In short: Kaunas is an easy city to visit with a dog. All three MyKaunas stays accept pets, and Santaka, where the Nemunas and Neris rivers meet, is a short walk from the Old Town. A small, calm dog travelling with a couple fits Underground Kingdom Boutique; a bigger or older dog is better off at Old Town Pearl Suite with its lift; and if you want a balcony over the cobbles, pick Picturesque. In town dogs stay on the leash; they can run free in designated dog areas.
Travelling with a dog often stalls at the first question: where can you stay without the hosts frowning, and with somewhere to go at seven in the morning? Kaunas is lucky here. The Old Town is compact, the rivers are right there, and at the edges of the city there is an oak park and forest. Below is what to know before you go: which stay suits your dog, where to walk, which rules apply and what to pack.
Which stay suits your dog
All three MyKaunas stays are in the centre and accept pets, but each suits a different dog and a different trip. All three have self check-in, so arriving late means no time to arrange and no waiting on the doorstep with an impatient dog.
Small, calm dog and a couple: Underground Kingdom Boutique
Underground Kingdom Boutique is four private rooms in the brick vaults of a 1908 building, where Laisvės alėja meets Vilniaus street. One small-breed dog is welcome. The vaults are quiet: street noise, sirens and passing voices don't get in, which helps a sensitive dog that barks at every new sound settle down. Behind the thick masonry it stays cool even on a hot summer day. The rooms are reached by stairs, so a dog that dislikes steps will need carrying. Each room has its own shower and WC, and guests share a candlelit lounge.
Bigger or older dog, families: Old Town Pearl Suite
Old Town Pearl Suite is an 84 m² apartment in a building completed in 2024, about 250 m from Kaunas Castle. There is a lift, which matters more than it sounds for an elderly dog or one with sore joints: no climbing stairs several times a day. Two bedrooms, a living room with kitchen and a balcony looking over the centre and the river, with Santaka Park just a few minutes' walk away. Pets are welcome for an extra fee per stay.
Old Town rhythm and a balcony: Picturesque Old Town Apartment
Picturesque Old Town Apartment (M. Valančiaus g. 12) sits in the heart of the Old Town, about 300 m from Town Hall Square and 250 m from the castle. The morning dog walk starts at the front door: cobbled lanes to the castle, out to Santaka and back along the river. The balcony faces an Old Town street, so you can drink your morning coffee watching the city wake up while the dog dozes after its walk. With two bedrooms it also works for a family or two couples. Pets are welcome for an extra fee per stay.
Where to walk your dog in Kaunas
Santaka and the Nemunas riverside: the morning loop from the Old Town
Santaka Park begins behind Kaunas Castle: meadows and paths running out to the point where the Neris flows into the Nemunas. It is the nearest large green space to Picturesque and Old Town Pearl Suite, and early in the morning you'll meet plenty of locals with their dogs. From Santaka you can follow the Nemunas embankment past Vytautas the Great Church and over Vytautas the Great Bridge to the Aleksotas side. It is a park, so dogs stay on the leash.
Nemunas Island: wide paths by the water
Nemunas Island, home of Žalgirio Arena, is a favourite spot for walking, running and cycling. Dogs are allowed, but it gets busy, especially on warm weekends and before events at the arena, so keep the leash short.
Ąžuolynas: a long walk under the oaks
If your dog needs more than a lap of the block, head to Ąžuolynas in Žaliakalnis. This oak park of about 84 hectares, with centuries-old trees, offers long paths, gentle hills and plenty of shade. It is at its finest in autumn, when the leaves turn bronze. Ąžuolynas is a park too, so the leash stays on.
Kleboniškis Forest and the Kaunas Reservoir shore: when you want nature
If you came by car, it is worth escaping the centre for half a day. Kleboniškis Forest Park in the north of the city has woodland trails that locals run and walk all year round. On the other side of town, near Pažaislis Monastery, the shore of the Kaunas Reservoir opens up: a wide expanse of water and paths along the bank. In summer, remember that from 1 June to 1 September animals may not be bathed in bodies of water except at designated spots.
Where your dog can go off the leash
Dogs can run free in designated dog-walking areas. You'll find them, for example, in Dainava and Kalniečiai parks and in Vilijampolė by the Neris embankment, and Draugystė Park has a dog-training ground. All of them are in residential districts outside the Old Town, so driving there is easiest.
A day in Kaunas with your dog
Morning. A short loop through the Old Town while the streets are still empty: Town Hall Square, the castle, Santaka Park and back along the Nemunas. The dog has had its walk; you have a coffee in hand.
Midday. A longer walk in Ąžuolynas or, if you have a car, a trip to the Kaunas Reservoir or Kleboniškis Forest. Afterwards the dog will happily rest at your stay while you take in museums or the Kaunas modernism walk, where it would be bored anyway.
