Portugal ranks second in the European Union for the number of dogs per capita, and more than half of Portuguese households have at least one pet. Even so, finding a pet-friendly hotel remains one of the biggest hurdles when planning a trip. A new study by PriceLabs, a revenue management platform for the hospitality industry, analyzed the percentage of pet-friendly hotels in Portugal’s major cities—and there’s a clear winner.
Alcobaça tops the ranking
At the top of the list is Alcobaça, with 51.28% of its hotels accepting pets—making it the first Portuguese city to surpass the 50% mark. Known above all for the Monastery of Santa Maria, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Alcobaça has yet another compelling reason to visit this summer: between June 26 and July 31, the monastery will host the 34th edition of the Cistermúsica festival, featuring outdoor concerts in the cloisters and other historic venues.
Santarém and Viseu round out the top three
Close behind, at 50.66%, is Santarém, the “Capital of Gothic Architecture,” which this summer will host the National Agriculture Fair (June 6–14), one of the country’s largest events. In third place is Viseu, with 34.09% —still well above the national average. Between August 6 and September 6, Campo de Viriato will host the 634th edition of the Feira de São Mateus, one of Europe’s oldest fairs, with over six centuries of history.
Loulé and Figueira da Foz round out the top 5
In the Algarve, Loulé stands out in fourth place, with 27.99% of its hotels accepting pets—well ahead of neighboring cities like Portimão and Faro. The city, known for its municipal market and handicrafts, will host the Feira Popular from July 10 to 13. Figueira da Foz comes in fifth place, with 27.96%, practically tied with Loulé. The summer promises to be particularly busy in the city, with the RFM Somnii festival (July 10–12) and concerts by Sting (July 17) and Lewis Capaldi (July 18) at Praia do Relógio.
Methodology
The ranking was compiled by PriceLabs based on hotel data available on Booking.com, excluding other types of accommodations, such as vacation rentals. Only Portuguese cities with more than 50,000 residents and at least 100 hotels listed in the analyzed data were included—a criterion used to avoid unrepresentative results in cities with few establishments. For each city, the percentage of pet-friendly hotels was calculated relative to the total number of hotels identified in that destination. The data was collected on July 29, 2026.
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