Travelling Europe With a Dog: What 4 Months and 17,000km Taught Me

As a European-based traveller, I take really long road trips all around the continent. And last summer, I realised I can’t leave my dog at home anymore. 

And for the first time ever, I took my dog along for one of the longest road trips in Europe I’ve ever done to date. Spoiler alert: He loved it!

I’m writing this guide, sharing my personal experience of travelling with a dog across Europe. I’ll share the good and the bad, the obvious and the expenses. 

I also wrote a separate article about the entire Europe road trip with a dog, including the full 17,000 km route across France, Germany, Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

But I’ll tell you one thing from the start. Travelling with a dog was the best decision I have made, and I would do it again, especially when I’m travelling during the summer in Europe. And I did it again the next summer, when I drove from Romania to the UK with my dog, because this time I wanted us to explore Wales and Scotland together.

My 4-Month Trip Across Europe With a Dog

Because the 4-month road trip across Europe was so long, I want to point out different aspects of travelling with a dog, which can change dramatically depending on the type of travel you plan. 

For my trip, I recognise two types of travel:

• City-to-city road trip with a dog
• Slow travel in smaller towns & nature 

The route I had created was:

Bucharest (Romania) → Arad (Romania) → Vienna (Austria) → Regensburg (Germany) → Cologne  (Germany)→ Lille (France)

After sorting out all the logistics of driving across all these countries, I started making specific plans for travelling across Europe with a dog through large cities. 

I made a map of all the places I’ve been to during this 4-month trip, including day trips. Obviously, I can’t pin all the places I visited during the trip. 

This was a very long European road trip, so I listed some of the most important stops to give you an idea of the entire itinerary.

This was the first part of the trip (and the most intense part for the dog): 

Bucharest (RO) → Arad (RO) → Vienna (A) → Regensburg (D) → Cologne (D) → Lille (F)

My dog was a bit nervous this first week, as he was noticing all the luggage and the big fuss in the car. After all, he is a small dog and obviously had some anxiety stored up, as most dogs have. 

Each day, I was giving him his sedative (plant-based pills, prescribed by our vet in Romania) before getting in the car, which he seemed to adore. 

If you want to see the full itinerary, including every stop, ferries and campsites, I described the entire Europe road trip with a dog in a separate article.

What You Legally Need to Travel Europe With a Dog

1. EU Pet Passport

The passport is issued by a veterinarian authorised to do so, usually in your country of residence in the EU.

Without this passport (or an equivalent Animal Health Certificate for non-EU pets), border control can refuse entry or require quarantine.

If you’re not an EU resident (or your dog doesn’t have an EU passport), you often need a one-time Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued within days of travel instead

Always travel with the original physical passport — photocopies may not be accepted at border checks or by airlines 

2. Microchip 

Your dog must be microchipped with an ISO-compliant microchip before any vaccinations.

The microchip number is what gets registered in the pet passport, and officials scan it at border checks.

Without a compliant microchip, vaccinations recorded in the passport may be considered invalid.

3. Vaccination Against Rabies

This is mandatory for most international travel within Europe.

Your dog must be vaccinated against rabies by an authorised vet.

The rabies vaccine must be administered after the microchip is implanted (very important).

The vaccine becomes valid 21 days after administration, so plan ahead if your trip is early in the season.

The vaccination must still be valid at the time of travel — most rabies vaccines last 1–3 years, but check your vet records.

If you’re entering Norway, rabies vaccination is also required (except in limited Sweden-Norway direct cases), and your dog must be at least ~12–15 weeks old.

4. Tapeworm (Echinococcus) Treatment — Especially for Norway

For Norway (and some other countries, like the UK, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Finland, Malta), dogs are often required to have a tapeworm treatment (praziquantel), documented in the pet passport shortly before entry. This requirement applies only to dogs.

Timing matters. Usually, this treatment must be given 1–5 days before entry, so you must schedule it close to the travel date. I chose to make a vet appointment in Denmark to get the tapeworm treatment before travelling by ferry to Norway. 

I asked the vet in Denmark about how and if people declare their dogs when travelling to Norway (this is a common route for Norwegians travelling south and other Europeans going to Norway). 

She said that some people drive across the border and never stop to declare themselves and present their pets’ documentation to the customs officers. A lot of people don’t stop at the customs officer, and nothing happens. 

But she said she should stop for herself. And that’s what I did. 

