Dog-Friendly Barcelona
Bark for Barcelona!
Our 2022 European adventure began with three days in Barcelona! I had been to Barcelona before and loved it, so I was eager to return and explore things I hadn’t gotten to the first time. Although Spain and Portugal have a reputation for being less dog-friendly than the rest of western Europe, I found Barcelona to be extremely dog-friendly. There are a few big touristy things that dogs can’t do, but Alice was invited to eat inside at very restaurant I tried, and there are a few big tourist attractions that do allow dogs!
Barcelona was very hot with high temperatures above 90º F. Because of that, I planned a recharging break (and nap for Alice) in the air conditioned hotel during the hottest part of the afternoon. Parts of Barcelona, particularly Las Ramblas, the Gothic Quarter, Barcelonetta, can be very busy, but I never felt that it was so crowded I needed to pick Alice up.
Transportation
The metro is dog-friendly outside of rush hour. I saw a couple of other dogs taking the metro, none of them were in a carrier, simply leashed sitting next to their owners on the train. The metro is the fastest, cheapest way to get to different parts of the city, and I found it to be very consistent - trains arrive every four minutes, I never noticed any delays.
I took a taxi from the airport to my hotel, and the driver told me Alice had to be in her carrier. I don’t know if this is true of all taxis (in Portugal it is a rule) or if it was the driver’s preference. Some taxis do accept credit card, but not all.
Barcelona is a very walkable city, and has many streets that are only walking, no vehicles. The older, more touristy neighborhoods, like the Gothic Quarter and Las Ramblas, are so fun to wander through! You’ll stumble on plenty of restaurants, bars, and shops here.
Dog-Friendly Sights
Parc Güell is a must! It’s north of the city center, atop a hill with a beautiful view of the city and the Mediterranean. The park is known for the designs by the famous Catalan architect, Gaudi. Tickets sell out, so buy tickets several days in advance for one of the latest entry times, around 7:00. The Gaudi tile areas do not technically allow dogs… but when I was there at 7:50pm, the employees monitoring the area told me their shift ended at 8:00pm and no one would be there to stop us from going wherever we wanted. So we got to spend sunset along the …, which was beautiful!
Of the Gaudi houses throughout Barcelona, this is the only one that allows dogs. Again, make sure you buy tickets a few days in advance because they do tend to sell out at certain times. When I arrived, the employee who scanned my ticket said he needed to check with his supervisor about the dog. I’m not sure exactly why, and perhaps they have the right to refuse a dog if they choose. Luckily, Alice is small and calm and knows when to use her puppy dog eyes, so we were let right in. The house is so beautiful and unique, but there were a lot of people there. Alice was unbothered (she actually lied down for a nap in the middle of the crowd at one point), but it would have been nicer for me if there were fewer people. For that reason, I recommend going to the absolute earliest time slot. The tour ends on the roof of the home, where you’ll also find a bar! We had such a nice time relaxing with a cocktail, taking in the view.
Montjuic is a large hill to the west of the city center. Although dogs are not allowed to ride the funicular, you can hike up to a few dog-friendly parks and gardens, and get a view of the Mediterranean and the city. Don’t miss the cascading waterfalls and Magic Fountain of Montjuic on the northern edge of the hill.
On the edge of Montjuic you’ll find Poble Espanyol, a recreation of traditional Spanish towns from all regions of Spain. This was a very cool experience, and dogs are allowed everywhere! You can eat at one of the many restaurants in the squares of the different regions, there is an art museum, an old cathedral, a sculptural garden, and many shops.
This is the only dog-friendly beach I could find in Barcelona. It is a tiny section at the very end of Llevant Beach, but we had so much fun there. There were several other dogs who were all quite well-behaved. There is a fence around the sand, and buoys in the water to keep the area separate. There is also a water fountain for the dogs. Although it’s further than the (not dog-friendly) beaches of Barceloneta, Llevant Beach is still relatively quick and easy to reach from the center of Barcelona. After working on conquering Alice’s fear of waves (something we’ll never stop working on, it seems…), we stopped for a drink and lunch at Bambú, the beach bar above Llevant Beach. It was overpriced for only okay food, but was a very nice view, in the shade, and the drink I had was quite good.
Arc de Triomf and Parc de la Ciutadella
Barcelona’s arc is so unique compared to those in Paris and New York! You can walk under and around it, and then enter the park to the southeast. Parc de la Ciutadella has some really beautiful fountains and lawn areas that are dog-friendly
Restaurants
My stomach felt off the first several days of this trip, so I didn’t actually eat very much during our time in Barcelona. The two restaurants I would absolutely recommend are Restaurant Cheriff and Orvay. On my previous trip to Barcelona, I loved Tapas 24 and Agua. I do not know if they are dog-friendly since I didn’t try them out with Alice, but definitely worth checking out! There are plenty of restaurants and bars in any square or by the marina with plenty of outdoor seating.
Restaurant Cheriff supposedly has one of the best paellas in Barcelona. I got the mixed seafood paella and it is easily the best I’ve ever eaten! Alice was invited inside, but I requested to sit at one of their two outdoor tables because the street it’s on in Barceloneta is so pretty. The waiter was very concerned about thieves, so he warned me multiple times to keep my belongings off the table and secure.
Orvay is a slightly upscale tapas restaurant. It’s located in the Gothic Quarter, very near Barcelona Cathedral. The patatas bravas and beef sandwich special of the day that I had were amazing. No outdoor seating, but Alice was allowed to sit inside with me.
Sights That are Not Dog-Friendly
There are a few things you have to do in Barcelona, but you’ll have to leave your dog at the hotel or at a doggy day-care. You *must* go to La Sagrada Familia. It is as spectacular as everyone says, and you’ll be completely in awe of the church. Barcelona Cathedral is also really beautiful, and the view from the roof is definitely worth seeing.
Hotel
We stayed at Hotel Catalonia Avinyó, and I would definitely recommend it. It’s right in the Gothic Quarter, reasonably priced, and everyone was so friendly, especially with Alice. The room was very small, but that doesn’t bother me. Most importantly, the air conditioner worked quite well!