Travel Sustainably in Italy

You’ll soon be travelling to Italy and we’re here to help you get prepared in the best way possible.

During your trip, you’ll be experiencing the diverse local cultures and stories that make up this wonderful country. Discover Renaissance glories in Florence and Milan, wander through charming mountainside villages in Alpine Trentino-Alto Adige and immerse yourself in ancient history and art in the “Eternal City” – Rome.

Through all this, it’s good to keep in mind the importance of preserving it all for future generations to enjoy.

At Nordic Visitor, we believe in doing our part for the planet and our local environment. For that reason, we want to encourage you to do the same when travelling around the world.

That said, sustainable travel is not just about conserving the environment. It’s also about supporting local economies and having a positive impact on local communities.

On this page, you’ll find some friendly suggestions on how you can do your part.

Packing for your visit to Italy

What you decide to pack for your trip depends on when and where exactly in Italy you’re going.

If you’re hitting the Alps and the Dolomites, some hiking poles and a warm, weather-proof zip-up will likely be useful. Are you off to the Milan or Venice regions in summer? Then topical bug-spray to keep the mosquitos at bay is a must. If you’re travelling generally in the summer, a hat for the sun and suncream are non-negotiable.

Arrive in Italy prepared to be as green as possible by bringing a couple of items from home, including reusable water bottles and shopping bags. This way, you can save money and be environmentally friendly in one go.

The drinking water in Italy is clean and of high quality. In fact, it consistently scores highly on the global Environmental Performance Index. That means it’s safe to drink the tap water and you can refill your bottle as you go.

When it comes to shopping bags, Italian businesses are legally required to charge you for them. Even then, generally speaking, they only provide either paper, biodegradable bags, or more durable “multi-use” plastic bags. So an easy way for you to reduce the amount of waste from your holiday and save money is to bring a reusable shopping bag with you.

Making the most of the local cultures

When you visit Italy, you’ll be immersed in unforgettable beauty. You’ll find towering mountain peaks, pastoral fields with olive and cypress trees, and some of the world’s most gorgeous cities.

Italy is a land of many dialects, local identities, and culinary traditions. Across Italy, you’ll find lots of fun festivals, regional delicacies and special celebrations.

By supporting the local communities across the land, you’ll embrace your Italian experience while making a positive impact on the economy and people.

1. Shop locally

If you plan on buying souvenirs from your trip, why not purchase items made locally? Here are some suggestions:

Food and drink
 

Heads up: Check the rules for your home country before attempting to bring food and drink through customs.

• Limoncello (especially from the Naples region)
• Wine or prosecco
• Panettone and pandoro (around Christmastime)
• Colomba (around Easter)
• Hard cheeses like parmigiano or pecorino (Double check the customs rules of your home country before attempting to bring food through the airport)
• Local olive oil
• Locally produced amaretti and amari

Goods
 

• Handmade leather goods, like bags, hats, belts and shoes, e.g., from Florence.
• Cashmere goods like scarves and jumpers.
• Handmade wooden children’s toys, for example from the Alpine regions.
• Traditional Christmas nativity-scene decorations from Naples.
• Football merchandise from the local, official Serie A club stores, like AC Milan or SC Napoli.
• Italian moka pot

When buying souvenirs, try to look for the origins of the product to see if it is local or not. You can also ask the vendor.

2. Visit sites outside peak times

If you can, try to visit popular attractions outside peak times. Not only will you help reduce the pressure on these spots, but you’ll enjoy a more relaxed experience when you visit.

3. Don't remove natural items from the landscape

It can be tempting to bring a bit of the landscape home with you, but it’s best to keep things where they belong. So please do not remove stones, plants, animals or other natural phenomena from historical sites and ruins, protected areas or national parks.

4. Eat locally

An easy way to support the local economy while travelling, and to eat the most enjoyable food, is to eat out at local restaurants. You need to eat after all!

We recommend aiming for restaurants specialising in local cuisine and trying the local plates when you get there. One of the best things about Italy is the sheer variety of cuisine, with each region being famous for something of its own.

Ask the waiter for their recommendation as to the most local plate on offer.

Read more on our Italian food page.

5. Attend local events

Going to festivals and special events hosted in the cities or countryside is a great way to soak up the local culture and to go a little off the beaten track.

You’ll find some cultural and sporting events and festivals here:

National websites

• Italia.it
• Citalia.it

Because Italy is so localised, it might be more useful to visit regional information websites to find out what is on when you are there.

