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If you are comparing European destinations, my guide to taking a dog to Spain is a helpful companion to this one.
If you are hopping across the border, France is just as welcoming, and I cover it in my guide to France with a dog.
I traveled through Italy with my pug Puglo, covering Florence, Rome, Bologna, Siena, and the Dolomites. We stayed in hotels, ate at outdoor restaurants, wandered through markets, hiked mountain trails, and walked cobblestone streets for weeks.
Italy didn’t just tolerate Puglo, they adored him.
Before getting into the logistics, you need to understand something fundamental about Italian dog culture. Dogs are not an afterthought here. They are woven into daily life in a way that most countries, including the United States, simply don’t replicate.
In Italy, dogs go everywhere with their people. You’ll see them on buses, in pharmacies, sitting under cafe tables while their owner has an espresso, riding along in the shopping cart at the grocery store. Italy sets the gold standard for how dogs should be treated!
Places to Go in Italy With a Dog
Rome
Rome was our first stop and where the intensity of Italian dog love first truly hit me.
Walking through Rome with Puglo, we could not go more than a block without being stopped. I’m not exaggerating when I say we were stopped at least 20 times in a single day.
Romans came over to us on sidewalks, leaned out of shop doorways, called across the piazza. And they didn’t just say “cute dog.” They gave Puglo nicknames. They cooed at him in Italian. They crouched down to his level and held full conversations with him.
Pugs already attract attention everywhere in the world because of their faces, but Rome took it to a different level.
We spent the day biking around Rome using this backpack, stopping at many piazzas along the way. A must-visit is Villa Borghese park, which has an off-leash area for dogs.
The Colosseum is off-limits to pets, but you can see it from the outside, which makes for a great photo op. The Vatican and major museum interiors are also off-limits with dogs, which is expected.
If you want to visit museums, many hotels allow you to leave your dog in the room for a few hours, and some higher-end ones even offer babysitting programs. When I want to take a day trip Puglo can’t join, I use Rover to find sitters in the US and Europe.
Restaurants both outdoors and indoors welcomed us without question. We were handed water bowls without asking.
Florence
Florence was our home for several days, and where we stayed changed how I experienced the city with Puglo.
We stayed at Hotel Villa Agape, a Place of Charme property perched on a hill above the city in the Arcetri neighborhood. The hotel is a former villa with an 8-hectare park, Italian gardens, cypress trees, olive groves, and views over Florence that I still dream about.
It is also completely, enthusiastically pet friendly.
Puglo had access to the gardens whenever he wanted. He walked the grounds every morning and evening, sniffing around olive trees and sitting in patches of sun on the stone paths. It was such a peaceful place to watch the sunset in the evening and get our morning walk in through the forest.
The staff treated him like a guest, not a tolerated addition to my reservation. He was welcomed at breakfast, allowed in the common areas, and the entire property felt designed for the kind of slow, beautiful travel that’s hard to find in city center hotels. The rooms are gorgeous, the shower pressure is exceptional, and we slept incredibly well. They also have a great coworking area, which was a nice bonus for working remotely.
Breakfast is included and it’s a fantastic buffet. They also have a restaurant for lunch and dinner, which we tried and it was delicious. And yes, dogs are allowed in the dining room.
The hotel offers a free shuttle into Florence’s city center, which is great for arriving with bags, but you can also take a lovely walk into town down the hill in about 25 minutes. We’d usually walk down in the morning, spend hours wandering the streets and markets with Puglo, then shuttle back up in the evening to decompress in that extraordinary view.
If you’re planning to visit Florence with your dog, Villa Agape is the answer. It removes the stress of finding a truly dog-welcoming base and replaces it with a property that enhances the whole trip. You can check availability and book directly here.
Another of the highlights of our time in Florence was a cooking class at Ristorante Rossocrudo (book it here). Puglo came and became the star of the entire event. The other guests were immediately more interested in him than in the pasta. It was so much fun, you can see what it was like in the video below.
Day trips from Florence
Taking day trips from Florence is also a great way to spend time in the region.
Siena
Siena was a highlight. The city’s famous Piazza del Campo is one of the great public squares in the world, and we sat in it with Puglo like everyone else, watching the light change on the medieval tower and the pale stone buildings surrounding it.
