A Pet-Friendly View of Vienna
If you’re looking for a destination where your pet can tag along, then maybe it’s time to consider Vienna, Austria’s bustling capital city. Vienna offers something for travellers of all types and its baroque streetscapes will have you snapping photos at every corner.
Pet-Friendly Accommodations in Vienna
The city offers a range of pet-friendly options so that you can stay within budget or choose to indulge in a little luxury. We enjoyed a few days in one of grätzlhotel Vienna’s pet-friendly suites which was perfect since the room provided Reinhardt with plenty of exploration space and windows where he could sit and watch locals going about their day. The room was also convenient for preparing Reinhardt’s food as it came with a small kitchenette!
If you choose to set camp outside of the city centre like we did, you shouldn’t have too much of an issue sightseeing as Vienna’s public transportation system covers a large area. There are tons of options, so you may wish to locate an accommodation that’s close to a pet-friendly park or pet store for convenience.
Navigating Vienna with a Pet
When it comes to getting around the city, Vienna’s transportation systems welcome pets to ride free while inside carriers. Whether it’s a train, tram, bus, or taxi, it’s pretty convenient to get around with a pet. It is also expected that leashed dogs wear muzzles when riding public transportation. While I didn’t see any other cats while riding the trams and metro, I did notice many people were excited to see Reinhardt snoozing away in his bag. When taking a taxi or Uber, it’s best policy to inform the drivers ahead of time that you have a pet, although this is mostly just to avoid having a driver turn you away due to allergies that they may have.
If you’re looking to get some photos of your pet in the city, I’d recommend checking out the area around the Vienna State Opera as there are several impressive buildings in the area, arched walkways, and even elevated vantage points. I also really enjoyed walking around Mariahilfer Straße and would recommend checking out Raimundhof Wien Einkaufspassage and some of the cafes or breakfast spots that are around that area.
All over the city it was common to see people walking their dogs, and I was particularly thrilled to see that many of the smaller dogs were adorned in cute sweaters to help combat the chilly weather. Even better, pets were allowed in many indoor spaces like restaurants, bars, cafes, and shopping malls. Vienna is great with signage, and so you can quickly determine if a pet is allowed inside or not based on the signs posted outside the establishment. Of course, if you’re unsure, you can always ask store workers as we found everyone to be super friendly and even excited to see pets.
I also discovered that pets were allowed to explore the Christmas markets all around town despite some markets being situated in areas where pets are not typically accepted. While I’m not sure of the exact rules here, we typically followed the lead of the locals and no one seemed to mind at all. It’s highly recommended that your pet be socialized and comfortable in crowded areas if you plan to visit the Christmas markets as they tend to be busy at all times of day, especially at night after typical working hours.
Interestingly, there are some unusual restrictions to where pets are allowed within Vienna, particularly when it comes to areas of historical significance and green spaces. Many of the main palaces and gardens within Vienna are actually restricted to animals in hopes of preserving the areas, but there are still many parks that have been designated as pet-friendly spaces, and you can search for the many Hundezones (dog zones) throughout the city.
