What does it mean to travel in a sustainable way in Italy?

1. Consider a destination close to exotic destinations

For many holidays is synonymous with travel abroad, but are you sure some must-see attraction is not in the vicinity of your home? Supporting the local economy is the basis of sustainable tourism, choose a nearby town or leave the town and immerse yourself in nature. Have you ever thought about a food and wine tour in Monferrato or a weekend to discover the villages reborn after the earthquakes in Umbria, Marche, Abruzzo and Lazio? There are treasures a stone's throw away just waiting to be discovered.

2. Travelling in the low or midseason
The secret of responsible tourists? Travelling during low or mid-season, to avoid the overcrowding typical of the high season. In addition to having a clear advantage for the chosen destination and its inhabitants, you can say goodbye to endless queues and crowds of tourists. Not to mention the economic side: those who travel in low season often save on both flights and accommodation.

3. Avoid disposable plastic products
Plastic waste is literally invading our planet, especially the oceans. As complicated as it is to completely eliminate plastic consumption from our daily habits, we can take some steps to limit the use of disposable products. First of all, we recommend that you bring a bottle to fill from time to time, thus avoiding having to buy plastic ones during your holiday. But check beforehand that the water is drinkable!
To reduce the use of plastic you could also use a canvas shopping bag and reusable kitchen utensils for your picnics, refuse straws for drinks and buy refillable shampoos and personal hygiene products.

4. Whenever possible, buy and consume local products
Travelling in a sustainable and responsible way also means supporting the economy of your chosen holiday destination. Try to avoid supermarkets, buy locally produced souvenirs and choose restaurants frequented by locals. It's a great way to support the local economy and above all to taste traditional specialities! Don't know where to eat or where to buy local products? Ask someone local.

5. Don't put your towels in the wash every day.
Do you know the tags that are usually hung on the sinks of hotels where it is suggested to reuse towels? It's a choice that really makes a difference! We don't change towels at home every day, so why should we expect fresh towels every day when we're on vacation? If every traveller reused their towel several times, the difference in terms of water and energy consumption would be really big.

6. Buy sun creams that do not harm the marine environment and coral reefs.
Not all sunscreen is the same. If on holiday you want to go swimming as well as sunbathing, buy sun creams that are not harmful to the marine environment. Many of these products, in fact, contain ingredients that can be harmful to marine fauna and flora, cause bleaching of corals and cause other damage to this delicate ecosystem. A little care before you go can make a big difference to our seas.

7. Respect regulations and guidelines
To venture along untracked paths, camping in the middle of nature or feeding wild animals may seem fantastic ... but if there are prohibitions there is a reason! Don't give in to this temptation and respect the regulations on how to behave in respect of flora and fauna, such as the obligation to follow marked trails in national parks, the prohibition to cross private property and so on. It is not a question of imposing limits, but of safeguarding nature in all its splendour for future generations.

8. Leave no traces of your passage
A responsible tourist leaves no traces: he recycles and/or disposes of rubbish responsibly when possible, leaves absolutely no writing on buildings and does not alter natural habitats. Besides not adding anything to the environment, he does not subtract anything, so he does not take souvenirs such as shells, stones, nests, feathers and other objects.

9. Respect the local community
Travelling in a sustainable way not only means respecting the environment of the destinations visited, it also means being respectful towards the local communities. So it is important not to take pictures of people without their consent, learn a few words in the local language and respect local traditions and customs (for example, wear appropriate clothing). In this way you will enrich your cultural background, as well as make a good impression on the people of your country.

WALKING PATHS IN ITALY: 

• Via Francigena: The great European itinerary crosses territories of extraordinary beauty, which deserve to be explored with all calm. Forgotten villages, authentic flavours, enchanting landscapes to cross slowly, on foot or by bicycle.
• Way of the Gods: The Via degli Dei is a hiking trail that connects the cities of Bologna and Florence, passing through the Apennines. The name probably derives from the place names of some of the mountains crossed, including Monte Venere, Monte Adone in Monzuno and Monte Luario in Firenzuola, near the Futa Pass.
• Salento Walking: Step by step, for 138 km, to discover the most authentic Salento. The Salento Way is structured in six stages, from Lecce to the Santuario de Finibus Terrae, located in Santa Maria di Leuca: the end of the world, the end of the earth that becomes a peninsula, between the Ionian and the Adriatic. The route is passable at any time of the year, there are continuous signs with a low environmental impact.

• THE WAY OF THE ABBOTS
  The Via degli Abati connects Pavia to Pontremoli. It is a religious path that follows in the footsteps of the Abbots of San Colombano, from the Po Valley, crossing the Apennines of Piacenza and Parma, to Lunigiana. It follows dirt roads, paths in the woods and ancient sheep-tracks (8 days).

• TRANSHUMANCE
  The ancient sheep-tracks of transhumance are today privileged itineraries to be covered on foot or by bicycle, passing through woods and valleys, from Abruzzo to Puglia. The most important and longest Italian sheep-track is the "tratturo magno", which arrives from Abruzzo on the Apulian table, passing through Molise and Basilicata. 

• PATH OF THE GODS 
  It is a short route of about 8 km that crosses the terraces and mule tracks of the Amalfi Coast, from Agerola to Positano. It is called Sentiero degli Dei (Path of the Gods) because according to the myth and legend it is here that the Greek gods passed by to save Ulysses from the sirens.

• PATH OF THE SPIRIT

  The Path of the Spirit is a journey of at least 4 days in a wild and different world. The path connects the Celestine hermitages of Abruzzo, in an area of Majella which, due to its inaccessibility, was considered a perfect refuge for hermits dedicated to prayer and meditation. You can sleep in the mountain refuges or in the villages along the way. 

  https://www.expedia.it/explore/viaggi-sostenibili-9-regole-per-viaggiare-responsabilmente

  https://siviaggia.it/informazioni-utili/consigli-viaggiare-sostenibile/267056/

  https://www.viefrancigene.org/en/resource/news/category/chi-va-piedi/

  https://www.viefrancigene.org/it/

  http://www.viadeglidei.it/il-percorso

  https://www.camminodelsalento.it