Upon entry into one of these countries, drive to the “Goods to declare” lane and then present the dog’s passport to the officer. It should only take a few minutes. That’s it. 

Driving Across Europe With a Dog: What It’s Actually Like

After this entire trip, here are some practical tips for driving across europe with a dog:

• How many hours per day: Depends on your dog. I tried to limit driving time during the first part of the trip, so he would get more accustomed to the long hours in the car. By the end of the trip, he had spent days of up to 8 hours in the car. And the last stretch before reaching Bucharest, we drove for 14 hours, but he slept most of the time.
• How often you stopped: I would stop every 2 to 3 hours to allow him to stretch and walk a bit, take care of his needs, eat and drink water.
  
• Cooling strategy in summer: I chose this specific route during summer as it is cooler than most other parts of Europe. Temperature rarely exceeded 25 °C during the day, so we had no issue with cooling.
  
• Car setup: I placed a dog bed on the car’s floor behind my seat. The dog was also secured with a dog seatbelt (it’s required in some EU countries, like France).
• Internet across borders: Driving through multiple countries means constantly switching mobile networks. I use a Holafly eSIM, which gives me seamless data coverage across all European countries without swapping SIMs or paying roaming fees. Essential for navigation and finding emergency vets on the road.
  
• Parking in cities: I have a normal car, so parking wasn’t an issue. But it is an issue if you travel with a campervan, as some cities might have height restrictions in the centre. I’m thinking mostly about French cities.
  
• Emergency vet research: There are always vets and vet clinics in towns and cities, but make sure to be prepared and already have medicine your dog might occasionally need (like eye drops or specific things). 

If you’re renting rather than driving your own car, I always use DiscoverCars to compare prices across rental companies.

During my trip, we drove more than 17,000 km across the continent. You can see the full Europe road trip with a dog route here.

Ferries in Europe With a Dog

During my entire road trip, we took 3 ferries with the dog:

• Denmark to Norway (night ferry, 4 hours)
• Mainland Norway to Lofoten (4 hours, daytime)
• Denmark to Germany (2 hours, daytime)
• English Channel, from the UK to France (about 1.5 hours). Read my honest comparison of ferry vs Eurotunnel if you’re crossing with a dog.

Denmark to Norway ferry (night ferry, 4 hours)

From Denmark, I crossed over to Norway with ColorLine ferry company.

The ride from Hirtshals (DK) to Larvik (NO) takes about 4 hours, and there are 2 ferries per day, each direction. I recommend booking in advance, as prices increase closer to the travel date. 

There are other companies offering this trip, but I chose ColorLine primarily because of the route convenience and price. 

You will pay for each adult, the car and the pet. Each ferry company might have a different policy, but ColorLine asks you, at the time of the booking, if you are travelling with a pet and if the pet will stay in the car. 

You also have the option to take the pet with you, in which case you either stay outside on the deck (it gets really cold and windy at night) or book a dog kennel (they are limited and close to each other in a small room). 

I chose to let my dog stay in the car for the 4-hour ferry trip. 

My main concern was that it was during the night (10:15 PM to 2 AM) and that he is usually very sleepy during the night. I also didn’t want to stress him to stay in a kennel because he isn’t used to that. The car was a familiar environment for him. 

I also feared that the car deck would feel cold for him, but when I got back, he was really hot and was thirsty. 

He was ok, and there was a visiting time (passengers aren’t allowed in the car during the trip), and the time for visiting dogs in cars is displayed at reception, but I missed it (and I also didn’t want to alarm my dog to leave him after seeing him for 10 min). 

He was ok for the entire trip, although it was a bit wobbly at some point, and people were feeling a bit sick (but nothing too bad). 

Mainland Norway to Lofoten ferry (4 hours, daytime)

The ferry company operating around Lofoten is Torghatten. Check the website for exact routes, timetables and dog-friendly ferries.

Overall, they are very relaxed and allow dogs inside, on the main deck, but not in the cafe area. It really depends on the route. 

I took the route Skutvik to Svolvaer (summer route only, up to September). It was free, and our dog relaxed inside while watching the rainy weather outside. That was a brutal introduction to Norwegian weather, but he got used to it after a few days. 

Denmark to Germany Ferry (2 hours, daytime)

I took the ferry from Sweden to Germany (Rødby to Puttgarden using Scandlines ferry). 

They are also very relaxed with dogs on board. Dogs are allowed on board in all areas (inside and outside), but not in the restaurant area. 

