A lot of guests want to spend a peaceful holiday with their pets (dogs, rabbits, cats, birds...).
Pets are welcome and free of charge in Villa Europa: we love them and we do our best to make their/your staying as comfortable as possible.
Not all our accommodations are suitable for pets, therefore it’s important to plan your holidays in time and book your apartment to guarantee the best accommodation for you and your best friend.
It is:
- REQUIRED to tell us about your pet (even if it is little), when you book your apartment. If not, the management could even decide not to rent the accommodation and the agreed amount will be requested anyway. Based on your information and the availability of the apartments, we will suggest the best accommodation for you.
In Villa Europa each apartment has its own outdoor area, but not fenced: the ground floor apartments have a small garden surrounded by hedges, the ones on the first floor instead have a private terrace. Large dogs are welcomed in a small indipendent villa (apartment S), equipped with a small wooden fence with dedicated water point and a large gazebo. - NECESSARY TO CLEAN if your pet dirties. The distance from busy streets provides you the opportunity to walk with your friend in peace; pets have free access to all open spaces of our residence (outdoor area with tables, barbecue and pizza oven, garden with trees and sun terrace), but always within the rules of a correct coexistence between human and animal guests.
- OBLIGATORY to keep dogs on a leash (even if they are little) in the common areas of the villa (garden, meeting room, playground...): please always remember that some people may be frightened of pets. The residence is completely surrounded by nature and has common areas of free access to animals. We have set up a pet area, dedicated to dogs und useful to let them run and socialize. This area is closed by a gate but not fenced; for this reason owners will have to watch for the safety of their pets and other guests. Little bags are provided with the invitation to keep the area as clean as you would like to find it.
- FORBIDDEN to leave dogs alone in the apartment both day and night. If you want to make your pet happy, take him for a walk every day: there are many opportunities and on the way back you can dive with him into the sea, maybe at sunset, or refresh him at the water point dedicated to pets in Villa Europa.
- REQUESTED to make sure your pet do not disturb the neighbours!
- RECOMMENDED not to leave cats/rabbits free in the garden for their safety: they can meet other wild non-spayed and unvaccinated animals.
Elba Island is "Pet friendly"
Beaches and regulations
On the Island of Elba, as well as in Tuscany, the regional law 59/2009 provides for free access of pets in all public places and most of Elba’s towns welcomed this legislation.
On the beach, pets have free access and even Morcone, near Villa Europa, is a "pet friendly" beach; during certain hours dogs are also allowed for a refreshing bath in the sea (in the morning before 9.00 am and in the evening after 7.00 pm). However, we recommend protecting your pet with a large umbrella and always providing him with a bowl of fresh water. Dogs are not allowed only in areas equipped for particular purposes, such as children's play areas.
There are no particular limitations even for other beaches, with the only exceptions of the Rio nell'Elba and Porto Azzurro, which however have reserved special spaces for dogs, especially the Dog Beach in Mola, Porto Azzurro.
Activities and services for animals
Near Villa Europa you can have lunch or dinner in one of the dog friendly restaurants on the beach or you can live a free day with your dog. Starting from the residence it is possible to go for walks or trekking without taking the car.
Capoliveri is only 2 km away and it is possible to reach it through a shortcut in the hills; there you will find bars, restaurants and pizzerias and in some little streets dog bowls will be available for your pet to drink from. Some kilometres more and you will reach Porto Azzurro, lovely town if you want to take a walk in the evening. And then other six towns are waiting for you to show you their alley, squares and beaches, one different from the other.
In the common area of Villa Europa you will find ideas and suggestions to know the Island of Elba in all its features and not only as tourists: wonderful naturalistic and historical trips you can make with your pet and that can take few hours or the whole day. At last in Villa Europa you will find all the information concerning vets and pets stores located in Portoferraio.
Regional law 59-2009
In 2009 the Region Tuscany has decided to protect the animals with a special regional law that disciplines the behaviors to hold if we are together with pets: the law 59/2009. It is by very detailed 43 articles. The article 19 controls the access of the dogs taken in public areas, included the beaches. Thanks to this law many tourists have decided to spend their holidays in Tuscany and on the island of Elba: the article 19 allows in fact to all the owners of dogs to bring the animals on the beach with the only obligation of the use of the leash and. The alone access is forbidden in areas dedicated to children, or in places destined to particular purposes.
The single cities can decide better for the use of the areas destined to exclusive use to the dogs, where they can race and play free, without leash and muzzle, under the overseeing of the responsible person, without damaging the plants or the present structures. In the law there is a part related to the obligations of the owner who has to make sure to clean up the areas and that the dog doesn’t bring problems to people or things. In general who manages public places can decide if the access is allowed or denied for the animals. In presence of prohibition the manager will have to communicate it to the Comune where the pub/bar/restaurant is and to write the prohibition at the entry of the place.