A Dog’s Guide to Athens
Greece had been on my “list” for over a decade, but Alice and I didn’t make it there until 2025! While it’s very easy to move around the Schengen Zone with a dog (especially with the EU Pet Passport), the Balkans that separate Greece from other Schengen countries are not as easy to travel to/through with a dog. For this reason, I hadn’t tacked on Greece to any of our big Europe trips yet. I also didn’t want to deal with the crazy Greek island crowds I’d heard about. Alice and I traveled to Greece for spring break in mid-April. We spent three days in Athens and about a week on the island of Naxos.
Where We Stayed
I loved stayed at the Brown Acropol in Athens! The hotel staff was so welcoming. The single room was extremely affordable, and the hotel’s rooftop bar/restaurant is dog-friendly! The hotel is located in Omonia Square, which is not the greatest part of Athens. However, you can easily walk or take the metro one stop to get to the more popular Monastiraki Square.
Getting Around
Alice and I walked almost everywhere! The main things you’ll want to see in Athens are relatively close together.
We did take the metro a couple of times. Dogs are allowed on the metro, but are supposed to be in the last car if they aren’t in a carrier and possibly wearing a muzzle (couldn’t find complete clarity on this). I brought Alice muzzle with me, but ended up not using it as it wasn’t very crowded. I did have her in a small bag on my lap, but not an enclosed carrier. Beware that you must use your ticket to exit the metro station as well, which gets tricky if a lot of people are exiting all at once. Because there were so many people around us, we didn’t make it through with our “swipe” before the gate closed. We were trapped until the next train arrived and a kind, older gentleman motioned for Alice and I to follow closely behind him to get out. Because the gates close so quickly, plan on holding your dog to get through!
Not all taxis will accept dogs! My hotel arranged taxis for me a couple of times and requested a driver that would allow a dog. All taxis are supposed to accept credit cards, but drivers may claim otherwise. There was also a taxi strike one of the days we were in Athens, which apparently is not all that uncommon.
Dog-Friendly Activities
Food Tasting Tour
I emailed about eight different food tour companies asking if dogs were allowed, and Athens Food on Foot was the only one to say yes! We did the Ultimate Food Tasting Tour of Athens, which was excellent. The food was so good, the tour guides were exceptional, and we got to see quite a bit of Athens on the journey. The group was not too big, so we had time to ask questions and chat with the tour guides throughout.
National Museum of Contemporary Art
This contemporary art museum allows dogs! There were several interesting exhibits, and it was so nice getting to experience visual arts with Alice. We saw two other dogs in the museum while we were there, and everyone was well-behaved.
Nymphs Hill
Dogs are not allowed on the Acropolis, but you can get good views of the Parthenon if you hike around Nymphs Hill. From Nymphs Hill you can also walk to the back of the Greek amphitheater of the Acropolis and explore this area.
Lycabettus Hill
Lycabettus Hill is the highest hill in Athens and has incredible sunset views. Dogs are allowed on the funicular, and there’s a restaurant at the top. It’s overpriced, of course, but a stunningly beautiful location. Unfortunately it was very windy and too cold outdoors for Alice once the sun went down. We moved to an indoor table that was very nice, but the view is so much better on the terrace.
Athens National Garden
Dogs are allowed in Athens National Garden, a beautiful park near Plaka!
Anafiotika
Anafiotika is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Athens. I highly recommend walking around this scenic area!
Where to Eat & Drink
We had really nice weather in Athens, so we mostly ate on patios. People were generally very friendly toward Alice, but I had read that, unlike many other European countries, dogs are not always welcome inside restaurants. Below are the places we enjoyed coffee, drinks, and meals in Athens!
MS - This was our first stop after dropping our bags at the hotel, and WOW the view from the terrace is spectacular. This is the only “rooftop” I took Alice to, I’m not sure if there are others that are also dog-friendly with an equally excellent view. The breakfast and latte I had here were great.
Picky Brunch - The food was so good here, and the little outdoor courtyard was very cute. A busy spot, you may have to wait for a table!
Tis Theatrou to Steki - This was the final stop on our food tour with Athens by Foot. If you do not go on that tour, you must eat here! The food was so good.
To Kafeneio - Greek food in Anafiotika - I had a delicious Greek salad and bread with tzatziki. The restaurant across the street (Restaurant Scholarhio) did not allow dogs even on their patio, but I’m so glad we ended up at To Kafeneio instead!
1937 Coffee Bar - A really cute spot for coffee in the morning!
Drunk Sinatra - A cocktail bar with seats outside and free popcorn with each drink. I don’t know if dogs are allowed inside.
Maiandros Restaurant - A good option right in the middle of touristy things. They were very nice and accommodating - Alice and I sat outside, so I can’t say whether dogs are allowed inside.
Vryssaki - I went to this little bar after visiting the Acropolis, so Alice was not with me. They have a lot of outdoor seating, in the courtyard and on the terrace upstairs, but I am not sure if dogs are allowed here or not. Worth trying to go, as it’s a really nice spot that was recommended to me by someone who grew up in Athens! A cute kitty napped on the chair next to me the entire time I was there!