Many travellers had accompanying dogs, so it was one big happy dog-friendly ferry. 

We relaxed on the sun deck because the weather was great. 

Finding Dog-Friendly Accommodation in Europe

Finding nice hotels that would accept dogs was stressful for me. Or at least, that’s what I was feeling in the beginning. 

But after leaving Romania, I realised that most European cities are more dog-friendly than I initially thought. 

I found many dog-friendly hotels that have a great rating, a great location and offer parking. Sure, all these services are extra, but you have to pay for the convenience. 

• Booking filters: I used Booking and Airbnb for all the accommodations during this trip. I would always put the “travelling with a pet” filter. To make sure I booked a place that accepts pets, I would always send a message after booking to confirm they accept pets and what to ask about the pet fee.
  
• Extra fees: Most hotels that accept dogs ask for a pet fee. Most dog fees are around 10 Euros ( in 2025), but can be up to 30 Euros (Denmark hotel).
  
• Cities vs rural stays: Cities are more stressful and almost always require paying a dog fee. My stress when staying in cities was about other dogs around, always paying attention to the dirty environment and other people on the street that might not see my dog (because he is so small).
  
• Campsites vs apartments: I have a normal car, so when I stayed in campsites, I stayed at a bungalow, not a tent or camper. Usually, campgrounds are more dog-friendly, and people are more understanding of the dog’s behaviour. 
• Norway vs France comparison: France is much more dog-friendly. That’s mostly a cultural perspective; with regard to dog behaviour, they don’t complain if your dog barks or exhibits dog-like behaviour.  In Norway, dogs are often taken to behaviour therapy and trained not to bark or engage with other dogs (they are weird). Norwegians are nice people, but in tourist areas, they low-key dislike foreigners travelling with their dogs, especially if the dog isn’t on a leash or it makes any noise. 
• Denmark summer restrictions: Denmark is very strict about dogs, and they are not allowed in shops or restaurants, like they are allowed in France or Germany. Hotels also have a much higher dog fee.

Going to the Vet in Europe

Our dog had a mild eye infection (conjunctivitis), and he needed some eye drops with an antibiotic. 

In Europe, no antibiotic can be bought from a pharmacy without a prescription, so we needed to go to a vet to get it. 

And also, in most places, like France, Germany and all over more civilised parts of Europe, you need an appointment to visit a doctor. 

So we got a doctor’s appointment (luckily, the next day), and I bought the necessary medicine from them. 

My dog is really allergic and often has issues with his eyes and ears. Unfortunately, I didn’t bring any medicine from back home, where it is much cheaper to buy and you don’t need a vet appointment (we live in Romania). 

The vet consultation, with the eye antibiotic, eye drops for daily use, and ear drops for yeast infection, was about 165 Euros. The same thing would have been less than half in Romania.

This is exactly why I now always travel with SafetyWing travel insurance. Unexpected vet costs abroad are real and expensive.

If you’re visiting multiple countries, know that some countries are cheaper than others when it comes to vet care. 

This is your reminder to bring with you any medicine your dog takes (even occasionally). 

In Europe, you’ll need a vet appointment and consultation to get any of that. And appointments are rarely the following day (we got lucky). 

On my second long trip with my dog, on my way to the UK, we stopped in Bruges for the tapeworm treatment before crossing the English Channel using the Eurotunnel.

So if you’re looking for another stop, then Ghent in Belgium is one of the most dog-friendly cities I’ve encountered in Western Europe — cafés, terraces and streets are all very welcoming. Read my Ghent vs Bruges comparison for a full breakdown of both cities with a dog.

The Hard Parts of Travelling With a Dog

Travelling with a dog isn’t about where to stay or activities to do together. 

Dogs are very adaptable. If my 12-year-old bichon could hike in Lofoten, I’m sure most dogs can handle it. 

But the hardest part for me (and for my partner) was the constant supervision that our dog demanded. He is usually very obedient and not an inconvenience, but he will always eat anything he finds. 

If there is food on the ground in the woods, if I drop something or if he finds something in the car, he will eat it. Unfortunately, a lot of the foods we eat are poisonous to our dogs. 

Food poisoning 

We had multiple incidents during this trip, but the worst one was after crossing back to Germany from Denmark. I had bought multiple chocolates to bring back home, and then left him in the car to go to a shop. 

He had his seatbelt on, but somehow managed to open it and then searched through the bags in the car and found the chocolate bag. He opened one chocolate (he ripped open the packaging) and ate over 100g of chocolate. That’s a very dangerous amount for a 7 kg dog. He had done similar things before, but he had never eaten that much before. 

