Dog-Friendly Attractions in Spa

The town's flagship modern baths sit on the hillside above the centre, reached by a panoramic funicular that is a small attraction in itself. This is the direct heir of the mineral-water tradition that made Spa famous and lent its name to spas worldwide. Dogs cannot enter the baths, pools, wellness areas or restaurant, so this is a stop for one of the party while the other minds the dog, ideally combined with a forest walk.

The town's most famous mineral spring, housed since 1880 in an ornate pavilion in the centre that also holds the tourist office. It is named for Tsar Peter the Great, who took the waters here, and is a cornerstone of Spa's UNESCO heritage. The building interior and tourist office may accept a calm leashed dog at staff discretion; the square and gallery-lined streets outside are an easy leashed wander whatever the answer.

The highest point in Belgium at 694 metres, the Signal de Botrange crowns the Hautes Fagnes plateau above Spa, a windswept nature reserve of peat bog, heather and boardwalk trails. It is the great outdoor attraction of the area for a dog, with an extensive network of marked paths. Dogs must be leashed and are banned from the signposted core zones, so start from the Botrange nature centre and follow the permitted duckboard routes.