Pets to be allowed into tourist hotspots at Greek archaeological sites

People walk their dogs at Areopagus hill, in front of ancient Acropolis hill, as a rainbow is seen in the cloudy Athenian sky. Photo / AP

Pets will soon be allowed into more than 120 archaeological sites across Greece, the country’s Culture Ministry announced this week, although not in the Acropolis or some of the other top tourist draws.

The move, unanimously approved by the country’s powerful Central Archaeological Council (CAC), will relax current rules which only allow guide dogs for disabled visitors into archaeological sites. The ministry did not specify when the new regulations would be implemented.

The decision is “a first, but important, step toward harmonising the framework of accessibility to monuments and archaeological sites with the standards of other European countries, where entry rules for pets already apply”, Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said in a ministry press release.

The Archaeological Park of Pompeii is one of those other European tourist hot spots that allow pets to enter – dogs that weigh up to 10kg and are at most 40cm tall are allowed to accompany their owners on a leash.

The council approved the entry of pets provided they are kept on a leash no more than one metre long, or carried by their owners in a pouch or a pet carrying case. Owners will also need to show their pet’s health certificate and carry the necessary accessories to pick up their animal’s droppings in order to be allowed entry, the ministry said. Larger dogs will have to be muzzled.

But some of the most popular archaeological sites, such as the Acropolis of Athens, Knossos in Crete, Ancient Olympia or Delphi, which tend to get very crowded, will still remain pet-free, as will ancient theatres, temples, graves and monuments with mosaic floors.

Cages will be installed at the entrances of more than 110 other archaeological sites, the ministry said, so owners can park their pets during their visit.

Tourism is one of Greece’s main industries, generating billions of euros in revenue each year.

AP with additional reporting.