Bologna
We took a day trip to Bologna to visit a friend who had moved there with his dog from the US, and they kindly showed us around. It was so cute watching Leo and Puglo walk alongside each other.
The porticoes that line Bologna’s streets, covered walkways stretching for miles, are perfect for walking a dog in any weather. Shaded in summer, dry in rain, they make the whole city navigable in a way that open-street cities can’t match.
Bologna is also one of the great food cities in the world, and even here, dogs were welcome at outdoor dining and very often at casual indoor spots too. I had the best gelato of my life here.
The Dolomites
Ask Puglo which part of Italy he loved most, and I’m confident the answer is the Dolomites.
The Dolomites are a UNESCO World Heritage mountain range in northeastern Italy, dramatic limestone peaks rising vertically from green valleys, with trails, lakes, mountain villages, and the kind of air that makes every breath feel like a bonus. Puglo, being the adventure sport enthusiast he is, loved it there.
Unfortunately, there was a heat wave during our time there so even in late May, before peak summer, it was still very hot, which limited what we could do. Still, it’s hard to have a bad time with such spectacular scenery.
We spent the first night in Trento at Hotel Villa Madruzzo, which was absolutely gorgeous. Admittedly, after a few days of walking 20,000 steps through the cities, I didn’t have the energy to hike right away, so I spent the day at their gorgeous on-site spa. The hotel is very dog-friendly, welcoming Puglo everywhere except the spa, but we still managed to fully relax.
Alleghe was where we spent the next two nights, a beautiful town surrounding a lake. We stayed at Naturae Lodge Wellness & Spa, who were very welcoming to Puglo. The rooms were comfortable and they have a lovely hot tub to relax in after a day of hiking. There’s a short waterfall hike you can do right from town, and the trail around the lake was perfect for our morning walk.
We visited Lago di Braies, the famous turquoise lake surrounded by mountains. Arriving later in the day made the summer crowds manageable, and the scenery is extraordinarily beautiful. Dogs are allowed at the lake and on the surrounding trails. Puglo walked the path around the lake, took in the mountains, and received his customary Italian adoration from everyone we passed.
Cortina d’Ampezzo, the glamorous mountain town at the center of the Dolomites, was dog-friendly in the very Italian way: dogs at cafe terraces, dogs in the streets, dogs being carried by stylish Italians in puffer vests. The sunset on our way back made the town look like a simulation.
A few things to know before visiting the Dolomites with a dog: you need to be strategic about where you stay depending on what you want to do, as distances are significant and you may have to drive two to three hours to reach a trailhead.
Many people stay in Cortina d’Ampezzo to be more central, though hotel prices there tend to be higher. You also need to book parking in advance during summer for popular trails like Tre Cime and Lago di Braies.
Italy and Dogs in Supermarkets
In most of Italy, dogs are allowed in supermarkets.
I walked into grocery stores in Florence, Rome, and Bologna with Puglo and nobody said anything, because there was nothing to say. Dogs in the grocery store is simply a thing that happens in Italy. You’ll see locals doing their shopping with their dogs trotting alongside the cart.
The Dolomites was the one region where I noticed some supermarkets were not dog-friendly, a contrast to the rest of Italy where Puglo walked into grocery stores like he owned the place. Minor friction in an otherwise 10-out-of-10 dog-friendly region, and not a reason to change your plans.
How to Bring a Dog to Italy
Italy follows EU pet travel regulations, which I’ve written a detailed guide about here.
If you’re an EU resident: You need an EU Pet Passport, which records your dog’s microchip number, rabies vaccination history, and other health treatments.
If you’re coming from the US or another non-EU country: Taking a dog to Italy requires an EU animal health certificate endorsed by an official vet (USDA in the US), plus an ISO microchip and a rabies vaccine given at least 21 days before travel. Italy specifically requires the bilingual English/Italian version of the certificate, and you must arrive within 10 days of the endorsement date. Heads up: the EU is switching to new certificate forms on October 1, 2026, so double-check with your vet if you travel after that. In Mexico, I bring the vet certificate to SENASICA to endorse. It’s a time-consuming process, but there’s no cost attached to it, which I’m grateful for. You can read more about this process in my guide to traveling internationally with your dog. And for the trip home, US-based travelers need a free CDC Dog Import Form receipt, since Italy counts as a low-risk country.
