Practical info for website 'The Basque Country with a dog'
After an intense day exploring around cities and towns of the Basque Country, your dog will thank you if you look for moments and spaces where it can run free and play with other dogs. To do so, different municipalities have defined and prepared a series of fenced-off spaces for them to run and play.
On this page you'll find the main dog recreation areas (or txakurgunes as they are called here) and beaches on which your dog can run freely.
Remember that in the case of journeys with dog breeds catalogued as potentially dangerous, in general, access to these areas is restricted for them
Bilbao City Hall has prepared recreation areas for dogs in parks, signposted and with established timetables, in which dogs can run free (without a lead) keeping in mind the following criteria:
Winter (from November to May): from 19:00 to 11:00.
Summer (from June to October): from 20:00 to 11:00.
Parks in Bilbao containing recreation areas for dogs are:
Dogs can run free in the following peri-urban parks between 18:00 and 12:00:
Likewise, there are established recreation areas in all neighbourhoods. You can find details of all areas on this map.
If you dog belongs to one of the breeds considered potentially dangerous, you should never let it loose or go without a muzzle.
In these recreations areas, you must also control your dog and collect its excrement.
Throughout the rest of the city, you must always keep your dog on a lead.
Dogs, except those catalogued as potentially dangerous, which must always be kept on a lead, can be set free only in green areas, with the exception of:
The autonomous community and municipal legislation in the Basque Country prohibits access to beaches in bathing seasons/schedules, but you can enjoy long walks with your dog during the rest of the year or at night in summer on the following beaches. Consult the beach panels to see whether dogs are allowed to run free or must be kept on a lead.
This map shows the different beaches allowing access with dogs at some point of the year, together with its policy and a link to more information about the beach and its regulations:
From 16 September to 14 June:
From 1 October to 31 May:
From 1 October to 30 April:
From 13 October to the beginning of Easter Week:
From 15 October to the beginning of Easter Week:
From 1 November to 30 April:
From 1 October to 30 April from 18:00 to 11:00:
From 1 October to 31 May from 22:00 to 09:00:
You can go on the following beaches during bathing season with your dog as long as it is on a lead and you heed the restrictions regarding dates and times shown.
From Easter Week to 1 October. From 21:00 to 06:00:
From Easter Week to 12 October from 21:00 to 06:00:
From Easter Week to 14 October from 21:00 to 06:00:
From 1 June to 30 September from 20:00 to 9:30am:
From 1 June to 30 September from 20:00 to 11:00:
You can see more practical information by clicking here.