Overview: Traveling with a Dog in Lisbon
Praça do Comércio
I first traveled to Lisboa in February of 2017, and it was love at first sight. The colorful geometric tiles drew me in immediately, and the perfect weather and views from the many miradouros solidified my adoration for this city. I felt just as enchanted when I returned to Lisbon a year later. So when I starting toying with the idea of getting away from New York for the summer, I knew beautiful Lisboa would be my ideal location. After determining that I could bring Alice with me fairly easily (click here for more information about flying to the European Union with a dog), I started planning and booking this adventure!
When I began researching, I didn’t find a ton of information about the dog-friendliness of Lisbon, except to find that Portugal and Spain are generally less pet-friendly than the rest of Europe. Based on my previous trips, I knew there would at least be plenty of outdoor dining and drinking opportunities to experience with Alice. During my two months “living” in Lisboa, Alice and I found many fun experiences to delight in together!
Rua da Bica
Dog Culture
The pet culture in Portugal is a bit different than in the US. Not in a bad way! I just encountered some things that are different than what I am used to. In the US, city dogs are almost always on a leash when they’re outside. This is often not the case in Portugal. Three other dogs lived on our street in Mouraria, and they were outside without a leash all the time. We often ran into other off-leash dogs chillin’ on their streets when we walked around the city. The majority of these dogs were friendly and calm. However, there were a couple of instances of off-leash dogs being aggressive toward Alice and the owners did not seem concerned about it at all.
If you run into a dog on a leash with its human, they will likely come right over to say hello. In the US, we’re used to asking if a dog is friendly and if it’s okay to say hi before trotting over, but that doesn’t really happen in Portugal - at least not to the same degree it does here. This was actually a good experience for Alice, I think! She likes meeting other dogs, but sometimes gets overwhelmed if dogs are really energetic or much larger than she is. But meeting so many dogs in Lisbon seems to have helped her get over that anxiety. Some humans would ask, “cão o cadela?” before coming over with their pup, which means “male dog or female dog?”. Responding “cadela” affected whether those dogs came over to meet Alice.
It is common for dogs to hang their heads out their apartment windows and bark at whomever is walking on the street below. There was never much concern about quieting dogs’ barking. This was great for us, since Alice’s barking was inconsequential compared to the other doggos on our street!
Our street in Mouraria
Transportation
Dogs are allowed on the metro in Lisbon if they are in a carrier or wearing a muzzle. Is this rule strictly enforced as you enter or ride the metro? Not really… As far as I know, this rule applies to all public transportation, but I would not advise taking a dog on any of the touristy yellow trams. The trams are usually extremely crowded, especially in the summer - probably not an enjoyable experience for a pup!
Dogs are only allowed in taxis if they are in a closed carrier. They are extremely strict about this at the airport, where there are policeman or security organizing traffic and getting people into taxis. Uber is cheaper than a taxi, but whether a dog is allowed depends on the driver. There is a metro station connected to the airport, which is a very convenient way to get to the rest of the city! Otherwise, you could set up an airport transfer ahead of time and confirm that it’s okay to bring a dog. I recommend The Blue House - for airport transfers, AirBnBs, and other sightseeing opportunities!
Lisbon is not very big and most of the sights and neighborhoods people are interested in visiting are quite close together. Alice and I walked all over the city! If you’re staying near the city center, you probably won’t need public transportation at all, except to get to Belêm or to and from the airport. But keep in mind, Lisbon is the city of seven hills! Expect to walk up and down hills and stairs A LOT!
Ascensor da Bica
Weather
The weather in Lisbon is practically perfect. Both times I’ve visited in February it was 60º F and sunny every day. Throughout July and August, it was usually around 80º F and sunny. There were only a few rainy days all summer, and a couple of heat waves where it was above 90ºF for a few days. There are so many outdoor activities and spots to dine and drink around the city! Many of these are still options during the winter, but spring, summer, and fall will provide so much more!
Most apartments in Lisbon do not have central heat or air conditioning. The winter nights can actually get quite cold! Most AirBnBs provide space heaters, but I would still pack some warm sweats/pajamas! Alfacinhas (residents of Lisbon) tend to keep all of their windows open in order to get a cross-breeze to stay cool in the summer. This is usually comfortable enough, except when that rare heat wave hits!
Miradouro das Portas do Sol
Restaurants & Bars
Unlike many other locations in Europe, pets are not allowed in most restaurants in Portugal. Previously, there was a law banning animals in all restaurants! But that was lifted a few years ago. Instead, restaurants have the option to allow pets or not. You will often see red signs on restaurant doors that indicate “No Dogs” or green signs stating that dogs are allowed inside. However, you will also encounter plenty of restaurants that don’t have a sign at all! I found that a lot of these, especially smaller restaurants, did allow Alice inside when they saw that she was small and relatively calm.
The wonderful thing (well, one of the many wonderful things) about Lisbon is the vast plethora of outdoor dining options! There are miradouros (viewpoints or lookouts) with wine and snacks all over the city, plenty of sidewalk seating, and large patios and sets of tables that will happily serve you and your pup. See my favorites here!
Magnolia Restaurant in Alfama
Beaches
Unfortunately, finding a beach to enjoy with your doggo is not that simple from Lisbon. The easily-accessible beaches do not allow dogs at all in the summer. In Portugal, any concessioned beach - meaning a beach that has a lifeguard and/or umbrellas and snacks - does not allow dogs. Based on my experience, public transportation will not get you to a dog-friendly beach. You’ll have to take a car.
My Portuguese teacher recommended Praia 19, which is on the south side of Rio Tejo (Tagus River) in the Setúbal region. This beach is about a 30 minute drive from Lisbon city center, and it is gorgeous! It’s a gay-friendly beach with many kite surfers, and it isn’t overly crowded. However, it is a nudist beach! So expect to see at least a few people sans bathing suit…
Praia do Dezanove