Dogs Ahoy! Paw-pproved Guide to finding the best dog friendly destinations

Want to travel with your furry friend, but scared you’ll bark up the wrong door? We’ve researched the ins and outs of what makes a dog friendly city break.

Sniff out where to travel next! Here’s our paw-pproval guide to the top European dog friendly travel destinations in some of the most dog friendly European cities with a score out of 5.

With P&O Ferries, your European adventure with your pet starts the moment you step on board.  We offer a pet friendly ferry to make it easier for you to travel to the best pet friendly destinations. With pet lounges when travelling from Dover to Calais and dog friendly cabins - if you're travelling aboard our Hull to Rotterdam service, you can rest assured your pooch will travel alongside you in comfort, safety and style!

Pet friendly places to stay - Where will your pooch travel to next?

Paw-pproved Dog Friendly holidays in France - Where to go?

Paris, Paw-pproval Rating 5/5

Make the most of the city of glamour, lights and love, but this time round, don’t bank on that date, take your faithful pooch instead! Paris ranks #1 for one of the most dog friendly cities in Europe for eating out, so savour la cuisine Parisienne with your dog in one of the city's 211 dog friendly restaurants, cafes and bustling bistros before taking your chien for a stroll through Paris' 421 parks.

Looking for a good night's sleep? Fret not, for Paris once again ranks at the top of our list for pet friendly hotels in Europe. With 886 dog friendly hotels, welcoming your four legged friends getting a dog friendly ferry to France couldn’t be easier with P&O Ferries. Book your ferries to France now.

Brussels, Paw-pproval Rating 4.8/5

Need help sniffing out which restaurants serve the best moules et frites in Brussels? Then bring your dog along, and dine in one of the city’s 52 dog friendly restaurants, cafes and bars. Not only is Brussels a great dog friendly city in Europe to travel to, it’s also one of the ranking #2 on our list for both dog friendly hotels and restaurants! With plenty of dog friendly hotels in Belgium available, having a holiday with your dogs is simple when travelling with P&O Ferries as both you and your furry friend can enjoy every moment of your getaway.

But travelling to Brussels with your dog is also a safe option, the city ranks #1 for the number of vets per sq mile with a whopping 185 vets. So book your dog friendly ferries to Rotterdam or Calais ports, to then explore Brussels in just 2 hours. 

Hull, Paw-pproval Rating 4.2/5

With 610,000 pet dogs, Hull ranks #2 on our list for dog ownership with a whopping 36% of people living in Hull share their home with a four legged companion. So, book a stay in Hull, Yorkshire and explore the city's many dog friendly parks and countless outdoor activities. With plenty of dog friendly accommodation around, planning your dog friendly stay will be easy.

Talking about spending time outdoors, did you know Hull, Yorkshire ranks #1 for dog friendly camping sites? Immerse yourself in nature and pitch up a tent in one of Hull's 2.8 camping grounds per sq mile!

Travelling to Hull? Book one of our Dog Friendly Cabins on our pet friendly ferries and make the most of our daily overnight crossings from Rotterdam to Hull port for a safe and comfortable dog road trip.

Brighton & Hove, Paw-pproval Rating 4.1/5

Did you know Brighton & Hove is our #1 city for the number of dogs per population? With over 700,000 registered pups, Brighton sure knows how to  cater to their dogs' needs. In fact, you're never too far away from a dog friendly hotel or restaurant, with 0.7 pooch friendly eateries per sq mile and never too far from a great overnight stay, with 2.5 pet friendly hotels per sq mile.

So, enjoy the famous pier, pebbled beaches and artsy vibes knowing your four legged friend will enjoy this dog friendly short  break as much as you!

Want to visit one of the best dog friendly break UK destinations? Our P&O Ferries Dover port is just a 2 hour drive away from Brighton & Hove.

Liverpool, Paw-pproval Rating 4/5

With over 1,000,000 registered pet dogs, and 31% of Liverpudlians sharing their home with a four legged friend, Liverpool comes #3 for the number of dogs per population. With so many dogs in town, we're not surprised Liverpool features as one of the best pet friendly destinations in Europe! Here Liverpool offers many pet friendly places to stay and plenty of dog friendly places to visit making it perfect for a campervan holiday or dog road trip.

Berlin, Paw-pproval Rating 3.9/5

Want to take the pup on a howl-iday to remember? Then visit Berlin and make the most of its great outdoor activities including taking a stroll in the city's whopping 2500 dog friendly parks!

Berlin, in particular, is one of the most dog friendly cities in Europe. Whether you're staying in the trendy Friedrichshain or exploring the remains of the Berlin Wall and the Berlin Tempelhof Airport, you can relax knowing that you can get a good night's sleep in one of Berlin's 623 dog friendly hotels across Germany.

Travelling with dogs to Berlin is easy with P&O Ferries. Book a Dog Friendly Cabin aboard our Hull to Rotterdam ferry and make your dog road trip to Berlin a reality.

Getting a ferry from the UK to Europe with a dog does not need to stop at our ferry terminal. Dog friendly roadtrips to Berlin are also a reality allowing you to go on as many dog friendly city breaks as you like.

Calais, Paw-pproval Rating 3.9/5

If you’re looking for dog friendly short breaks away, head to Calais! Our dog friendly ferry  not only is easy to reach, thanks to P&O Ferries’ 11 daily crossings from Dover directly to Calais, but this Northern France city also gets the seal of paw-pproval.

In fact, Calais is one of the most dog friendly cities in Europe for camping, with 1.1 dog friendly camping grounds per sq mile and a vast promenade along the beachfront, which has recently undergone a huge and exciting transformation.

