Tips for travelling sustainably in Venice

It almost goes without saying to avoid visiting much of Europe in August. Not only will you spend more, but the attractions will be busier too. Nobody wants to share the place they’re visiting shoulder-to-shoulder with thousands of other people... and this is definitely the case in Venice.

You’ll enjoy your visit more if you avoid peak times like summer and weekends. You can also choose to avoid visiting via a cruise ship (see We Are Here Venice for the reasons why), and to always try to spend more than just one day exploring the city.

 But also be aware that there are often floods (aqua alta) in winter, so do what the locals do and bring a pair of waterproof boots.

By spending three days or more in Venice, and travelling more sustainably, we can have a more positive impact on this precious part of Italy. Your tourism dollars are more likely to benefit the local community, and you can see the city at its best - in the evenings when there are fewer crowds.

The city is also set up to go green, with a distinct lack of cars and plenty of reasons to explore on foot. Plus, like many Italian cities, Venice is full of free water fountains where you can refill your reusable water bottle.

Another way to make a difference is to avoid home-rentals and stay in a locally-owned B&B instead, this way the locals aren’t priced out of their own city.

If you really want to stay in a Venetian home try Ecobnb or Fairbnb, a more ethical home-sharing site that supports community projects as well as the locals.

Otherwise, Corte De Gabriela is an eco-friendly boutique hotel in the heart of the city. Their blend of sustainability and luxury comfort has won them the European Certificate of Eco-Sustainable Hotels.

If you're looking for a more affordable option, Ca’ della Corte is a completely renovated Venetian palace near Piazzale Roma. It’s been certified by Eco World Hotels for its ecological practices as well as its focus on reducing consumption and waste.

While water taxis and gondolas get all of the glamour, they do nothing to help the infrastructure of Venice. Use the public vaporetto service to get around like the locals and pay into the city’s economy, by getting a tourist day pass you will save a lot of money too.

Of course, for short distances you can’t beat walking. Venice is one of the best cities in the world for pedestrians and you never quite know what you’ll find over the next bridge or around the next hidden alleyway.

Venice-made souvenirs can be hard to track down, with plenty of cheap knock offs available. But if you take the time to seek out the places that sell them, you will be supporting the local economy and you will have something that you can treasure forever. Check out Venezia Autentica’s interactive map of local businesses in Venice to support.

In restaurants and at the fresh produce market look out for the label ‘Nostrano’, it means locally grown or caught and is a great way of supporting the local economy. Vegetarian and Vegan restaurants are also on the rise in Venice, and fresh food is always a source of pride for locals.

A great way to make your money go even further is by booking a tour with a local. Venezia Autentica offers impactful experiences like rowing on the canals, glass bead making, and walks around the lesser-known side of Venice with a Venetian.

These tours all directly support local businesses and give back to the people that are still making a living here.

A total of 118 floating islands make up the Comune di Venezia in the shallow Venetian Lagoon, all are inter-linked by over 400 bridges, public bus-like vaporetto routes, and water-taxis. But many visitors never leave the main island.

If you have a few days in Venice, take off on a Vaporetto and explore one of the other islands during the day. Nineteen scheduled water bus routes connect the main island to nearby islands like Murano, Burano, and Lido.

Come back to St Marks and Rialto at night time and you will find there is a lot more room to breathe and there’s still time to take in all of the unmissable sights.