When I got back, he was already feeling sick and very thirsty. I gave him some charcoal (always have some with you). It was a real struggle to make him swallow 2 charcoal pills.

We later drove into a larger city, parked the car, and let him walk, throw up, drink water, and relax a bit. We monitored his state and searched for an emergency clinic. Of course, it was the weekend, and most vet offices were closed in Germany. 

He was sick for a few hours, but he was lucky to recover without further intervention. 

This was a truly painful moment for us, because we are always taking care of food and especially dangerous foods for him, but didn’t expect this to happen. 

I guess that he has plenty of life experience and knows how to open or unwrap things by now. He has a long and entertaining history of doing that, but seeing him this affected was painful. 

I think dog owners should always be aware of their dog’s personality and remember that they stop following rules when you are not around. 

Adjusting itinerary

Unlike my other European road trips, I had to prioritise my dog’s wellbeing, and that meant not driving for such long hours. That meant booking more hotels, spending more money on hotels (and the dog fee, which adds up). 

My dog also dislikes rainy days, and that meant more indoor time during the rainy days (and less exploring). 

Heat can also be an issue during summer in Europe, but I also can’t stand sweating. That’s why I chose the northern French coastline, Germany, Denmark and Norway to spend the summer. Heat was never an issue for us. 

Overall, it was not as limited as I initially believed, but that’s because I created realistic expectations for this trip. I know I wasn’t going to visit museums, stay too much in cities, and focus mostly on nature walks and hikes. 

In a sense, you can’t be really spontaneous when travelling with a dog, especially if it involves longer distances or cities. You won’t be able to go bar crawling or check out the top restaurants in a city. 

But if hiking is your idea of spontaneous, then there’s no issue if you’re taking your dog along. 

Is Europe Dog-Friendly? My Honest Opinion

France: the most naturally dog-friendly

In general, put a filter for “travelling with a pet” when searching for accommodation on Booking or Airbnb. Not all hosts welcome pets, but a lot of them do. 

Lille was the first major city we visited in France, and we loved it. Extremely dog-friendly. I even wrote a guide of things to do in Lille, France.

We did a lot of exploring around, went to the cliffs around to do the hikes, used the car to do road trips and discover nearby cities, including Le Treport, Eu, Rouen, and Amiens, and there are many other towns and castles around to be discovered. 

Overall, we enjoyed this coastal lifestyle a lot; our dog enjoyed it too, and we found that many locals and tourists around here own a dog. 

This is when I realised France is truly a dog-friendly country. It was in Mers-les-Bains that I realised that travelling with a dog stopped feeling like a challenge and became a lifestyle.

Germany: easy and organised

Germany made me relax a bit because a lot of places are dog-friendly. In fact, it seemed that locals were surprised when I asked things like “Are we allowed with a dog?”

Our first stop in Germany was in Regensburg. My dog seemed very tired after those few days of driving and visiting, so we left him to sleep while we visited the town’s centre. 

I hung the dog sign on the door and asked the receptionist to call me in case he heard anything. Luckily, he was asleep the entire time I was exploring. 

I also stayed for 2 nights in Cologne, because we wanted to explore the city and rest a bit after driving for 4 days and changing hotels every night. 

Our dog was ok for a few hours in the hotel room while we visited the centre of Cologne and the Ludwig Museum. 

The next day, we booked a KD cruise on the Rhein, where dogs are allowed. You have to book in advance as they sell out fast during the summer. 

In Germany, Small dogs in a container/bag travel for free. Larger dogs require a child’s ticket or a reduced-fare ticket. Dogs must be on a leash and have a muzzle (if not in a bag/container). 

Then we also stayed for a week in Wilhelmshaven. 

This stay was mostly a break from visiting, and our week in Wilhelmshaven was mostly used for work and other logistical things, like a visit to the vet.

The next stop was in Hamburg. 

Again, Hamburg is a dog-friendly city, although it is crowded, and some dogs might not like that. But that is the case with all big cities. 

I was impressed by how friendly the hotels are in Germany, as I saw an older couple with 3 large dogs walking inside the hotel. 

Denmark: good for nature, stricter in daily life

After Germany, the next stop was Denmark for 2 weeks, which was mostly for work. 

It was a rainy summer in Denmark, and our dog was not too comfortable out in the rain, so we avoided unnecessary walks. 

