Sustainable travel tips when booking

#1. Take non-stop flights.
If you’re traveling to Italy sometimes there is no other way but to fly. Now we all know that airplanes create a huge carbon footprint but sometimes it is necessary. If you want to cut down your carbon footprint then book a one way flight that doesn’t have any spots so you do not have to land and take off many times.

#2. Book flights that promote carbon offsetting.
When it comes to booking sustainable flights there are some things to look for; fleet age and carbon offsetting. Older airplanes tend to be less energy efficient and therefore promote less sustainability so always look for new planes. The second important thing to look for is the planes carbon offsetting where airlines make a donation to offset their carbon footprint.

#3. Book sustainable hotels.
Once you’ve booked your holiday and your flights and you know where you’re going to be staying make sure to check the hotels sustainable initiatives. It is important to check whether they hire local staff, if they have a recycling programme and what sustainable techniques they use within their hotel.

#4. Pack as light as possible.
Now I know everyone says that you should pack as light as possible so that you can buy more things, but there are so many sustainable reasons to pack lighter. The first one is that by packing lighter you get to save money on baggage fees, you save the hassle of carrying so many bags around and you can increase plane-fuel efficiency.

#5. Pack re-usable clothes.
Packing lightly can be a real difficultly when you want to bring everything with you. But when you’re packing, try bring clothes that can be re-used and re-washed by hand so that you don’t have to waste your money buying new clothes.

#6. Take tours with small companies.
Everyone knows that Italy has so many beautiful sites and places to visit that you don’t want to miss, but with so many huge tour groups it can make it difficult to find sustainable tour groups. Our big tip is to find a tour operator that only uses small groups because this has a much lower environmental impact than huge companies.

Sustainable travel tips for traveling around Italy

#7. Travel by bus or train.
If you’re traveling around Italy and want to try and want to keep track of your environmental impact then traveling by trains or bus is a good option! Although traveling by bus or train doesn’t completely cut your impact, it does have a much lower environmental impact on the world and the environment than driving and flying does. And you also get to see some amazing views of the Italian countryside at the same time!

#8. Travel sustainabily around cities.
If you’re staying in one city for a while then make sure you walk around the city as much as you can. Not only will you get to know the city a lot faster and better but you won’t be adding to your carbon footprint. If you’re staying in a bigger city or feel like it would take too long to walk around, consider hiring a bike from a local supplier and getting to know the city that way.

#9. Travel by public transport.
Now of course there are times when we can’t walk or bike around the cities but your next best option is to use public transport rather than travelling by taxi. Just make sure that before you hop on the public bus or metro that you know how to use the public transport and you know exactly what tickets you need. You will definitely get some great views of the city and make some great memories seeing exactly what daily life is like in Italy.

Sustainable travel tips for hotels

#10. Save energy.
If your hotel doesn’t already have a function that turns off your lights, heating, air conditioning and TV when you leave the room, make sure you remember to! It is such an easy thing to quickly do before you leave your room and saves a lot of energy.

#11. Prevent the cool escaping.
Italy can get very warm during the summer months so air conditioning can be a must. But when you turn on your air conditioning make sure that your hotel doors and windows are closed so that you don’t lose the cool air.

#12. Hang up your towels.
An easy way to cut down the amount of washing the hotel has to do is by hanging your towel back up on the hanger after you’ve used it. Most hotels will not replace your towels when they are hung up so you can easily cut down your emission.

Useful everyday travel tips

#13. Take a re-usable bottle with you.
Instead of buying plastic bottles over and over again, which is such a waste,  bring a reusable water bottle with you so that you can refill it. A little tip:  If you’re traveling to Rome, you are able to refill your bottles for free from all running fountains that are conveniently placed around the city.

#14. Recycle and re-use.
If you have to buy a plastic bottle or any other plastic items, make sure you don’t just throw it away! Keep all your rubbish with you until you find a suitable bin and then throw all your waste away. This is an easy way to make sure that your waste gets recycled.

#15. Buy locally made products.
You can’t come to Italy and not buy some pieces to bring back for your friends and family. But of course with so many tourist traps it can be difficult to buy local products. If you’re looking for things make sure that you find items that are produced within Italy and have not been imported.

#16. Bring your own reusable bag.
With plastic causing so many problems in the ocean and in the cities, anyway to reduce the amount of plastic we all consume is good. Make sure you travel with your own reusable tote bag that you can fold up and carry around with you whenever you need it. Now many shops in Italy will charge you for a plastic bag so you are saving money at the same time!

#17. Support local restaurants.
The best way to get to know the local cuisine and to support the local community is to eat at local restaurants where you can try local products. Try to find restaurants that have local produce that is in season so that you know you won’t be having food that has been imported from all over the world.

#18. Return brochures.
In any busy city you can be given so many different brochures, flyers and maps that promote different companies. Although these can be really useful when you’re in the city, once you leave many people don’t use them again. Make sure you don’t just throw them away at home and instead give them to your concierge or tourist office so that other people can use them.

#19. Immerse yourself in local culture.
When you’re visiting another country or city it is so important to get to know the culture and locals. There is no better way to truely see the city and what local life is like than visiting cultural events! Make sure to do your research about what differnt events or festivals are going on at the time so that you can immerse yourself in the local events.

#20. Respect the local culture.
The biggest sustainable tip we can give you is to respect the local culture! When you’re traveling to differnet countries and cities, the local culture and customs may be very different to your own so make sure you have done some research on how to respect the culture you’re visiting.