Abby at the Adriatic Sea

I had this idea that Croatia wouldn't be very pet-friendly but, in fact, it turned out to be one of the most dog-friendly countries we've visited in Europe.  Nearly every household has one or two dogs, dogs are allowed most places (even in some malls), and there are tons of great pet-friendly parks around Croatia.  Here's a quick primer to the dog-friendly Istrian peninsula:

Dogs/Pets Entering Croatia

Croatia is not part of the EU but Croatia follows the European Union/UK Pet Passport scheme.  If you have an EU pet passport, you won't have any trouble entering Croatia.  The Croatian immigration folks didn't even look at their pet passports when we crossed over!

Plitvice National Park

Chewy and Abby at Plitvice National Park

The beautiful waterfalls and lakes of Plitvice National Park , Croatia's biggest attraction, is also dog-friendly!  Dogs are allowed on leash throughout the amazing and expansive park though please note that many of the trails are quite narrow so keep a close eye on the dogs, especially during high tourist season when the park will be packed with people.

Pula Amphitheatre

Abby and Chewy at Pula Amphitheatre

Istria's most famous attraction, the huge and well-preserved Roman amphitheatre at Pula, is also dog-friendly!  Dogs are allowed inside the amphitheatre and outside and it's a great place to get pictures of your dog at a Roman ruin.  Dogs are not allowed inside the museum area below the amphitheatre.

Park near Adriatic Sea, Pula

Park near Adriatic Sea, Pula

Right near the Adriatic Sea in Pula, there is a five mile long wooded park with beautiful views onto the ocean.  It's a great place to walk dogs and we often saw joggers enjoying themselves, as well.  In the summer, it would be a wonderful place to let the dogs enjoy the beach.