Bergamo

The monumental square at the heart of Città Alta, framed by the Palazzo della Ragione and the Campanone bell tower. Leashed dogs are welcome throughout the piazza and the connecting Piazza del Duomo. Café terraces around the square almost all accept dogs.

The 16th-century Venetian walls, UNESCO-listed in 2017, form a 6 km panoramic loop around Città Alta. Leashed dogs are welcome along the entire route, with regular water fountains and continuous views over the Po Valley.

A 4,700-hectare protected regional park north of Bergamo, with dozens of marked trails, oak woodland, water points, and the Valmarina visitor centre. Dogs are welcome, on leash on trails and free in the wooded areas away from livestock.

The funicular that climbs from Città Alta to the panoramic San Vigilio hill (496 m) in two minutes. Small dogs in a carrier travel free; larger dogs with leash and muzzle pay a passenger fare. At the top, the Parco dei Colli trails open onto the plain.

Bergamo's finest art museum, with works by Mantegna, Botticelli, Raphael and Lotto. Standard Italian policy: small dogs in carriers admitted, larger dogs not allowed. The surrounding Borgo Pignolo quarter is very dog-friendly for a break.

Bergamo's closest lake escape, 30 minutes east by train or car. The Navigazione Lago d'Iseo ferries accept leashed, muzzled dogs free of charge between Sulzano and Monte Isola, Europe's largest lake island, entirely car-free.