Pet Friendly Beaches in Croatia

When traveling around Croatia with your dog, you will of course want to go to one of the amazing beaches that Croatia has to offer. There are multiple pet friendly beaches in Croatia where you and your pet can beat the heat in the idyllic Adriatic Sea. 

There are other beaches where your dog is not allowed to swim, but can accompany you on the beach! When we weren’t sure if they were pet-friendly, we kept them cool inside our beach tent with a portable fan and lots of water.

Just like on any other time you travel with your dog, respect others and the beach and you will not get kicked out! 

Swimming with dogs in BLUE FLAG beaches is prohibited! 

1. Istria- dog friendly beaches near Pula and Rovinj

If you’re in South Istria— around Pula — check out the South Istria website that has up-to date pet friendly beaches and other activities in the region. Pet-friendly beaches include Verudela, Hidrobaza, Bi Dog, and Stinjanska Uvala.

When we were staying in Pula with our dogs, we spent a day on Stinjanska Uvala in a beach called Lost Beach. We did encounter a lady that was afraid of dogs. I felt bad for her but we had chosen the beach specifically because it was dog friendly. So we still swam with our dogs and Lilo got to swim in the sea for the first time! The bar had some snacks, and my husband and I enjoyed a sort of crepe they had that was delicious.

Since we had rented a car in Croatia, we visited Cape Kamenjak Nature Reserve. We loved the rocky beach near Safari Bar, called Kolumbarica, as it is pet-friendly. It was a rocky outcropping that felt so remote and peaceful. The bar had really good food. Yes, I am still dreaming about their calamari sandwich. There was a comfortable parking lot near the beach. The parking lot was close to Kamenjak Bunker where we watched the most beautiful sunset! Visiting Cape Kamenjak for a hike is also a great dog friendly activity.

For North Istria their official tourism website lists some beaches like Park Umag, Finida, Kanegra, Stella Maris, Savudrija, Vrsar, San Polo, Colone, Lone, Cuvi, Cisterna, and Škaraba.

2. Kvarner Gulf- the best dog beach in Croatia!

We stopped in this area on our way to Zadar. We had a meal and then cooled off in one of Crikvenica’s dog-friendly
beaches.

This are has multiple pet friendly beaches such as Brajdica, Mikulova Kava, Mala Draga Cove, and the fully equipped beach Monty’s Dog Beach and Bar. This beach is considered Croatia’s best dog beach with a restaurant with food for both humans and dogs, cabanas, umbrellas, chairs, and a playground for dogs. Next time we go to Croatia we will definitely be visiting Monty’s!

The islands of KrK, Cres, and Lošinj have multiple dog beaches. The Kvarner official website has a list of beaches here. 

3. Dalmatia- pet friendly beaches in Dubrovnik, Zadar and Split

In Split, Kašjuni Beach and Duilovo Beach in are pet friendly. On the western coast of Split inside Marjan park, you will find Kašjuni Beach. This is a beautiful pebbled beach inside a calm cove. There is a bar where you can rent loungers, but we opted for the free beach as we had our dogs and we wanted to be away from the music. Look for the exclusive area that is marked off for dog swimming. otherwise your dog may not swim. They are allowed on the beach, even the unmarked area, just not allowed to swim. Duilovo Beach is to the east of old city Split. This dog beach in Split has a pet area with tents and showers for both humans and dogs. It is also a pebbled beach and a fun alternative to get away from the tourists. 

Both pet friendly beaches in Split are one bus ride away from the old city. Be aware that during high-season it was very busy and crowded on the bus. Thankfully, when we were in Split, our dogs were allowed on the bus without a problem, even without a carrier. Do be aware it was very busy and crowded on the bus. Thankfully, our dogs were allowed on the bus without a problem even though we did not have a carrier.

If you’re near Zadar, Vecka Kula Beach in Starigrad has some bushes, olive trees, and lots of places to park. We really enjoyed this beach as it wasn’t too crowded and it was very quiet. Or check out Privlaka, which is a sandy beach!!! It is easily accessible with some amenities.

In Dubrovnik, Mandrač Beach is a small pebbled beach with calm waters perfect for your dog. Or go to the pet-friendly beaches of Kupari or Slano Beaches outside of Dubrovnik. 

Considerations when visiting pet friendly beaches in Croatia

Look at the signs at the entrance of the beach or at the beach. We found some beaches do prohibit dogs from entering. Although, being completely honest, we did bring our dogs to one beach that had a No Dog sign, but they did not get in the water. We found Croatia to be very dog-friendly if we were being respectful. Nobody will bother you if you have your dogs with you on the beach. 

 Remember if a beach has a blue flag, dogs cannot swim there. 

Don’t forget to bring lots of water, a cooling mat if you have one, an umbrella or tent to protect from the sun, clean-up after your dog, and bring treats to reward your good boy or girl for being the best companion.

For the humans: lots of beaches are rocky or have pebbles, bring water shoes! 

Cities will have pet stores if you need anything!

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