Dog Friendly Rome: Pet Friendly Hotels and 8 Fun Pet-Friendly Activities in Rome

Everyone talks about how dog friendly Italy is and they are not wrong. There is so much to do with dogs and Rome doesn’t disappoint. The Eternal City is one of the most fascinating destinations in the world and it’s also an amazing place for vacations with your dog.

Here is a dog friendly rome guide from a local! Although some sites and museums are not pet friendly in Rome, there are many things you can do in and around Rome with a dog.

Dog Friendly Sightseeing in Rome

While traveling to Italy with your dog, you might be wondering what you can do in Rome with a dog. Some of the major sights like the Colosseum do not allow dogs inside, but do not worry, there are so many other amazing things to do in Rome with your dog. 

If you need some advice on how to travel to Europe with your dog, visit this post.

1. Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

While you cannot enter the Flavian Amphitheatre, better known as the Colosseum, you can still see it from the outside. It is impressive that it has stood for centuries and, not only has housed gladiatorial games, but it was also flooded for epic naval battle recreations. Even from the outside it won’t disappoint. Don’t forget to admire the Arch of Titus—a triumphal arch built in honor of Titus by his brother Domitian— and the Arch of Constantine—the largest honorary arch in Italy

After you admire the Colosseum, head to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. These both allow small dogs inside a carrier to enter the site. They say a small dog of maximum of 10kg, but no one will weigh your dog if they fit in the carrier. No prams are allowed. 

The Roman Forum was the centre of public life for more than a millennium. It housed so many political, religious, commercial, and judicial buildings with important ones like the Temple of Vespasian and Titus and the Temple of Antoninus Pius and Faustina. 

The Palatine hill has the remains of Iron Age settlements. During the 2nd and 1st centuries BC it was the residential area of the Roman aristocracy, then Augustus built his house with buildings like the House of Livia and so it became the site for imperial palaces from which it gets its name: Palatium which means a royal palace. During the Renaissance, aristocratic families built villas and planted vineyards and gardens. 

In the area, we have also used the Circo Massimo as a dog park when it is not being used for an event. 

2. Vatican City and Ponte Sant’Angelo

Rome is also known for the Vatican and you can walk around the area with your dog. You cannot go inside St Peter’s Basilica or Vatican Museums with your dog, but you can see Piazza San Pietro. Don’t miss standing in one of the central points marked on the floor where the columns seem to look like there is just one column in each row. 

If it’s your first time in Rome, these are probably on your list of sites. You could hire a dog sitter, see your hotel policy for leaving your dog in a crate in your room for a few hours, or take turns with your human travel partner. While this is obviously not ideal, especially for longer museums like Vatican Museums, but my husband and I have done this while traveling with our dogs. We would rather have them with us and make compromises than not! 

Don’t forget to see Castel Sant’Angelo and walk on Ponte Sant’Angelo. This pedestrian bridge originally had Bernini statues, but today they are replicas to preserve the originals. They are still really impressive and were recently cleaned so it is extra beautiful. You can also get an incredible view of St Peter’s from the bridge. 

The Castel to me is a sign I am home. Whenever I have visited, and now live in, Rome, its always been right next to the Castel Sant’Angelo and it signals I am home. It will forever be one of my favorite Rome landmarks and the reason why it was the backdrop to our wedding ceremony! 

3. Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps

4. Get lost in the cobbled streets of Historic Rome

5. Walk around Villa Borghese

6. Fontana del Acqua Paola and its scenic viewpoint of Rome

7. Dog Friendly Walks in Rome: Tiber River and Appian Way

Parts of the Tiber River’s pedestrian paths are ideal for a relaxing walk, especially early in the morning when it’s quiet. During the summer months, the Tiber is full of restaurants, bars, and little shops that line the river. It is also perfect for a night out! 

The Appian Way is one of the earliest and most important Roman roads and a UNESCO World Heritage site. There are many monuments along the way including the Porta Appia and Circus Maxentius which you can just stop along and visit. 

For a rainy day idea, you can go to the Galleria Alberto Sordi. It is a shopping arcade with lots of stores and restaurants in a beautiful early 1900s building with a stained glass ceiling. 

8. Take a Day trip to Tivoli

Less than an hour train ride from Rome you will find Tivoli, a perfect sport for a day trip from Rome. This quaint and beautiful city is home to two amazing sites: Villa Adriana and Villa d’Este. These are both a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Villa Adriana was built between 118 and 138 AD by Emperor Hadrian and it has 99 acres open to visitors with remains of the gardens and residential buildings. 

