We continue our epic journey through the dog-friendly countries of Europe. This year, we decided to go to Italy with a dog using Interrail. We hadn't visited this country much and thought it would be nice to do it with Kitsune, who absolutely loves the heat. Italy is an ultra dog-friendly country where dogs are very well received & allowed almost everywhere (even in supermarkets, a first!). Only one law makes this country less dog-friendly, but it is not enforced so we won't take it too much into account. We'll let you discover all of this throughout this article.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Nothing special to note to enter Italy with a dog. You just need the essentials for traveling to most European countries:
- Passport
- Rabies vaccine (at least 21 days before departure)
- Microchip (identification)
- Must be more than 15 weeks old
Recommendation: Once we arrived, we realized that it is recommended to vaccinate or have a treatment against leishmaniasis, especially if you go to the south of Italy with a dog. Since we were already there and it was too late for the vaccine, we bought a repellent collar at a pet store.
Good to know: In Italy, by law, dogs must wear a muzzle and be constantly kept on a leash (maximum 1.5m leash). In reality, dogs do not wear muzzles and can be let off-leash (mostly in parks, not so much in town). However, if you are asked to put the muzzle on, you must be able to do so. We had one in our things just in case, but we never used it.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
As a general rule, small dogs are accepted everywhere and do not pay extra on public transport. They must be in a carrier bag on trains. On buses, trams, and boats, Kitsune was just on the floor. If your dog is large, it needs to be confirmed, but I think you will have to pay an extra fee. For the boat, even though Kitsune is small, I had to buy a "pet" ticket (less than €5 per trip).
As mentioned above, in theory, your dog must wear a muzzle. In reality, Kitsune did not wear it and it was fine (like most dogs we came across). If someone asks you to put it on, you must be able to do so – or put your dog in a closed bag (which is what we did with Kitsune for the train).
The only place where Kitsune was forced to wear a muzzle on public transport was on the island of Capri. As a result, we only traveled by taxi or on foot with her. I saw people get on the bus anyway without a muzzle despite the driver's request. It's up to you, but in Capri, it seems indispensable.
If you need a taxi, dogs seem to be easily allowed if they are small. I advise you to take a little ride in Capri, Kitsune loved the convertible taxis on the island! The view and the fresh air, everything she likes.
HOTELS
You will quite easily find dog-friendly hotels in Italy, without any extra charge. And dogs are very warmly welcomed! We often had a bed and a bowl provided, and the entire staff took great care of Kitsune. Except for one hotel, Kitsune was admitted everywhere, including the pool & breakfast room.
Glance in Florence, Florence
- Bed and bowl provided
- In principle, dogs are admitted everywhere
Constantinopoli 104, Naples
- Dogs admitted everywhere (including the breakfast area and pool)
Hotel Syrene, Capri
- Dogs are not admitted around the pool and in the breakfast area
Hotel Corona d'Oro, Bologna
- Bed and bowl provided
- Extra charge of €10 / night. The only hotel that charged us an extra fee.
Hotel Principe, Venice
- Bowls provided
- An extra charge of €15 / night was announced, but in the end, we were not charged for it (?).
RESTAURANTS
Kitsune was admitted into all restaurants; we had no issues whether indoors or outdoors. She was always the star of the restaurant and received a bowl of water (and treats if she was lucky!)
GOING OUT WITH YOUR DOG
The Beach
We only tested the one in Capri. In theory, dogs are banned from them. Just like with the muzzle, in practice, there are dogs. I think it's always a matter of common sense / good manners: if the beach is crowded or if someone asks you to leave, don't argue and just go.
Parks
I would say that if dogs are allowed, there is a sign. At the entrance of most parks, it was written that dogs must be kept on a leash. Few areas were forbidden. However, it should be noted that in the city, there is not a lot of green space.
Shops
Kitsune was admitted everywhere, including grocery stores without any trouble. We even saw a dog in a Carrefour supermarket, the first country where I've seen that.
Other places (museums, cultural activities...)
Interestingly, just like in the Netherlands, dogs are allowed to visit certain museums or historical sites. Kitsune visited Pompeii, for example. She would have also been accepted on Mount Vesuvius (but we preferred not to take her because of the heat). In Capri, she was able to visit a master villa converted into a museum with us (Villa Lysis).
Always ask when arriving and double-check well before going on-site. In Naples, the Royal Palace is indicated as dog-friendly, there is even a sign at the entrance, but we were refused entry. We were nevertheless able to visit the gardens where all the dogs meet up to play.
THE WEATHER
In Italy, it is hot, very hot if you go in the summer. If you want to travel to Italy with a dog, you will need to adapt your days according to their capabilities.
For our part: we went out in the morning until 11 a.m./12 p.m. We brought Kitsune back, then picked her up again around 5 p.m. Depending on the activities, we kept her carrier bag with us so she could rest inside it. If the ground was hot, she let us know quickly and Alexandre carried her or we tried to do indoor activities with her.
We did notice that regarding the weather, she handled Naples / Capri better because there was wind, whereas in Florence, it was heavy and hard to breathe since it was a very concrete-heavy city. In Bologna, the temperatures had dropped below 30°C, so Kitsune spent the whole day outside without any issues.
One last thing, don't forget to always have a bowl and water with you and always monitor for the slightest sign of dehydration.
