Planning on a long vacation in Italy and don’t want to leave your pet behind for so long? Or maybe you simply can’t bear to travel for any length of time without your four-legged best friend? Well, with our pet-friendly villas in Italy, you don’t have to leave anyone behind! Of course, you’ll have your accommodation sorted for everyone in the family – even the furriest members – if you book one of these pet-friendly vacation rentals in Italy but this does beg the question... how do you all get there?
Travelling by land
If you are driving to Italy with your pet in tow, then EU rules make it pretty easy to do so. Those travelling to another EU country (the 27 EU countries + Norway and Northern Ireland) can enter with a dog, cat, or ferret from the EU or from an non-EU to an EU country if the following conditions are met:
1. The pet is been micro-chipped (in line with the technical requirements of Annex II of the EU Regulation on the movement of pets) or has a clearly readable tattoo if this was applied before 3 July 2011.
2. The pet has been vaccinated against rabies (visit this EU page on travelling with animals to see if this is a requirement for the non-EU country you are travelling from and to check any other specifics for the country you are coming from).
3. The pet has a valid European pet passport, when travelling from an EU country or Northern Ireland to another EU country or Northern Ireland or an EU animal health certificate, when travelling from a non-EU country (for more information on any of this, again, check the official page here).
Travellling by air
If you are flying into Italy with your pet, there are some other things that you should keep in mind.
1. Airlines will likely only transport cats or dogs.
2. These animals can travel in the hold or the cabin.
3. Space in both is limited so be sure to make a reservation for your pet as soon as possible after making your own flight booking to avoid disappointment.
4. If travelling in the cabin with you, only one pet can come.
5. Two or more can potentially travel with you if in the hold.
6. Most airlines will have specifications of the dimensions of the pet carrier you are permitted to bring on board and your pet will have to fit and stay in this.
7. There is also a maximum weight allowed for your pet and carrier combined.
8. Pets cannot be placed in the hold if you have a lengthy transfer time between flights.
9. Fees for bringing a pet will vary depending on policies of your departure and arrival airports.
10. For specifics about any of these sorts of policies, it is best to check on the website of the airline you are travelling with for their own rules.
11. You will also still need all of the same paperwork listed for land travel above.
Larger dogs can now fly in the cabin with you too!
As of June 2025, new regulations were brought in in Italy that will allow slightly bigger dogs to also be flown into the country with you in the cabin. Per the new rules, dogs over 10kg (or 22 pounds) can now be brought in the cabin as long as the combined weight of the pet and their carrier does not exceed the standard weight limit for passengers. Again, more specific details and availability will come down to the airlines themselves but this is big news for those who want to holiday in Italy with a larger dog but don’t want their pet to have to travel in the hold.
