Great places to bring your dog in Marbella
Photo by Artturi Jalli @ Unsplash
Marbella is the heart of Andalucía and a great place to bring your dog, especially from October to May when the temperatures have dropped a couple of notches. Read about our choices of dog friendly places right here… and we will add more along the way. Enjoy!
1.El Corte Ingles:
In the massive shopping mall in Puerto Banus, you are allowed to bring small dogs (or cats) if they can fit in a dog-carry-bag. The mall is airconditioned, not hectic and there are plenty of parking spaces, unless you go during Christmas, and therefore a great place to go if you need a little getting-out-of-the-house during the daytime.
2. Beauty salons:
Believe it or not, most nail salons and hairdressers’ welcomes dogs of all sizes and they love when you bring your plus one. Here are a few places where you can bring your dog, but always ask when you book you appointment as their policy can change from time to time: Milk & Roses, Glow and Narybu.
3. Beaches:
During summertime the beaches are busy, and the temperatures are high for our coated kids, but from October to May, the beaches are amazing for playtime, socializing, swims and a looooong run.
4. Restaurants:
Almost any Marbella restaurant welcomes dogs to their outdoor seating, and some restaurants just take dog-friendly vibe to the next level. They LOVE dogs and treat them like any other guests. Here are just a few: ZoZoi, Keto Royal, Organic Market, Boho Club and Besaya Beach Restaurant.
5. Mountain hike:
La Concha and it’s one of the most beautiful hikes in the areas of Marbella and a great day trip in nature, yet there are a couple of spots that can challenge your vertigo, so be careful. Hiking season is from mid-September to mid-May and it’s allowed to hike with dogs - BUT avoid bringing you dog from January to May. The trail goes through a large pine forest and the processionary caterpillars are out. They can be fatal for your dog, so you don’t want to risk it. There is also a short stretch where you need to walk on a narrow shelf on the vertical wall only holding on to a rope. A small part of this shelf is “missing” meaning you must be careful with your dog and keep her on a leash. I don’t recommend doing this part with dogs that are not trained well, so you or the dog don’t lose control on the sketchy part.
La Concha hike starts by Refugio de Juanar. You can easily get there by car from Marbella and there is easy access from the A7 from both up and down the coast. Following the signs to Ojén up a winding mountain road, past the village, and turn to the left where you see the signs to Refugio de Juanar. On the weekends, the parking spots fill up quickly, so make sure you get there early, or alternative go during the weekdays. Hiking La Concha is a good day hike and large parts of it are highly exposed to the sun and further, there are no natural water sources along this hike, so make sure you bring enough water. Even on a winter day, the sun gets hardcore so make sure to bring water, sunscreen, hiking boots, leash, snacks, camera, and a hat.