Lorraine Williamson
Taking your dog on holiday in Spain can be wonderfully straightforward — if you understand where the rules are national, and where they are local. Paperwork is the first hurdle. After that, it becomes about comfort: heat, rest stops, and knowing that beaches and public spaces often depend on the town, not the country.
This guide covers both realities: people holidaying within Spain, and those travelling from the UK or Ireland, especially by car.
The baseline Spain expects, wherever you come from
Spain’s entry rules for dogs (and also cats and ferrets) are built around identification and rabies control. Your dog must be microchipped and have a valid rabies vaccination. If it is a first rabies vaccination, Spain is explicit that it only counts as valid once at least 21 days have passed after the jab.
If you are travelling within the EU, the standard document is the EU pet passport. Furthermore, if you are coming from the UK, the document you will usually need is an Animal Health Certificate (AHC).
Coming from the UK: the AHC timing that matters
Post-Brexit travel catches people out because the AHC runs on a clock. The UK government guidance states the certificate is valid for 10 days for entry into the EU, and then 4 months for onward travel within the EU (and also 4 months for re-entry to Great Britain) as long as rabies cover remains valid.
In practice, that means you book your vet appointment close enough to departure to keep the certificate valid, but not so late that you are scrambling on travel day.
Coming from Ireland: Spain entry is usually simpler than the return
For Ireland–Spain travel, you are typically operating under EU pet travel rules (passport, microchip, rabies). The key detail for many Irish travellers is the return leg. Ireland requires dogs entering from non-EU countries to have tapeworm treatment, recorded by a vet, and the rules are time-sensitive.
The return journey: tapeworm rules are the one that derails trips
If you are returning to Great Britain, the UK requires tapeworm treatment for dogs in many cases within a strict window: no less than 24 hours and no more than 5 days (120 hours) before you enter Great Britain.
The UK also explains a practical workaround for short trips: if you will be back within five days, your vet can treat your dog before you leave, as long as you re-enter after 24 hours and within 120 hours of the treatment.
For Ireland, the official pet travel site sets out the same 24–120 hour approach and specifies the treatment requirements.
Driving to Spain with a dog: what makes it easy rather than exhausting
A road trip is often the most dog-friendly way to do Spain. You control breaks and temperature, and you are not battling airline policies. The biggest upgrade is planning shorter legs than you would do alone, and travelling early or late once the weather warms up.
If you do only one thing, make it this: schedule the tapeworm appointment as a fixed point in your final days. It is the most common reason people end up stressed at the border.
Dog parks, picnic areas and BBQ zones: the Spain-wide “hack”
If beaches feel complicated and terraces feel uncertain, Spain has a quieter answer: municipal dog infrastructure.
Across the country, you will find fenced dog parks labelled parque canino or área de esparcimiento canino. You will also see council-run recreation and picnic areas — áreas recreativas and merenderos — that are designed for families and day-trippers. For dog owners, these places are often ideal: shade, space, and a stop that works even when the beach rules do not.
Where BBQ installations exist, they are typically fixed structures and heavily regulated, especially during wildfire season. Treat BBQ plans as conditional, and always follow signage and local rules on the day. (Rules can tighten quickly in hot, dry or windy conditions.)
Getting around Spain once you arrive: trains are possible, but check the service
If your holiday includes train travel, Renfe’s pet rules vary by service and ticket type. In general, small pets in carriers are permitted on many routes, and Renfe has also introduced options for larger dogs on certain high-speed services under specific conditions and capacity limits. Check your exact train before you book, because “pet-friendly” is not uniform across all services.
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Beaches and restaurants: what to expect without false promises
Spain is dog-friendly in spirit, but local in regulation. Some municipalities have designated dog beaches. Others only allow dogs off-season or at specific hours. Restaurants can be wonderfully relaxed on terraces, especially outside peak summer weeks, but policies vary by venue and by how busy they are.
The safest approach is to plan around three dependable anchors: a dog park, a coastal or countryside walk, and accommodation that states pet-friendliness clearly (including size limits where relevant).
Marbella snapshot: how a dog-friendly town makes travel easier
Marbella is a useful example of how this works in practice. It has dog parks, a designated dog beach zone at Playa Canina Ventura del Mar, and a large recreation area at Parque de Nagüeles that many residents use for shaded walks. Within the park´s BBQ area is a closed off section for those wanting to enjoy a BBQ and invite their four-legged friends.
It is also a good reminder that “BBQ day” rules can be seasonal. Marbella’s council rules state fires are permitted only in the fixed BBQ installations at Nagüeles and Los Tres Jardines, and only during the permitted season (they specify 15 October to 1 June).
Quick checklist you can screenshot before you go
Make sure you can answer these five questions before departure:
Is the rabies vaccine valid — and if it is the first one, has the 21-day wait passed?
If travelling from the UK, is the AHC within the 10-day EU entry window?
If returning to GB or Ireland, is tapeworm treatment booked within 24–120 hours of arrival?
Do you have at least one dog park or recreation area bookmarked for your first stop?
Have you checked the beach rules for your destination municipality?
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