Villa D’Este is stunning, a tru masterpiece of Italian garden design with fountains, sculptures, grottos, and even a water organ. The villa is preserved in maximum splendor and we loved walking around the gardens and posing the dogs for photos in front of the fountains. The villa itself is also open to visit with dogs with incredible frescoes and interiors. 

The city of Tivoli itself is also worth a walk to explore its old streets and aqueducts.

Try a day trip tour to Tivoli so you don’t have to think about transportation.  

You could also do a day trip to Pompeii as Pompeii accepts small and medium dogs on a leash. This tour takes you by train and includes lunch, this other one includes Pompeii, Amalfi Coast and Positano in one day from Rome. I think it is very ambitious as Pompeii is a lot of walking but Sorrento and the Amalfi coast is beautiful!

Another fun day trip is to Tuscany. Explore Florence, Siena, Pisa, and so many more. This tour takes you on a day trip from Rome to Florence and Pisa. 

Dog Friendly Parks in Rome 

There are a lot of parks in Rome that you can take your dog to, but not all of them are designated dog parks. Most dog parks are outside the more touristy areas. Search for area cani or even just “dog parks” on your map app and you’ll get options. These are the ones I know of: 

Area Cani Villa Borghese 

Area Cani Villa Paganini

We, and some of my neighbors, take our dogs to the park around Castel Sant’Angelo. If your dog is friendly and well trained, no one will say anything if they are off leash. But do this at your own risk as it is not legal. 

Dog Friendly Restaurants in Rome

There is no point in giving a list of restaurants here as most are dog friendly, especially for medium and small dogs. All restaurants that have an outdoor seating areas will accept dogs and sitting inside with your dog is up to each owner. I have only had one instance of being told we couldn’t sit inside with our dogs and it was in Bolzano. They still accommodated us outside. 

Everywhere we have been to in Rome we have been allowed to dine inside with our dogs. Mishka and Lilo are small, but a couple of years ago I did constantly dine out with 3 dogs: a medium sized dog and two small dogs. 

Dogs on Public Transportation in Rome

It’s possible to use public transportation to get around Rome with your dog if you have a small and medium sized dog. 

Small and medium-sized dogs are allowed to travel on the metro, buses and trams and are required to be on a leash and muzzle and have a ticket. 

There is a limit to two dogs per bus and metro car. They are only allowed on the first and last carriage of the metro and commuter trains, something I have never followed. We get on the metro car we can find space in or seats. 

To travel around Italy, small dogs are also allowed on trains inside a carrier without paying, while larger dogs require a paid reservation. Do this in advance as the first time I tried to pay the same day and they either didn’t have any more dog tickets or couldn’t do it the same day and we ended up having to buy a big duffel bag to carry Timon onto the train. No one said anything and we were able to take this 25kg dog to and from Rome on a train. 

Pet Friendly Hotels in Rome

Many hotels and apartments in Rome welcome dogs, most will charge a pet fee between €15 and €40. While I haven’t stayed in a hotel in Rome, I have stayed in pet friendly rental properties and have visited some hotels for their restaurants and rooftop bars. These are my favorite: 

Seasonal Tips for Rome with Dogs

Summer	Avoid the midday heat. It gets very very hot. Take this time to explore the many restaurants and bars of the city, have an aperitivo in a rooftop bars, or try to chill under the branches of a tree in Villa Borghese. Always carry a water bottle as there are multiple water fountains around Rome and the water is nice and cool. This metallic water bottle is perfect to keep your dog’s water cold. Maybe head to one of the beaches near Rome as new rules made all the public beaches in the Rome Municipality pet friendly beaches.
Winter	Weather during winter is not very extreme in Rome. If your dog is not used to the weather, bring a coat for them. This time is perfect for long walks and sightseeing.
Spring and Autumn	Spring and fall are ideal for walking weather and fewer crowds. There might be some rainy days but prepare your pup with a raincoat and boots and you’re good to go!

Emergency Vet Care in Rome

If your dog needs care while in Rome you can search for an ambulatorio veterinario or guardia medica in an emergency on your map app. 

Or these are some emergency vet services in Rome and vets I have personally used:

Ambulatorio Veterinario Prati – General vet services and travel paperwork

This vet is in our area and has been great for routine visits, normal issues like an ear infection, vaccines, and getting the stamps on their EU passports for leaving the EU and entering the US and Mexico.