Lake Garda and the Prosecco Hills walking holiday

Planet

As part of our Responsible Travel policy, we advise customers to take reusable water bottles with them on tour. Our local leaders actively do not distribute single-use plastic water bottles and encourage customers to refill their bottles from taps and at water fountains throughout the trip. The tap water in Italy is completely safe to drink, and bottles can be refilled at hotels and at various rest stops. Another way to reduce unnecessary waste is through advising customers to bring lunch boxes and cutlery for picnics.

Walking is arguably the greenest from of travel with no carbon footprint. On this walking holiday we explore the cities of Verona and Bassano del Grappa on foot enabling us to explore the winding alleys and backstreets without contributing to traffic congestion. There's an option to take a day trip to visit Venice from Bassano by local train which is better for the environment than chartering a private vehicle. In the countryside our hikes allow us to explore with minimal impact on the natural world.

As a travel company we are continually looking for ways to improve and are proud to be ‘Responsible in everything we do’. Education is key, and so all staff, Tour Leaders and partnering suppliers are trained in responsible and sustainable tourism. At our Head Office, we continually strive towards a sustainable and planet-friendly working environment, including having solar panels installed and a company commitment to reducing our plastic usage.

People

In Torbole on the shores of Lake Garda we stay at the family-run Hotel Glocale owned by Michele and Emanuela. Staying in small properties such as this helps to ensure that part of the economic benefit of our visit goes directly to the communities in which we stay.

We purposely do not include evening meals on this trip. This allows you to eat out at local family-run restaurants which is both an opportunity to experience the traditional cuisine and specialities of the Veneto region and also helps to support the local economy.

This trip visits vineyards which we'll have the chance to support through tasting and then perhaps purchasing their various wines. In Valdobbiebene we taste the areas' famous prosecco sparkling wine and near to Verona we try the local dry white soave wines. Bassano del Grappa is famous for its grappa, a strong liqueur. There's the chance to purchase this and other souvenirs and support some of the many small independent shops found in Bassano and Torbole and the other places we stay at and visit.

We use local tour leaders, who know the country very well and who will help to give us a unique insight into its history, customs and culture and get us that bit closer to the local people. They also ensure that our customers are aware of the cultural norms that should be observed, dress code, gestures, etc. Our tour leaders are trained by us in the importance of responsible tourism with guidance given on how they can make a difference.

As a company we have valuable and longstanding partnerships with UK charities Toilet Twinning and Send a Cow, plus many smaller initiatives and projects around the world. We’re members of the UK travel industry body AITO because we believe it’s important to share our knowledge and experience, as well as learn from other operators.