Sustainable Tourism & Agrotourism in Italy

Italy, a land of culture and history, is an emblematic tourist destination in Europe for many travellers.

Often limited in the minds of travellers to its great cities of History and Art such as Rome, Florence or Venice, Italy is also a land suitable for authentic and sustainable travel, for those who know how to get away from the destinations invaded by tourists in the summer.

A pioneer of the Slow Food Movement, and one of the first destinations to introduce agrotourism, Italy offers a multitude of possibilities for a natural and sustainable holiday.

Holiable helps you find sustainable tourism sites in Italy for accommodation, food and drink, or to discover this country with its many possibilities.

Sustainable travel in Italy, our tips

Known throughout the world for its rich culture and history, there are many destinations popular with travellers during a stay in Italy.

Ancient history enthusiasts will obviously go to Rome, while art lovers will go mainly to Florence or Venice.

Italy, long a popular destination for tourists and cruise passengers, is now facing the downside of its tourist appeal.

Some of its most visited cities are overwhelmed by the influx of tourists and have to set limits so that tourism no longer becomes a nuisance for its inhabitants.

Like Venice, whose inhabitants regularly demonstrate against the arrival of gigantic hotel boats in the heart of the city or tourists who are not scrupulous about respecting local culture and customs.

For some years now, Italy has been keen to develop a more environmentally friendly tourist industry. The preservation of resources, the implementation of better water treatment solutions, the preservation of its natural parks or protected marine areas, the development of public or shared transport or the reduction of pollution in the city through car taxes, are some of the policies put in place to make Italy a more attractive place for environmentally conscious travellers.

Italy is multiplying initiatives to develop tourism that is more respectful of the environment, but above all that directly benefits local populations.

How to find eco-friendly accommodation in Italy

Italy developed Agrotourism in the 1960s, to enhance its rural land and meet the growing demand of travellers for authentic tourism.

All the accommodations offering agrotourism promise you a stay in the heart of a working farm and the discovery of local products.

Particularly developed in Tuscany, this form of green tourism has since spread to other Italian regions such as Sicily and Apulia.

Be careful, however, to carefully analyze the sustainable initiatives of accommodation providers in agrotourism, some of them may be simple bed and breakfast on a farm, others are much more involved in tourism that respects the environment and the preservation of regional natural resources.

Our advice

• Book directly with the hosting provider
• Check out the reviews and comments of eco-friendly travellers who have gone before you on Holiable.
• Respect the eco-responsible principles of the housing that welcomes you.
• Take advantage of your stay to get ideas of eco-friendly gestures to implement at home once you are back home.

Eco-friendly restaurants in Italy

Italian gastronomy is unquestionably part of the country’s heritage. A traveller to Italy cannot skip the discovery of its traditional dishes and its gastronomy, which is not limited to Neapolitan pizzas.

In Italy, we like to eat, and we like to do it well. In fact, it was here that the slow food movement was born, which has now spread internationally.

The idea of this movement, which undoubtedly inspired slow tourism, is to take the time to savour and promote local products.

tips for eating eco-Friendly eating in Italy

If you are visiting crowded places, these few tips will help you avoid the traps and give you some tips to make your gourmet break in Italy more eco-friendly.

• You are in the cradle of slow food, prefer the restaurants that join the movement, to take the time to discover the local gastronomy.
• If you can, choose small, local restaurateurs and don’t put it all on the trendy places.
• If you choose to stay at the farm, you will undoubtedly have the pleasure of participating in the movement from field to plate, and thus reduce the carbon footprint of your meal
• In highly touristy cities, avoid restaurants with 500-page menus, and when you’re called out on the street for dinner, it’s rarely a good sign.
• Take advantage of your holidays to limit your consumption of animal proteins, or opt for restaurants that promote sustainable producers.
• Enjoy and come back to share your experience with the eco-friendly travelers of our community.

Visiting Italy the eco-friendly way

Our  tips & activity ideas

Italy has more than 50 UNESCO World Heritage sites. It is also a territory with a plethora of Natural Parks and protected marine reserves.

Whether you’re going to the beach, or on a hike, don’t forget to check out the practices in the places you visit.

• If you visit places of worship, remember to cover up and don’t go in beachwear. It’s rude and you may have to turn around.
• When hiking,whatever happens always stay on the marked trails. Natural parks have strict rules to preserve the local flora and fauna
• In the city, favour public transport, shared bikes or walking to visit, to avoid contributing to the increase in pollution, especially in summer.
• Some places, such as Venice or Cinque Terre, have set up time slots for visits. For some of their emblematic sites, check with your accommodation provider or the tourist information office before venturing there