Regional websites

• Lombardia (Milan): in-lombardia.it
• Liguria (Genoa): lamialiguria.it
• Piemonte (Turin): visitpiemonte.it
• Veneto (Venice & Verona): veneto.eu
• Tuscany (Florence & Pisa): visittuscany.com
• Emilia-Romagna (Bologna): emiliaromagnaturismo.it
• Lazio (Rome): visitlazio.com
• Campania (Naples): visitcampania.info

6. Be respectful of local traditions and customs

When visiting cultural and historical sites, remember to be mindful of the importance these sites have for locals. Sometimes they represent our culture and hundreds of years of tradition and are great sources of pride.

Using sustainable transportation

1. Walk around if you can

Town and city centres in Italy are very pedestrian friendly and easy to get around on foot. Parts of some cities, such as Venice’s historic centre and Florence’s Old Town, are pedestrian-only, so you can wander freely while enjoying the sights.

You can also find many quaint little towns, like Civita di Bagnoregio in Lazio, which are fully pedestrianised.

Walking along the cobblestone streets will allow you to take in the charming architecture, learn about the local history and immerse yourself in cultural experiences.

Your accommodation is likely to be central so you can easily access restaurants and shops on foot.

2. Hop on public transport

If you would like to give your feet a rest, an easy, cheap, and sustainable way to travel around the Italian cities is by catching public transport.

You could also decide to hire a bicycle to explore like a local.

3. Drive in an eco-efficient way

If you are going on a self-drive tour, there is still a way for you to be more sustainable if you want.

The easiest way to limit the fuel consumption of your vehicle is to drive gently, evenly, and smoothly. Acceleration and braking require more energy, so avoid sharp acceleration and abrupt braking. Try maintaining a constant speed to be more economical and eco-friendly.

Conserving the natural environment

Italy offers a stunning combination of pristine natural beauty, splendid ancient ruins and well-preserved Renaissance architecture. There’s a lot you can do or keep in mind to help preserve it all during your trip.

1. Leave no trace behind

The Alpine and Dolomites region in the far north is known for its unspoiled and thriving nature and you’ll soon notice that people do not litter here. Help keep it this way by putting your litter in bins and recycling if possible.

If there are no bins where you are visiting, take your rubbish back with you to your accommodation so you can dispose of it there.

We also encourage you to recycle your travel documents if you do not plan on bringing them home with you as a keepsake. Make sure to place them in a designated paper recycling bin.

When visiting ancient sights, like the Colosseum in Rome, please don’t be tempted to mark the stone with traces of your visit, such as your initials. Many of these sights have stood for thousands of years and we all need to work together to keep them in good condition for generations to come.

2. Hike along marked trails

Hiking is a great way to explore Italy’s incredible nature. In fact, there are tens of thousands of kilometres of hiking trails across the Italian Alps, Dolomites and the Tuscan hills alone. You’re sure to find something to explore!

3. Observe wildlife without disturbing it

Italy, thanks to its widely varying climate, is the most biodiverse country in Europe. From the frigid northern mountains, to the sandy Sicilian beaches, Italy hosts half of Europe’s plant species and a third of its animal life.

Depending on where you are, if you are lucky, you might encounter any number of species. Italy is home to golden eagles, mountain hares, wildcats, brown bears, red deer, alpine ibex, wild boars, flamingos, scorpions, whales and dolphins, among others.

When wildlife spotting in rural Italy, your goal should be quiet observation. Make sure to observe wildlife from a distance. To not disturb the different species, we recommend you do not make quick movements or loud noises. And do not try to touch them.

Reducing your carbon footprint

All tour packages with Nordic Visitor since September 2023 are being carbon offset through the Iceland Carbon Fund and Katla Carbon. But what does carbon offsetting mean? There are many ways to carbon offset your trip. We use 2: tree-planting to offset the carbon emissions produced by your trip, and earning carbon credits through education.

You can read more about this initiative on our Sustainability Policy.

What else can you do? We recommend you look into sustainable ways to travel to Italy. If you’re coming from another European destination, you may want to consider taking the train to your starting city.

When travelling by plane, here are some sustainable options to consider to reduce your flights’ carbon footprint:

1. Using a booking site that shows flights’ carbon emissions to allow you to choose the lower-carbon option.
2. Choosing direct flights to limit the carbon emissions of your journey. Planes burn the most fuel during take-off and landing, which means emissions are higher for layover flights.
3. Travelling with airlines that offer trustworthy carbon offsetting schemes. If your airline doesn’t include this, you could instead donate to a carbon offsetting fund yourself.

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By travelling in a sustainable way you are helping us preserve this beautiful region so that future generations can also enjoy visiting.