After my initial post on green travel, I thought I would write about eco-tourism at my favorite travel destination – Italy. I’ve always wanted to travel to Italy because of it’s natural beauty, my Grandmother’s Italian heritage, and my passion for Italian cuisine (although I’m sure my experience of Italian cuisine is quite different from a locals!).

So what can an eco-conscious traveler do in Italy? There are organic farms galore, quaint eco-villages, walking tours, and plenty of volunteer opportunities as a starting point.

Organic Farms

Tenuta di Spannocchia

Part of Tuscany’s Riserva Naturale Alto Merse, this 1,100-acre organic estate includes managed forests, vegetable gardens, and hiking trails. The estate is dedicated to preserving the region’s cultural and agricultural heritage. Parts of the property are used to raise endangered breeds of livestock, others for sustainably harvested wood which is used for heating. Rooms are tucked into original stone houses that are restored with a rustic simplicity exemplifying the farm’s philosophy.

Not only is the Spannocchia a working organic farm, it is also a center for education focused on both ecological and cultural history driven from its multinational community. With hiking paths, farm animals, gardens, cooking classes, beautiful vistas, eight centuries of rural history, friendly people, and great food and wine, how could you go wrong?

San Martino

In the beautiful Siena province of Tuscany, the San Martino organic farm practices biodynamic/homeopathic agriculture along side its farmhouse bed and breakfast.

The Villa has been recently restored using the rules of bioarchitecture, which uses exclusively natural and ecological materials such as lime, wood and stone, natural earth and beeswax for finishings. Morning breakfast is prepared only with home made or local organic products. Outside, guests can enjoy a Biolake (bio-swimming pool), free of chemicals. The farm produces saffron, extra virgin olive oil, honey, cereals and grass.

Antico Uliveto

The Agriturismo Antico Uliveto is in the heart of Chianti, between the city of Siena and the medieval fortress of Monteriggioni. The Agriturismo is part of the Gardinia Organic Farmhouse (Azienda Agricola Biologica Gardinina), where the Taddei family has been using organic methods for its production of wine, olive oil, honey and grains for the past ten years.

Activities include hand made pasta, painting, tennis lessons or a trip in a hot-air balloon. They even have a “Wellness Nest” that offers massages!

La Cerqua

A recently restored 14th century farmhouse, once believed to have been a monastery, is situated on a 500 acre organic teaching farm, in the Pietralunga Forest of Upper Umbria.

“Here, life in accordance with Nature is a philosophy: the tree is not an inert shadow dispenser, while the spider hanging down from the beam is not an inconvenience, nor a rainy day is a bore.”

The eco-policies they’ve adopted include:

Energy saving measures such as insulating houses and using high efficiency rated appliances and energy saving light bulbs.  Water conservation in the form of low flush toilets and low pressure showers. They also ask guests to reuse towels and sheets more than once.  They recycle glass, metal, paper, plastic, and feed food scraps to the animals. Plus they use the Internet to cut down on paper-based advertising and print marketing material such as brochures on recycled paper.

Eco-Villages

Sant’Ambrogio Sicily

Frustrated with Sicily’s loss of traditions from when she was a child, Carmelina Ricciardello resolved to preserve its way of life. In the village of Sant’Ambrogio, she’s now creating Sicily’s first eco-village, by preserving traditions threatened by emigration, unemployment and mass tourism.

Tucked behind the city of Cefalù on the north coast of Sicily where life continues much as it has for the past 500 years. “Old men still sit in rows on the benches in the little piazza, while their wives gossip on the doorsteps.”

Damanhur

Damanhur is an eco-village based on ethical and spiritual values. It has around 1,000 citizens and extends over 500 (5 million metres) at the foothills of the Piedmont Alps.

Founded in 1975, the Federation of Damanhur is more of an an eco-society with their own social and political structure . “The Federation of Damanhur is a centre for spiritual, artistic and social research” with a world renown reputation. Courses and events are offered all year round and visitors are welcome for longer visits as well for study or relaxation.

Walking Tours

Country Walkers

Country Walkers is a walking tour company that operates in Europe, Asia, Africa, the South Pacific, North America, Latin America, and even Antarctica. Guided, private, and custom tours are offered, but they may not be your least expensive option for seeing Italy by foot. Their tours include The French and Italian Alps, Amalfi Coast & Isle of Capri, Cinque Terre, Italian Lakes, Signature Tuscany, Sicily & The Aeolian Islands, and the Piedmont. The one advantage to Country Walkers is that you have a tour guide who will give you additional insight to the history and culture of a region and will assure that you stay on the path. Losing your way in a foreign country is not something most people enjoy. Even though it might turn out to be an adventure of a lifetime.

Via Francigena

If your looking for a more cost effective way to travel by foot, the Via Francigena is another option known as a pilgrimage to Rome. The ancient pilgrimage route starts in Canterbury in England and was the main route for Christian pilgrims in Europe. While not as well maintained as other pilgrimage routes such as the Santiago de Compostela in Spain, the Via Francigena can still be traveled through Italy to Rome. You can find sites dedicated to the pilgrimage route such as Walk for Italy or sites that have information on the route under the category of religion such as Life in Italy.

Volunteer Opportunities

Opportunities to volunteer abroad are endless, you can volunteer for a couple of days, weeks, or even 6 months to a year. You can assist the elderly or the disabled, stay with a family to teach them english, research whales in the Ligurian Sea, assist in the historic preservation of buildings, maintain beaches, and even work in exchange for food and accommodation. Most programs have a cost associated with them and will arrange lodgings for you whether in a dormitory or with a local family. Volunteering abroad offers a different perspective of a country from the traditional tourists attractions.

Whether you have the option to volunteer through a program or plan on making your own arrangements once in a country, you can start your research at Volunteer in Italy or Transition Abroad.

Now that everyone has the itch to travel, feel free to share your plans or experiences!