Practical info: Dog-friendly policies | Basque Country with your dog | Basque Country Tourism

Dog-friendly policies of the main tourist resources

Practical info for website 'The Basque Country with a dog'

Very often, it is as important to know where you're welcome with your dog as where you can't go with him/her, either due to legal restrictions or the private policy of the managers of the space.

On this page you can consult the access policy for people with dogs in the main tourist attractions in the Basque Country.

What should I do if I want to visit an attraction that does not allow dogs?

We advise you to plan it with plenty of time and find out how long the visit is going to last so you can decide your best option:

  • Consult the establishment where you're staying to see if it is possible to leave the dog alone in the room as an exceptional case and for a limited time. If that is not the case, or your dog becomes agitated when left alone in new places, don't do it.
  • If the visit is short and you're travelling with other people, you can enjoy it in turn, thus ensuring that your dog is not left alone.
  • If the visit is long, you can look for a kennel or dog hotel to look after your dog for a few hours like the king or queen he or she is.

Legend:

🚫 Access with dog forbidden
🟧 Some restrictions
✅ Attractive plan to enjoy with a dog
🕒 Estimated duration of the visit (so you can plan your visit if you resort to using kennels...)

Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum

Getaria - 🚫 🕒 - <1h.

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Rolls Royce Museum. Loizaga Tower House

Galdames

All dogs are welcome in the gardens. In the exhibition halls, small dogs can be carried, large dogs must remain tied up outside. Nobody knows your dog better than you, and you know if it is capable of waiting for you outside or if it is going to have a bad time. If it is afraid, it may become agitated and might bark and growl at people passing by.

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Bibat Museum

Vitoria - 🚫 🕒 - <2h.

Bibat is the fusion between the Álava Archaeology Museum and the Fournier Playing Cards Museum

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Assembly House

Gernika

Dogs are not allowed inside the building, but they can enter the outside gardens, where the Tree of Gernika is located. If you are travelling in a group, you can take turns.

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Albaola, the Sea Factory of the Basques

Pasaia Donibane - 🚫 🕒 - 2/3h.

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Fine Arts Museum

Bilbao - 🚫 🕒 - 2/3h.

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Guggenheim Museum

Bilbao - 🚫 🕒 - 2/3h.

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Victoria Eugenia

San Sebastián - 🚫 🕒 - 2/3h.

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Principal Antzokia Theatre

Vitoria - 🚫 🕒 - 2/3h.

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Arriaga Theatre

Bilbao - 🚫 🕒 - 2/3h.

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Chillida Leku Museum

Hernani - 🚫 🕒 - 1/2h.

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Sanctuary of Loyola

Azpeitia - 🚫 🕒 - <1h.

The surroundings are truly beautiful and your dog is bound to enjoy them. If you are travelling in a group, you can take it in turns to go inside.

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Sanctuary of Arantzazu

Oñati - 🚫 🕒 - <1h.

The surroundings are truly beautiful and your dog is bound to enjoy them, given that several mountain hiking trails start out from the Sanctuary, from the meadows of Urbia and heading to the magnificent limestone crenelations of Aizkoria. The Aizkorri-Aratz Nature Reserve makes for an exceptional natural environment. If you are travelling in a group, you can take it in turns to go inside.

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Cathedral of Santa María of Vitoria

Vitoria - 🚫 🕒 - <1h.

Nearby beautiful gardens to walk around can be found. You can enjoy it from outside and take it in turns to visit inside.

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Añana Salt Pans Valley

Añana - 🚫

Dogs are not allowed inside, because it is a production site. There is an iron ring outside to leave your dog tied up. Discover the activities you can do in the surrounding area and a route from which you can see the salt pans from outside. See the practical information in the section “Mountains and Valleys” on this website.

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Baigorri Winery

Samaniego - 🚫

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El Fabulista Winery

Laguardia - 🚫

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Ysios Winery

Laguardia - 🚫

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Marqués de Riscal Winery

Elciego - 🚫

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Basque Culinary Center

San Sebastián - 🚫

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Due to national regulations, animals are not allowed in areas where food is handled.

Camino de Santiago

Euskadi - ✅

This is an open-air route, there are no restrictions at all. The Camino de Santiago is perfect to do with dogs used to long walks. You can do different stages of the Inland Camino and the Coastal Camino de Santiago with your dog.

Along the coast Inland

The Ignatian Way

This is an open-air route, there are no restrictions at all. This is a recreation of the route travelled by the knight Ignatius of Loyola in 1522 from Loyola to Manresa. The way starts at the house where he was born in Azpeitia (Gipuzkoa), and is the perfect plan to be enjoyed with your dog.

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Santa Catalina Botanical Gardens

Iruña de Oca - ✅

Together, you can admire more than 1000 species of plants from more than 5 continents. Also, the views of the Álava Plain are magnificent.

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Pozalagua Cave

Karrantza - 🚫 🕒 - <1h.

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San Sebastián International Film Festival

San Sebastián - 🟧

You can't go to the cinema or the theatre with your dog, but you can, of course, walk with you dog along the lively streets and, who knows, bump into a Hollywood star. However, bear in mind that during the festival there will be a lot of people and it might not be the best time to visit the city with frightened, anxious or agitated dogs.

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Jazzaldia (San Sebastián) | Getxo Jazz | Vitoria-Gasteiz Jazz Festival

🟧

You won't be able to go with your dog inside the spaces where concerts are being held, and you won't be allowed to go down to the concerts held on the beach. If you wish, you can take advantage of the areas with open terraces and small concerts and other activities where dogs are allowed, provided they are kept on a lead.
It is necessary to bear in mind that on certain days and at certain times there could be a lot of people in one place, and, in addition, the volume of the music can make it an uncomfortable environment for your dog.

Bilbao BBK Live

Bilbao - 🚫 🕒 - >5h.

Access is totally prohibited, and even if it were possible, the volume of the live music is unbearable for the majority of dogs, not the mention the crowds of people.

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Mundaka Fest: Basque Music & Cook festival

Mundaka - 🚫 🕒 - >5h.

Access is totally prohibited, and even if it were possible, the volume of the live music is unbearable for the majority of dogs, not the mention the crowds of people.

Ordizia Market

Ordizia - ✅ 🕒 - <2h.

Ordizia market is an open-air market, accessible with dogs. This market is held once a week, on Wednesdays from 09:00 to 13:00.
It's an open market so there is no problem, as long as your dog is used to being in places with lots of people moving about and plenty of food.

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You can see more practical information by clicking here.