers-Sainte-Cécile, Trésors d'Opale has self-catering apartments with balconies overlooking the pool from €94 a night, dogs €12 a night.
Spend your summer in the slow lane of France's vast transport network and make for the Canal du Midi – a 150‑mile waterway that's part of a system of canals and rivers that connect the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. Taking in the entire canal would be ambitious even with an entire summer break at your disposal, but hop on board your own houseboat in Trèbes and you can cruise with the dog all the way to historic Carcassonne and beyond.
Alongside the old walled city, where you'll find the medieval streets littered with dog-friendly bar and restaurant terraces, you will pass vineyards and handsome canalside communes with 13th-century churches, before reaching Castelnaudary about 25 miles (and a good few days) later. Canalside walks make for a pleasant morning routine before you spend your days sunning yourselves on the bow as you pootle along, or barbecuing on the back deck. Where to stay Four-berth houseboat from Le Boat's Trèbes base from €984 a week, dogs (max two) €85 a rental.
The wide, winding Douro River is flanked by mesmerisingly terraced vineyards that give this valley a unique character. In summer, the hillsides are flourishing with plump grapes on rich green vines, while in autumn a palette of oranges, reds and browns takes over, drenching the landscape in sepia tones.
Whenever you visit with the dog, this is excellent walking country, and from Pinhão there are plenty of waymarked long-distance and shorter circular walks that, conveniently, happen to pass through vineyards and wineries. Between hikes, there are dog-friendly boat tours, wine tours and tastings at Croft Winery, and an olive oil museum in nearby Casal de Loivos.Where to stay The Suite Nunes apartment has a kitchenette, its own patio and views over the terraces, from €170 a night.
Portugal's capital is an urban dog walker's paradise – as long as you don't mind a few hills. Streets lined with pretty whitewashed homes, squares overlooked by baroque-inspired buildings painted in pastel colours, and a host of miradouro (viewpoints) for wonderful vistas over the city and towards the ocean make this place a visual feast, ideally explored on foot.
Come in spring or early autumn for the best weather (it's often too hot in summer for dogs unused to the heat) to ascend Miradouro de Santa Luzia to see pretty painted tiles, or Miradouro da Graça for the best sunset views. And if the city gets too much, head along the coast to Estoril and let the dog have a dip in the sea at the dog-friendly coastal area around Praia do Pescoço do Cavalo. Where to stay The effortlessly cool Selina Secret Garden near the Bairro Alto neighbourhood offers private, pet-friendly stays from €80 a night, dogs €12 a night.
Quiet walking trails, majestic hilltop castles and vast almond and cork-oak plantations abound in this natural park in south-east Portugal. Serra de São Mamede natural park sits on the border with Spain, a world away from Lisbon and the busy Algarve coastline.
Its remoteness makes it something of a mission to reach – it's a good seven-hour drive from the nearest ferry ports in Bilbao or Santander – but once you're there the rewards are great. This is Portuguese scenery at its best: dramatic quartzite ridges topped with fortified towns such as Marvão and Castelo do Vide; ancient oak forests teeming with wild boar and deer; and a network of prehistoric dolmen (megalithic tombs) to discover as you hike its many trails. Where to stay Pousada Marvão, where dogs get welcome treats and dinner, has spectacular views of the valley below, from €120 a night.
While the beaches of southern Europe swelter throughout summer, you can count on Germany's Baltic coast to keep you and the dog cool. There's about 600 miles of shoreline here, but one of the most dog-friendly parts lies on the border with Poland on the handsome island of Usedom.
Known for its pretty spa town villas in baroque, art nouveau and Palladian styles, the town of Heringsdorf is a great base with a seven-mile-long promenade for walking the dog, and canine-friendly sections of beaches in nearby Bansin. Fascinating military history can be found at the Peenemünde Historical Technical Museum, and there are wonderful forest walks around a lake at Wolgastsee.Where to stay Painted a regal red, and only a few minutes' walk from the beach, Villa San Remo has one- and two-bed self-catering apartments from €59 a night.
Something quite remarkable is going on in the Harz mountains, a national park 115 miles south-west of Berlin. Disease, drought and invasive bark beetles have ravaged the spruce trees planted on these mountainsides after the second world war. But take the dog for a long walk from peak to peak, or around its many reservoirs, and you'll discover a landscape that's healing and rewilding itself. Beneath the barren, silvery trunks of dead spruce lies a forest floor flourishing with fungi and insects, while native saplings of oak, birch and willow are beginning to thrive.
There are trails aplenty, as well as dog-friendly gondolas and the Harz Railway, a steam train that trundles to the top of the park's highest peak, the Brocken. Where to stay On the south-west edge of the Harz mountains, the Hardenberg BurgHotel is a brilliant dog-friendly base with an upmarket restaurant. Rooms from €198 a night, dogs €25 a night.
If the Atlantic is too chilly a prospect for your dog, let them dip a paw in the balmy waters of the Mediterranean on Spain's Costa Brava. This part of the coastline has long been popular with Brits, but bringing the dog necessitates getting away from the crowds.
The dog-friendly section of beach in L'Estartit is a good mile-long walk from the main stretch in town, and it's all the quieter for it. Expect soft sand underfoot and a gently sloping beach that's lapped by calm seas, with views out to the small but striking Illes Medes archipelago.
Other dog-friendly stretches of sand abound, including Platja del Rec in L'Escala and a quiet shingle cove in Port de la Selva.Where to stay Set on top of hills above the Med in Begur, Hostal Sa Rascassa is a homely dog-friendly base with rooms from €125 a night.
This coastal city in the east of Spain has several stretches of soft sand for running about with a ball or paddling in the Mediterranean, all of which are dog-friendly outside the main summer season (from June to the end of September), with a year-round dog section at the northern end of Playa de Pinedo.
It's not just about the seaside here, though: the Jardín del Turia is a vast, green artery running through the centre of Valencia, with 136 hectares for dogs to enjoy a sniff about in town, with several enclosed socialisation dog parks and even an agility area. From here, you need only walk 10 minutes into the old town to find dog-friendly bars and terraces for a refreshing sangria. Colmado LaLola welcomes dogs inside and out, and serves beautifully fresh tapas. Where to stay Just a few minutes' walk from the Jardín del Turia, Hotel Ad Hoc Carmen allows dogs for city-centre stays. Double rooms from €94 a night.
San Sebastián has long been famous for its brilliant food scene – it's the proud home of 19 Michelin stars shared by various restaurants in and around the city. For dog owners, many of these are off limits, but fortunately fantastic food is still on offer in the hundreds of pintxos bars throughout the old and new towns. Most won't blink an eye if you rock up with your dog on a lead, perhaps after a thigh-burning walk up Monte Urgull (or on the beaches if it's outside the main bathing season).
Eat sea urchins at Casa Vergara, grilled octopus at La Taberna del Pícaro, or go to Borda Berri for the smoky pork rib (kebab de costilla de cerdo). And it's obligatory to finish with a slice of Basque cheesecake anywhere you can find it. Where to stay Hotel Catalonia Donosti has a rooftop pool and a spa, and bedrooms from €112 a night.
Lottie Gross is the author of upcoming travel guide Dog-Friendly Europe, which will be published next year by Conway
Accommodation prices correct on publication. These are low-season rates – prices may be higher in summer