How to travel in an enjoyable and respectful fashion: our tips for responsible tourists

To travel more sustainability the choice of transportation you make is important. If you have the option always try to take the bus or train instead of flying or taking a cruise. This way, you’ll cut your carbon footprint by at least a factor of three to seven times which is quite significant.

Once your destination reached, and for short distances, walking, or using a bicycle, a rowing boat, when it is allowed and appropriate, is a great way to explore.

If you have bigger distances to cover, public transportations will always be more sustainable than renting an individual private car.

Avoid day tripping and all- in-one offers which tend not to bring any contribution to the local community you’re visiting.

Stay a few nights in the city or location you’re visiting, to make sure you maximize your opportunity to explore it properly while contributing to the local economy and chose a registered local hotel or apartment which complies with the local laws.

Cities nowadays can suffer from the explosion of illegal apartment renting to tourists and it is something you certainly do not want to encourage as it’s pushing people out of their own house.

An important benefit of staying in the city you are visiting is that you will still be here when the day trippers will be gone, which, believe us, in the case of Venice, for example, makes a huge difference.

Try to have the most eco-friendly approach possible.

Separate your wastes so they can be recycled, dispose your trash at the time and locations which are planned by the local authorities (do not leave trash behind you, do not throw trash on the floor or in water, and in the case of Venice hand over your garbage bag to the garbage collector when they ring your bell in the morning ).

Carry a refillable bottle of water to limit your wastes. In Venice, there are plenty of fountains, all around the city, which are providing locals and visitors alike with fresh drinkable water coming from the neighboring mountains.

Respect the local culture and laws, and remember that Venice is a city: locals are not on a holiday!

Walk on the right of the streets, do not stop on bridges, do not picnic in other areas than public parks, do not put locks on bridges they damage them.

Also, please, dress in a respectful way, if you can see water in Venice, it does not make it a beach, do not walk around topless or in swimming suit (Wearing the top of a bikini with a short is still not acceptable for women) and please do cover your shoulders prior to entering a church.

Venice is an old and fragile city, where special rules apply.

For example, skateboards, bicycles, Rollerblades and any vehicle you can think of are strictly forbidden in the city. Jumping and swimming in the canals is also forbidden, there are beautiful beaches in the lagoon, however, where you are more than welcome to do so. The Lido, especially, is very easy to reach by vaporetto, the local water bus.

Do not bring your own kayak or standing board to use in Venice without a guide, the canals are our streets, only people with the knowledge and experience of the local rules of navigation should be found in the canals. Not respecting this is both a disrespect to the Venetians and a danger to yourself and the people around you.

Immerse yourself and contribute as much as you can to the local economy by supporting the local businesses, visiting and shopping from local artists and artisans,  sharing an experience with a local, eating and drinking where the locals do.

If you have a budget, like most of us do, chose quality over quantity. It’s what’s best both for you and for the place you visit as it will have a lasting impact on both the memories of your travel and the life of the people you supported.

Read up before you reach your destination and step off the beaten path when you’re there, if it’s safe and allowed like it is in Venice.

It will give much more depth to your travel and make your experience much more rewarding and remarkable while relieving the crowded areas.

The History and Culture of Venice are incredible and knowing a bit about it makes this already outstanding city an even greater wonder, believe us, it is fascinating. If you fear the crowds, you can be sure that the moment you step off the crowded areas you’ll find yourself in a new world.

Don’t forget to explore the islands of the lagoon, Murano, Burano but also all the other ones that you can reach by Vaporetto. They all have their own history and importance for the lagoon city.

Avoid encouraging harmful practices like buying counterfeited or illegal goods, imported souvenirs, tickets to attractions featuring captive animals

Smile, say hi, please and bye to the people you meet. Make local friends and enjoy your travel knowing that you were, even temporary, a positive member of the local community!

Coming to Venice? Here are a few things to make your stay more fun and responsible

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Tips and Inspiration to experience Venice