Best Dog-Friendly Hotels in Lisbon

Before you go

What happens when you get there

Metro, trams and buses

Metropolitano de Lisboa takes dogs of any size outside a carrier as long as they are muzzled, on a short lead, and you carry the vaccination record and licence. The dog travels free and stays off the seats. Seven breeds on Portugal's dangerous-dog list, including Rottweilers, Pit Bulls and Staffordshire Bull Terriers, are not allowed on the metro at all. Trams, buses, the funiculars and the Santa Justa lift are all Carris, and Carris only takes an animal in a carrier, one per passenger, free. A dog too big for a carrier walks, takes the metro, or gets a taxi or a ride app.

Trains and ferries

The CP urban lines from Cais do Sodré to Cascais and from Rossio to Sintra take a dog free, muzzled and on a short lead if it is not in a carrier. Fertagus across the bridge to Setúbal takes a dog outside a carrier only off peak, one per passenger, muzzled. Transtejo Soflusa ferries to Cacilhas, Barreiro and Seixal take one dog per passenger, in a carrier or muzzled on a short lead, never on a seat. Under 5 kg travels free. Anything heavier pays between EUR 1.45 and EUR 2.00 depending on the route.

Sights

The Tower of Belém and the Jerónimos Monastery refuse dogs, assistance dogs excepted. So do the Castelo de São Jorge and the Oceanário. In Sintra, the Pena Palace and its park are a no, while the Moorish Castle and the Park of Monserrate say yes. The Belém riverfront, the monastery square and Praça do Comércio are public space and fine.

Beaches

Portugal's bathing season runs 1 June to 30 September and supervised, concessioned beaches close to dogs for the whole of it. That covers the town beaches at Costa da Caparica and Carcavelos. Cascais goes further, with a council ban on its beaches from 1 May to 30 September and a reserved dog zone at Praia da Conceição. Unsupervised, unconcessioned sand is open year round unless a sign says otherwise: the long southern stretch of Caparica past Fonte da Telha, Praia da Adiça, and Praia da Ursa and Praia Pequena on the Sintra coast. Oeiras runs an official dog zone at Praia Velha in Paço de Arcos in season.

Restaurants, cafés and breakfast

Dogs on the esplanada are the norm across the city and nobody looks twice. Indoors is the owner's call, so ask at the door. The Sheraton's restaurant and bar are indoors and say yes, which is rarer than it sounds. Torel Palace says yes in writing. Corinthia, Pestana Rua Augusta and Verride's SUBA say no, and at breakfast the Sheraton is a yes while Corinthia and Pestana Rua Augusta are a no. In town, Noobai in Bica, Zenith on the Avenida da Liberdade, and Basílio, Antú and Aura Dim Sum in Alfama are known for welcoming dogs.

Fees, weight limits and two dogs

EUR 25 a night at Palácio do Governador, EUR 30 at Altis Avenida and Pestana Rua Augusta, EUR 35 at NH Collection and the Sofitel, EUR 40 at the InterContinental, EUR 50 at Corinthia and Tivoli Avenida Liberdade, EUR 65 at Torel Palace. The Lumiares and The Vintage charge EUR 30 a stay, the Sheraton and Sublime EUR 50 a stay, and the Four Seasons EUR 250 a stay. The Four Seasons caps at 7 kg, the Sofitel at 8, Torel Palace, Corinthia and Palácio do Governador at 10, most others at 15. NH Collection Liberdade, Torel Palace and Verride take two dogs.

Vets

AniCura Restelo Hospital Veterinário, Rua Gregório Lopes lote 1513 loja E, out towards Belém, runs emergencies round the clock on +351 213 032 119 and has an English-language site. Hospital Veterinário de São Bento, Rua de São Bento 358-A, is closer to the centre and lists a 24-hour service on +351 213 972 997. The Four Seasons and Palácio do Governador both give vet contacts through the concierge or front desk.

Getting there

Humberto Delgado airport is about 7 km from Marquês de Pombal, twenty minutes in a taxi. TAP takes a dog in the cabin up to 8 kg including the carrier, which covers Dublin. Aer Lingus and Ryanair carry no pets in the cabin, and no airline flies a dog into the UK in the cabin, so the UK return is the hold or the ferry. The flights app has the detail.

Best walks

Eduardo VII Park from the top of the Avenida da Liberdade, then the Avenida itself down to Restauradores under the trees. The Tagus riverfront from Cais do Sodré west past Santos and Alcântara to Belém, flat the whole way, with the Jerónimos square and the tower at the end. Monsanto forest park for real distance on shaded trails. Jardim da Estrela for a classic garden with a small dog area, and the fenced dog park at Parque das Nações if the dog needs to run off the lead. Out of town, the Sintra coast at Praia da Ursa and the south end of Costa da Caparica for sand in any month.

When to go

March to June and late September to November. The light is good, the terraces are open, and the pavements are walkable at noon. July and August are hot, the cobbles burn, and the supervised beaches are closed to dogs from 1 June to 30 September anyway, so a summer trip is early walks and river ferries rather than sand. October is the sweet spot: still warm, the town beaches at Caparica and Carcavelos reopen to dogs, and the crowds on the 28 tram route thin out. Winter is mild and wet, and wet calçada is slippery for paws and people alike. July and August regularly pass 35°C and the calçada stone holds it. Put your hand on the pavement before a midday walk and if you can't hold it there, neither can the dog. Walk early and late, and use the shade in Eduardo VII and Monsanto.