Quick Guide: Dog Parks in Rome

When we were still in Finland, I spoiled Wauwa by taking him to dog parks every single day. Naturally, I was anxious about how he would react to just getting regular walks in Rome, but turns out the spoiling continues. There are plenty of gated dog parks here, many of which seem to always be full of furry friends. To be honest, essentially all green spaces in Rome are pet-friendly, so when visiting Villa Borghese or Villa Torlonia you can bring your pup along without fear of being scolded or denied entry (of course, this doesn't apply for the museums, only the parks and gardens). Most dogs are off-leash in parks, which I think is great (for obedient dogs). Unfortunately, my little monster has selective hearing so I can only let him off-leash in gated or very secluded areas. I've mainly explored dog parks in northern Rome because I live in the northeastern part of the city. I chose my neighborhood mainly because of it's proximity to natural reserves and parks (and the very affordable rent helped, too). I've gotta say, this was a good choice. I keep discovering new parks and Wauwa gets all the play time he needs! Here is a quick look at our favorite spots:

Parco delle Valli

This park is right next to the Conca d'Oro metro stop, so it's easy access from anywhere in the city. Once you enter the park, take a right and you'll see a gated area just for dogs. Every time that we've been to this park, there have been lots of other dogs to play with. Although dogs can be off-leash in the rest of the park too, for those who want their dog to be securely inside fences, this dog park is perfect. It is also much larger than most dog parks, so there's plenty of space to run. Needless to say, Wauwa always leaves here exhausted. Reminder: dogs in Italy are rarely neutered, so if you have a neutered boy, be prepared for a lot of attempted humping and confused people asking if your (male??) dog is in heat.

Villa Paganini

Another easily accessible park is Villa Paganini. I noticed this park on my commute to work, since it's on Via Nomentana. This is a well-kept, gated dog park right in the heart of Rome's embassy row. The area is beautiful, so I like to come here when I have a little extra time to walk around. Villa Torlonia is right across the street from this dog park, and I highly recommend popping in to walk around the gardens of the residence that Mussolini once inhabited. The museum and Casina delle Civette cannot be entered with dogs, though. Bonus: Gelato spot Guttilla is right next to the park AND has dog parking (yes, dog parking is a thing here and it's adorable).

Villa Ada

A little further up north is the HUGE park of Villa Ada. The giant stone pines and artificial lakes make a nice backdrop for some Frisbee or fetch with your pup. The atmosphere is lovely and you may even see horses trotting by every once in a while... or to the contrary you may see men with machine guns (part of the park is controlled by embassies), but don't worry, they won't shoot you. You get used to the armed guards around the city quite fast in Rome. The dog park of Villa Ada is on the western side. A good way to locate it, is to go toward the Finnish Embassy (here). This may not be a real dog park - more like a fenced area that has been overtaken by dog owners - so be aware that people come and go without always closing the gates. It is unlikely that your dog would run off when there are so many new smells and buddies inside the gates, but just a word of warning if you have an escape prone doggo.

Natural Reserve of the Aniene Valley

Not a dog park, but worth a mention. This natural reserve is by far Wauwa's favorite park. It is kind of an odd place, since it is in the city but feels like you are in the country. If you're a runner, this park has great running paths (some just a couple km and others much longer) and unless your dog loves swimming, (s)he is unlikely to run off, as the park is surrounded by a river and thick vegetation. The western side of the park has a large field where Wauwa loses his mind and runs around like a lunatic. I recently found out this field is also used by shepherds herding their sheep, which was a hilarious surprise (those of you who follow me on instagram probably got a good laugh out of my sheep posts). Well, not so hilarious when we were there after dark and two polar bear sized sheep dogs came charging from the darkness, but turns out they are sweethearts (just don't go too close to their sheep). Here is a video of us bumping into the sheep again.

Villa Borghese

Although the beautiful Villa Borghese is definitely worth a visit, there is no fenced in area for dogs. There is an open designated dog area, however. So if you have an obedient dog, this is a great place for them to run around and have some play time. One time I did have a little wiener dog try to follow me (well, Wauwa) home and ended up having to carry him back to his owner, so keep an eye out for wandering doggos. On the other side of the park is a viewpoint looking over Piazza del Popolo, which is definitely worth checking out! Make sure to come back without your pupper, too, to visit the Galleria Borghese.

These are just a few examples of great parks to visit with your dog in Rome. If you're in search of a dog park in your residential area, there are plenty of legitimate and not-so-legitimate dog parks around the city that you can find with a quick "area cani" search on google maps.

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