Evening. Laisvės alėja and Vilniaus street are pedestrian zones, so an evening stroll with the dog is relaxed, with no traffic alongside. The Old Town looks better lit up after dark than by day, and that evening walk is exactly why it is worth staying the night instead of driving home.
The rules you need to know
- Leash. Under the Kaunas city animal-keeping rules, dogs in public places must be on a leash, shortened to one metre when strangers are near.
- Muzzle. The same rules also require a muzzle in public walking areas; small ornamental breeds are exempt.
- No off-leash running in parks and squares, at mass events, by schools, kindergartens and healthcare facilities, or at playgrounds and sports grounds. Dogs may not be walked through children's sandpits.
- The ban sign. Where dog walking is prohibited, you may see a round sign with a white dog silhouette and a red diagonal line.
- Poo bags. Anyone walking a dog in public must carry the means to pick up after it and do so straight away.
Public transport with a dog
Since January 2026 dogs ride Kaunas public transport for free outside peak hours. The conditions: a leash no longer than half a metre, a muzzle (except for breeds that can't wear one) and a vaccination passport. On weekdays from 7 to 9 am and from 5 to 7 pm dogs are not allowed without a carrier. If the dog makes a mess, the owner has to clean it up.
Cafés and restaurants
More and more places in Kaunas let dogs in, but each café decides for itself, and the rules sometimes differ between the dining room and the terrace. The simplest thing is to ask at the door, especially with a bigger dog. In the warmer months, the terraces on Vilniaus street and Town Hall Square are a natural spot for lunch with the dog under the table. For where to go, see our guide to where to eat in Kaunas Old Town.
What to pack
- A short leash (no longer than half a metre for public transport) and a muzzle.
- The vaccination record; if you're coming from abroad, the EU pet passport.
- Poo bags, with spares.
- The dog's bed or blanket, so it feels at home somewhere new, and its bowls.
- A towel for paws: in autumn and winter the Old Town cobbles are often wet and muddy.
- A light-up collar or reflector, since it gets dark early from October.
If you need a vet
Hopefully you won't, but it's worth knowing in advance. For example, the LSMU Dr. L. Kraučeliūnas Small Animal Clinic (Tilžės g. 18) is open around the clock and provides emergency care. Tel. +370 620 78353.
Getting here
Most people come to Kaunas with a dog by car; for where to leave it in the centre, see our Old Town parking guide. If you're flying, read Vilnius Airport to Kaunas and Kaunas Airport to the Old Town. Travelling with children as well as the dog? See Kaunas with kids, and for more ideas, things to do in Kaunas and Kaunas through the seasons.
Rules are based on the Kaunas city animal-keeping rules and Kaunas public transport information for 2026; they can change, so check before you travel. Cover photo: Ąžuolynas in autumn. Photo: Vytauto / Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
Frequently asked questions
Can I stay at MyKaunas with a dog?
Yes, all three stays accept pets. Underground Kingdom Boutique takes one small-breed dog; at Old Town Pearl Suite and Picturesque Old Town Apartment pets are welcome for an extra fee. When you book directly on mykaunas.com, mention that you are bringing a dog and say how big it is.
Is there an extra charge for the dog?
Yes, there is an extra pet fee per stay, not per night. You will see the exact amount when you book.
Which stay is best for a larger or older dog?
Old Town Pearl Suite: an 84 m² apartment in a new building with a lift, so no stairs to climb and plenty of room for the dog. Underground Kingdom rooms are reached by stairs, and only a small-breed dog is accepted there.
Where can my dog run off the leash in Kaunas?
Only in designated dog-walking areas, for example in Dainava and Kalniečiai parks or in Vilijampolė by the Neris embankment. In parks and squares, near playgrounds and sports grounds and at events, dogs must stay on the leash.
Can I take my dog on Kaunas buses and trolleybuses?
Yes. Since January 2026 a dog rides free outside peak hours, on a leash no longer than half a metre, wearing a muzzle, with its vaccination passport. On weekdays 7–9 am and 5–7 pm dogs are not allowed without a carrier.
Can my dog swim in the rivers or the Kaunas Reservoir in summer?
From 1 June to 1 September animals may not be bathed in bodies of water except at designated spots. The rest of the year a walk along the Nemunas or the reservoir shore is a different story.
Is there a 24-hour vet in Kaunas?
For example, the LSMU Dr. L. Kraučeliūnas Small Animal Clinic (Tilžės g. 18) is open around the clock and handles emergencies. Tel. +370 620 78353.
How does check-in work if we arrive late with the dog?
All three stays have self check-in, so there is no time to arrange. After a long drive, take the dog for a short walk first and bring the bags in at your own pace.
