{"id":8889,"date":"2023-11-09T12:31:23","date_gmt":"2023-11-09T02:31:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.travelnuity.com\/?p=8889"},"modified":"2024-01-12T10:27:26","modified_gmt":"2024-01-12T00:27:26","slug":"visit-venice-with-dog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.travelnuity.com\/visit-venice-with-dog\/","title":{"rendered":"Should I Visit Venice With My Dog?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Venice is one of the most popular tourist destinations in all of Europe<\/a>. However, thanks to overcrowding, particularly in the summer months, there are many who advise skipping the city altogether.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dogs and crowds are not the best combination when travelling, so should you visit Venice with your dog in tow; is it a sensible decision? Based on my own experience, I share my thoughts on whether you should visit Venice with your dog.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Visit<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

How Dog-Friendly is Venice?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While in some ways Venice is quite dog-friendly, there are other ways in which the city of romance is far from dog-friendly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overcrowding in Venice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The main issue with visiting Venice with a dog is the sheer volume of visitors that the city receives during the peak months over summer. During my visit to the city in mid-September 2017, I had thought that the crowds would have already eased off. But I still found parts of the city to be very crowded during the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In particular, the narrow laneways in between the Rialto Bridge and St Mark\u2019s Square were a squeeze to navigate. Additionally, the Vaporetto Line 1 heading back up the main canal to the train and bus stations in late afternoon was rammed full with passengers.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Dog
Schnitzel next to the Rialto Bridge<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

While crowds are unpleasant for yourself, if visiting with a dog they can be dangerous. There\u2019s the risk of your dog being stepped on (if they\u2019re not small enough to be carried), plus many dogs would not be comfortable with the crowds and may react badly, or at least hate the experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of Grass<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another issue to contend with in Venice is just where you dog can do their business. There is virtually no grass<\/strong> in Venice, at least in the central areas. (Burano has plenty of green grass.) If your dog will only relieve themselves on grass, you may be in for a long and fruitless search.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two of the only publicly-accessible grassy parks that you can visit with your dog in central Venice are Parco Savorgnan, in the north of Venice near the train station, and the small un-named park on the northern side of the Ponte dell’Accademia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dogs on Public Transport<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In other aspects, Venice is quite dog-friendly, just like much of Italy<\/a>. Dogs are allowed<\/a> to travel on the vaporetto<\/strong> (the water boats that criss-cross Venice) for free. Small dogs should be held or in a carrier, while larger dogs should be leashed. All dogs not in a container should also wear a muzzle<\/a>, although the rule doesn’t seem to be enforced for small dogs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dogs in Cafes and Restaurants<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many cafes and restaurants in Venice allow dogs inside (handy for the colder months), although it\u2019s always best to check with a waiter.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Venice
Beautiful Venice!<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

So Should I Visit Venice with My Dog?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Based on these different factors and my own wonderful experience visiting Venice with my dog, I recommend that you go ahead and visit Venice with your dog. However, carefully consider these points to best enjoy your experience…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Avoid the Peak Summer Season<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

My top tip to keep in mind if you are visiting Venice with your dog is to avoid the peak season. Even when I visited in mid-September, the city was still crowded with tourists, at least during the day. However, when some friends of mine visited in the depths of winter, they reported that the squares and canals were almost empty, and no crowds were to be found.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Gondola
Gondola going under a bridge in Venice<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Consider visiting Venice with your dog during the off-peak season. In particular, consider visiting between October and March, although it can still be busy during the Carnival festival in February and over the Easter weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just keep in mind that winter time in Venice also means the risk of flooding. While humans can buy plastic overshoes to protect yourself (except for the really high floods), your dog might not appreciate the water, particularly small dogs, so check the forecast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try to Escape the Crowds<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Even on busy days, not all of Venice is crowded. In particular, I found the busiest parts of the city to be the Rialto Bridge, St Mark\u2019s Square and the narrow streets and laneways in between these two areas. If you headed off into the laneways away from this area, you quickly escaped the crowds and sometimes even found yourself to be virtually alone.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Selfie
Right on the Grand Canal, but without the crowds<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

In particular, I recommend exploring the following districts<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n