Getting Around Italy With a Dog
Train: Dogs are allowed on Italian trains. On Trenitalia, medium and large dogs travel on a leash with a muzzle and their own pet ticket (usually around €5, payable in the app), and you need your dog’s pet passport or registry documents on hand for onboard staff. Small dogs in carriers up to 70 x 30 x 50 cm travel free in first and second class. The only hard no is the restaurant carriage. Full rules are on the official Trenitalia pet page. To be honest, I had Puglo out of the carrier on my lap and no one said anything.
Flying: ITA Airways is the only airline in Europe that allows dogs up to 12kg in-cabin within Italy, and they’ve announced they’re increasing this to 30kg. Otherwise most airlines cap at 10kg, which is why we prefer the train when possible.
Car rental: We rented a car in Milan and drove to the Dolomites. Having a car is great for the Dolomites because public transport to trailheads is limited, and it gives you a lot of flexibility with a dog.
Is Italy Dog Friendly?
After traveling through six regions with Puglo, Florence to the Dolomites, Rome to Bologna, my verdict is simple.
Italy is one of the best countries in the world to travel with a dog. The underlying culture actually values dogs as companions in daily life, and that filters into every interaction. Restaurants make space for your dog. Strangers greet your dog with warmth that feels personal. Hotels that welcome pets do it properly, not as a grudging exception.
Puglo has now visited 19 countries. Italy belongs in the top tier for dog travel and is a great place to take your first trip abroad with your dog. We’ll be back to explore southern Italy in July and will update this post accordingly.
If you’re on the fence about bringing your dog to Italy, stop being on the fence and go. Just budget extra time on every walk, because the Italians will stop you to love on your dog, and that is not something you’ll want to rush.
If the flight is the part making you nervous, that is exactly why I created my Flying With Your Dog guide. It walks you through everything you need to take your first flight with your dog!
Taking a Dog to Italy: FAQ
Once you know Italy is a yes for you and your pup, the next step is the paperwork and logistics. I walk through the microchip, rabies, and EU health certificate timeline start to finish in my companion guide on taking a dog to Italy, so you land with everything in order.
Nervous About the Flight to Italy? Get My Cabin Guide
Italy is one of the easiest places in Europe to travel with a dog, but the flight is still the part that stresses most dog parents out. I put everything I have learned flying with Puglo into one simple resource, from picking an airline-approved carrier to keeping a nervous pup calm in the cabin. Grab my flying with your dog cabin guide before you book.
Is Italy dog friendly?
Yes, Italy is one of the most dog friendly countries in Europe. Dogs are welcome at outdoor restaurant tables, on trains, in many shops and hotels, and Italians openly adore dogs. I traveled through Rome, Florence, Siena, Bologna, and the Dolomites with my pug and was welcomed almost everywhere.
What do I need to take a dog to Italy from the US?
You need an ISO microchip, a rabies vaccine given at least 21 days before travel, and a USDA-endorsed EU animal health certificate (Italy requires the bilingual English/Italian version). You must arrive in Italy within 10 days of the USDA endorsement date.
Can dogs ride trains in Italy?
Yes. Small dogs in carriers up to 70 x 30 x 50 cm ride Trenitalia trains free, while larger dogs travel leashed and muzzled with an inexpensive pet ticket. Carry your dog’s pet passport or health documents, and skip the restaurant carriage, which is off limits to dogs.
Do dogs need a muzzle in Italy?
Carry one. Italian rules require larger dogs to wear a muzzle on trains and other public transport, and staff can ask you to muzzle your dog in public spaces. In practice I was rarely asked, but having a soft muzzle in your day bag keeps you covered.
How do I bring my dog back to the US from Italy?
Italy is a low-risk rabies country, so you only need a free CDC Dog Import Form receipt, and your dog must be at least 6 months old, microchipped, and healthy on arrival. Fill out the form online before your flight home and show the receipt at check-in.
Traveling in Europe with your dog? Check out these guides!
9 Tips for Bringing your Dog to Europe
Dog friendly Cruises & Ferries (Many are in Europe)
Digital Nomad’s Packing List for Traveling With a Dog
