Maggie in Venice

Croatia may not directly related to Maggie (or to Venice, for that matter), but we can't resist telling you about Doggycheckin.com, an attractive and easy-to-use Web site with the theme "We make it easier to travel to Croatia with the dog!"

Here's what the Croatian National Tourist Board has to say about Doggiecheckin.com:

"If dogs could speak, they would tell you that we are best friends and that we should never part. And best friends go on holiday together! Croatia is a country where both you and your dog are welcome, so pack your bags and take your dog to the Adriatic or Continental Croatia. Doggycheckin.com is the first website dedicated to tourists who come to Croatia with their dogs, and it is unique not only because you can find all the necessary information in one place, but also because it offers direct bookings in pet friendly hotels, through their partnership with Booking.com."

Doggiecheckin.com isn't just for bookings--it also has practical information about topics such as veterinarians, pet shops, groomers, dog-friendly parks and beaches, public transportation, and required travel documents.

To visit the site, go to:

Doggiecheckin.com

For general travel information about Croatia (which is just across the narrow Adriatic Sea from Venice), see: 

Croatia.hr (Croatia National Tourist Board)

Note: Venezia Lines operates a ferry service between Venice and Croatia. Pets are allowed, but with limitations: Cats must be in cages, and dogs must be no larger than 60 cm in length and 50 cm in height (measured from head to floor).

From the street, the Palazzo Abadessa (residenza d'epoca) looks like the perfect boutique hotel for dog owners: On the lintel above the entrance gate, a stone carving of a dog welcomes visitors, and the grassy courtyard is big enough for a game of fetch.

Unfortunately, the only dog allowed on the premises is the petrified pooch above the entrance. If you want to bring Fido or Fifi, you'll need to find another hotel.

Still, if you're visiting Venice without your cane, the four-star Palazzo Abadessa is worth considering. It's loaded with traditional Venetian spendour, has its own water entrance, and is located in a pleasant neighborhood within convenient walking distance of the Piazza San Marco and the Grand Canal.

For details, including a satellite map, see the Palazzo Abadessa (residenza d'epoca) page in our Venice Hotel Directions at Veniceforvisitors.com.

In Venice, dogs are welcome just about everywhere. They wander without leashes in the city's calli and campi, sit with their owners in restaurants and bars, enter most shops (except supermarkets, where they're usually tied up inside the entrance), and ride water buses and water taxis.

Many local dogs don't mind hopping in and out of traghetti, the gondola ferries that cross the Grand Canal. Here's a sequence that Cheryl photographed at the Campo del Traghetto in San Marco, where a boat was about to cross the Grand Canal to Dorsoduro:

ABOVE: A lady and her Dachshund approach the Traghetto Santa Maria del Giglio pier.

ABOVE: The Dachshund, seeing a paparazza, strikes a profile pose.

ABOVE: The lady and her dog board the waiting traghetto.

ABOVE: One of the oarsmen (in the white baseball cap) can't resist giving the Dachshund a pat.

ABOVE: The dog makes itself comfortable among the human passengers and their gear.

ABOVE: The Dachshund and its fellow passengers enjoy the short voyage to the opposite bank of the Grand Canal.

• Tip: For more information about riding traghetti in Venice (including prices), see our Venice Traghetto article at Veniceforvisitors.com.