But overall, Aarhus and Denmark in general are walkable and dog-friendly in less crowded places. However, unlike Germany and France, Denmark doesn’t allow dogs inside stores or restaurants. 

I wouldn’t necessarily visit a Danish city extensively with a dog, but I’d love to come back to the Jutland peninsula and properly explore the coastline. 

Some parts are closed to dogs during summer, and they have strict rules (like keeping your dog on a leash at all times), but I see this part of Europe as far less crowded and more enjoyable than many other coastlines during summer. 

We also stayed in a hotel for a night, and that was the most expensive pet fee that I paid during this entire trip (about 30 Euros in a 4-star hotel). 

Norway: amazing outdoors, stricter socially

Norway is dog-friendly, especially in nature spots. 

Because I had made several road trips all around Norway before (including a trip to the North Cape), I didn’t make many visiting stops until Lofoten (which was the main destination of the trip). 

For 5 days, we drove from south to north, and each night we stopped at campsites and slept in bungalows. Most of them allow dogs and only charge a small fee for the pet. Some allow dogs to stay for free. 

Note that all these bungalows and campsites are popular during summer and often booked months in advance. I made this itinerary to get to Lofoten and booked all the campsites about 1 month in advance.

We stayed for 1 month in Lofoten and got really lucky with the weather. We had over 2 weeks of sunny days, and we were able to explore most of Lofoten with our dog. 

Dogs should be kept on a lead on trails, and make sure they don’t bother others.

Our Airbnb hosts in Lofoten complained when we left our dog at home for a few hours (twice). They claimed he barks a lot and disturbs the neighbours. I don’t count that as a dog-friendly environment, but I didn’t know this back then, and I blamed myself and my dog for it.

After asking some local expats about it and researching online, it appears that Norwegians are very fond of their quiet time and are disturbed by outside noise in their homes. 

And they also seem to have foreigners who don’t attend to their dogs and hike without a leash and stuff like that. 

And the most disturbing fact I’ve read is that Norwegians take their dogs to behaviour therapy to make their dogs as quiet as possible. It seems to be a real issue there. But I see it as a cultural and social difference (of which Scandinavians have a lot). 

UK: One of the most dog-friendly countries in Europe

As I continue travelling with my dog all across Europe, I am starting to notice how some countries are more dog-friendly than others.

And I feel that I haven’t done any justice to my list of dog-friendly countries in Europe, as I had not added the UK… until now.

After my initial long 4-month road trip, I enrolled in another super long road trip from Romania to the UK. Again with my dog.

And I found that wherever I go here, locals simply love dogs, always stop for a quick chat with my dog (and ignore my partner or me), and hotels offer multiple dog-welcoming packages, with cafes in touristy locations serving lots of different dog ice creams.

If anything, locals are furious when dogs aren’t allowed in some castle (they are mostly in ruins anyway) or any other kind of venue.

I visited and drove extensively in Wales and Scotland in the UK, and all places were extremely dog-friendly. For instance, Barafundle Bay in Pembrokeshire, Wales, is one of the best dog-friendly beaches in the UK. Dogs are welcome year-round, with no seasonal restrictions. Full guide here.

Best country in Europe to travel with a dog?

Based on my trips, France and the UK felt like the easiest and most relaxed countries to travel with a dog.

Germany was the most straightforward.

Denmark was more restrictive.

Norway was excellent for nature, but less forgiving when it came to dog behaviour in shared accommodation.

Would I Do It Again?

Yes, I would do it again. 

Although I have not made any plans for the summer (at the moment of writing), I’m not even considering not taking him along for my next European trip. 

In fact, I’m already planning the next one. This time, driving all the way from Romania to the UK with Ador. Follow the full route here – Driving from Romania to the UK with a dog.

It’s important to know from the start what kind of trip you want to plan and at least have a vague idea of the places you want to visit. 

It’s not that your dog can’t adapt to the situation, but it’s more about making sure your dog is comfortable during the trip and not stressed. 

If there is one thing I would change, it is to take more medicine with me. He has small issues with allergies that sometimes flare up. Having that medicine would exempt us from the hassle of visiting the vet and spending extra money. 

I think it would be harder for someone with a younger dog or multiple dogs. But if you love them and care for them, I’m sure you will find a way to take them along. 

Travelling in Europe with your car is the easiest way to travel with a dog, but many travellers use public transport, and that’s definitely a possibility. You just need more organisation.