In recent years we meet on the streets of Rome more and more tourists together with their dog-friends. An art city like Rome doesn’t really seem like the ideal place for our four-legged friends…although, actually, if you know where to find them, there are plenty of unexpected green-oases.
Rome is the greenest city in Europe: so many gardens in the center, just take a map in your hand or open googlemaps to realize how many green areas named VILLA there are. Villa Borghese, Villa Torlonia, Villa Doria Pamphilj, Villa Sciarra…each villa is actually a beautiful park.
A tip: among the many villas downtown, Villa Borghese deserves special mention, because you can go into the “Valley of the Deer,” a very large tree-lined meadow dedicated specifically to four-legged friends. Here you can let your dog run free without a leash!
In addition, the entire historic center is surrounded by lots of countryside. The greenery accounts for 67% of the municipal territory, or 85 thousand hectares (210.000 acres) out of the total 129 thousand (319.000 acres).
And if after all these walks and runs, you would like to move to another district, taking a bus or subway, it’s easy! Dogs can use any public transportation.
About stores, cafè and restaurants, there is a European law that states that dogs can enter any public place, so even bars and restaurants. But the same law gives the possibility to the owner of the place to disagree and put a sign saying that it is forbidden. In short, if there is no sign, you can enter.
But what if you want to visit a museum with your furry friend?
Well, almost all Roman museums unfortunately do not allow dogs, unless they are guide-dogs for the blind, or emotional support dogs (you need a medical certificate stating this).
Almost all museums… but exceptions do exist, however! Just move a little, around Rome: the archaeological park of Ostia Antica, half an hour from downtown. Or in Tivoli (an hour or so from the center), where you can visit the archaeological park of Villa Adriana and Villa d’Este, with its 17th-century palace and immense garden full of hundreds of fountains. Everyone will be welcome here, furry or not.
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