Here planning a dog friendly holiday to France is easy and effective with P&O Ferries with minimal travel time and maximum fun. Everyone travelling on holiday with your dogs will have the best time, including your furry friends.

Nantes, Paw-pproval Rating 3.8/5

Explore Nantes' city centre, the French atlantic coast or Brittany's wild landscapes with your furry friend by your side! Plus, with Nantes' 0.7 dog friendly restaurants and 1.7 dog friendly hotels per sq mile, you're bound to find the perfect bistro to indulge in some delicious French food and a relaxing place to rest after a full day of exploring. There are lots of dog friendly hotels in France but Nantes is one of the best dog friendly European cities to take your dog to.

Travelling with your dog to Nantes? Book our P&O Ferry from Dover to Calais and you'll reach Nantes in just under a 6  and half hour drive.

Ghent, Paw-pproval Rating 3.7/5

If our recommendations so far were not enough, there are lots more dog friendly destinations you can explore across Belgium. Take your pooch on a dog friendly city break to Ghent. With its picturesque medieval city centre, imposing Gravensteen castle and gothic St Bravo cathedral, it's one of the best cities in Europe to travel to with a dog, especially if you want to snap some scenic shots. In fact, Ghent ranks #1 for dog related Instagram hashtags, with +400,000 posts.

Pooch, camera, action! Book our Dover to Calais crossing and get to Ghent in just a 2 hour drive and enjoy luxury in the many dog friendly hotels in Belgium.

Cardiff, Paw-pproval Rating 3.6/5

Looking for a dog friendly short break immersed in nature? Visit Cardiff and explore the many dog walking routes around Cardiff Bay or the surrounding woodlands. For the full experience, blend into the wilderness by going camping, Cardiff ranks #3 on our list with 1.5 dog friendly camping grounds per sq mile, totalling 134 camping sites!

If you're planning dog friendly caravan holidays or driving from Europe in your car, you can reach Cardiff in just under a 5 hour drive from our P&O Dover port.

Strasbourg, Paw-pproval Rating 3.5/5

Did you know that Strasbourg is one of the most dog friendly cities in Europe with the highest number of dogs per population? 25% of inhabitants share their home with a four legged friend!

As a dog loving city, it's not surprising that is has many dog friendly hotels across France. In fact, Strasbourg ranks #4 for pet friendly hotels in Europe, with 3.0 hotels per sq mile welcoming pups! But you're also never too far from a delicious French bistro or cafe, with 0.6 dog friendly restaurants per sq mile.

Book your P&O Ferry crossing from Dover to Calais, and reach one of Europe's most dog friendly cities in about a 6 hour drive.

London, Paw-approval Rating 3.5/5

Take your pooch for a stroll in one of the city's stunning 3000 parks which rank London #4 on our list for cities with dog friendly parks, or take an excursion through London's glitzy Mayfair. Let your dog see and play in a variety of dog friendly places across the city.

Talking about glitz and glamour, London isn't just famous for its royals, it's also the perfect place to get your pooch popular! How? Well, simply snap a regal shot of your canine friend by one of London's royal palaces, parks or squares and share it amongst the 31,000 dog related hashtags on Instagram!

FAQs:

How did we work out our paw-pproval scores?

We looked at all the best pet friendly destinations and cities to visit in Europe via P&O Ferries and used 8 different criteria to determine which destinations offer the most for dogs, and of course, their human counterparts too!

The criteria we looked at included:

• No of dog ownership
• No of dog friendly hotels x sq mile
• No of dog friendly restaurants x sq mile
• No of dog friendly camping sites x sq mile
• No of vets x sq mile
• No of parks
• No of Instagram hashtags

We then totalled these metrics to give a final paw-pproval score out of 5.

Now you have read our dog-friendly travel guide, why not start your travel planning to visit some of the best dog friendly places to travel by booking your P&O Ferry and Pet Lounges* now, so both you and your pooch can have a relaxing and stress-free start and finish to your dog-friendly holiday.

Is France dog friendly?

From our study we have found that France is dog friendly and cities including Paris and Nantes are some of the most dog friendly cities in Europe, especially for campingThere are also plenty of dog friendly hotels in France to keep yourself and your pooch pampered and relaxed so you fully enjoy your trip away.

Is Amsterdam dog friendly?

Amsterdam is another example of a pet friendly destination.  With many dog friendly hotels in Amsterdam being able to visit multiple locations across Holland is simple. Amsterdam is also a perfect dog friendly location to relax in before exploring other dog friendly European cities. Enjoy taking plenty of scenic walks and visiting multiple cafes and restaurants that both suit you and your furry friend.

Is Berlin dog friendly?

Berlin is one of the most dog friendly cities in Europe. Our study shows that it has over 600 dog friendly hotels, providing you with plenty of choice of places to stay throughout the city to make sure you have the best city break with your pet as possible.

Is Belgium dog friendly?

Belgium is another example of a beautiful dog friendly country in Europe. With endless dog friendly hotels in Europe, the dog friendly hotels in Belgium offer great places for you and your pooch to stay to relax so you can be ready to explore the next part of your trip.

Don’t miss out on the dog friendly hotels in Bruges, and the dog friendly attractions around to enjoy your trip to the fullest. Book your ferry to Calais or Rotterdam now and enjoy a short drive to Belgium to fully experience the dog friendly cities of Europe.

Is Europe dog friendly?

Europe is a very dog friendly continent, with lots of dog friendly city breaks available the options are endless. With endless dog friendly hotels in Europe booking your dog friendly holiday is now easier than ever. Whether you want a quick family day trip to Calais or want to go on a European road trip, at P&O Ferries our pet friendly ferries make it as easy as possible to travel around Europe with your furry friend.