Responsible walking in Italy
The path of the Gods on the Amalfi Coast is described as a place where poets go to die. Stay safe and responsible on your walking holidays; enjoying it alive is much cooler.![]()
Responsible tourism in Italy seems to have an increasingly solid underpinning, even if red tape sometimes makes progress slow. Popular tourist areas are making genuine attempts to reduce carbon emissions through energy conservation, recycling and cutting waste and pollution. All of which complement responsible walking holidays in Italy. A scheme in the Dolomites, for example, has seen only cable cars and methane-powered buses allowed as daytime transport, while hotels vie for green credibility and food comes as “zero km” as possible. The preservation of regional culture, meanwhile, is proudly promoted via geographic denomination of traditional produce, boosting agriturismo and encouraging local crafts. Efforts are also being made to limit numbers in crowded areas in summer, such as the Cinque Terre National Park, to lesser-known areas to both reduce infrastructure strain and spread economic benefits more widely. Progress may be as leisurely as a proper long Italian lunch, but Italy seems genuinely keen to sustain its rich character for the long-term.
Wildlife and environment
Mont Blanc – where silence is golden
The Mont Blanc massif is one of the most popular regions for hiking holidays in Italy, and so it is hard to believe that it is not actually a highly protected landscape. It doesn’t have national park status, for example and, consequently does not have a conservation strategy, something that would exist with a higher form of protected landscape designation. What it does have, however, is a strong group of mountaineering, environmental and conservation experts from three countries, who came together in 1991 to form Espace Mont Blanc. Two of its priorities of late are to seek international protective status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and to perfect a management plan for the massif which will be controlled by European judicial statute. Indeed the former won’t be achieved until the latter is put into practice.It is not just the slopes, forests and precious alpine tundra that need protecting around Mont Blanc, it is also the air. And the ambience. Mountain Wilderness, a mountain conservation organisation created in Biella, Italy, in 1987, leads important campaigns to protect wild mountain places. They define these as “any untouched mountain environment where anyone who so wishes may come into direct contact with the wide-open spaces, experience solitude, silence, rhythms, natural dimensions, laws and dangers.”
The most recent campaign is ‘Silence’, launched in October 2014, lobbying to stop the growing number of privately chartered tourists planes and helicopters which are currently destroying this rare natural gift of silence on Europe’s highest mountain. There is now rarely a moment of total silence, without hearing tourist propellers, echoes and engines overhead.
At present, the conglomerate Espace Mont Blanc is working on the first ever ‘Strategy for the Future’ management plan for this multinational mountain, and this campaign seeks to ensure that an air space without aviation is prioritised by this organisation as it looks forward to a cleaner future. To date, these flights are not limited unlike, for example, the silent paragliders, which are not allowed over the Mont Blanc range in July and August. It is also thought that the increasing number of ‘flyovers’ is becoming a safety risk. Watch the video below which captures the heart of this campaign, as well as the hearts of the campaigners, which beat strongly to protect this unique mountain territory.
What you can do
Support the invaluable work of Pro Mont Blanc, the umbrella organisation of various charities and conservationists working to protect Mont Blanc in France, Switzerland and Italy. French speakers might also like to seek out Pro Mont Blanc's book, published in 2002, Le versant noir du Mont Blanc (The black slope of Mont Blanc), which highlights many of its conservation issues. Follow their many projects and share on social media outlets. Hikers are often aware of the issues, but many skiers aren't.
Support the invaluable work of Pro Mont Blanc, the umbrella organisation of various charities and conservationists working to protect Mont Blanc in France, Switzerland and Italy. French speakers might also like to seek out Pro Mont Blanc's book, published in 2002, Le versant noir du Mont Blanc (The black slope of Mont Blanc), which highlights many of its conservation issues. Follow their many projects and share on social media outlets. Hikers are often aware of the issues, but many skiers aren't.
Hunting and hiking – never a happy marriage
If you are staying in a rural area in Italy around the beginning of September, it isn’t unusual to wake up to the sound of baying dogs and church bells on a Sunday, as this is hunting day – and the beginning of hunting season. A season which is long, stretching all the way until the February, hunting big and small, birds and boar. Italian hunters don’t have a great safety record either, with many accidents happening in full on hunting areas. So, if you see a sign that says ‘Zona di refugio. Divieto di caccia’ take it seriously. There are hunters around, and given that in Italy there are over 700,000 hunters in Italy, it’s not a dying sport. If you’ll excuse the pun.A more controversial area in hunting is regarding the wolf populations. The Italians hunted wolves to extinction back in the 1970s, but the depopulation of rural areas has seen the numbers of wolves increase to around 1000 again. Hunting them is illegal, but it does happen, due to human conflict when farmers’ livestock is killed. This is particularly an issue in Tuscany, where farmers kill wolves illegally and then dump the carcasses in town halls in protest.
There are similar issues with bears in the Dolomites. Following near extinction, a group of 10 bears was imported from neighbouring Slovenia in the late 1990s. There are now thought to be as many as fifty bears in the region and although they are protected from being hunted, there is a lot of unhappiness among farmers and small rural communities about their growing presence.
What can you do?
Don’t hunt, and definitely don’t tell a hunter if you see a brown bear. Apart from that, your best bet is to support any tourist initiatives that centre on either seeing wild animals in their natural environments, or keeping them happy there. Such as WWF, or if you speak Italian, the anti-hunting league in Italy, the LAC, is pretty active.
Our Italy walking Holidays
Amalfi Coast walking holiday, Italy
Walk in lemon groves and hillside villages
From
£1579 to £2249
8 days
inc UK flights
Puglia small group tour, Italy
Puglia, whitewashed towns, traditional farmland and fine cuisine
From
£1795 to £2499
8 days
inc UK flights
Tuscany tours, walking and wine tasting in Italy
Walking and wine tasting in Tuscany
From
£1565 to £1895
8 days
inc UK flights
Piedmont walking holiday, Vineyards of Barolo
A gastronomic gem quietly tucked away
From
£2209
9 days
inc UK flights
Prosecco Hills walking holiday, Italy
The Prosecco Road, Italy’s oldest wine route
From
£1699 to £2049
8 days
inc UK flights
Sicily walking holiday, Sicilian Volcanoes
Discover Mt Etna and the beautiful volcanic achipelago
From
£1589 to £1994
8 days
inc UK flights
PEOPLE & CULTURE
The culture of mountain safety
Mountain safety is like a religion for people who live in and love the mountains. Especially on Mont Blanc and the Dolomites which have seen tragedies and fatalities. Tourists can be guilty of turning a blind eye to the harsh realities of walking and climbing in the mountains, be it the Alps or the Pyrenees, because they are so accessible, by cable car or train, they are packed with pretty ski villages and state of the art mountain refuges, they somehow seems ‘safer’ or that a Panama hat and a bottle of red is all you need to enjoy the exquisite excursions. Talk to the experts, your hosts and guides – they will be switched on to the unpredictability of Italian mountain landscapes.If possible, always go trekking with an International Mountain Leader or IML. These are highly qualified people, who know exactly how and when to tackle different aspects of the mountains, depending on weather, the time of year, avalanche risks and so on. They are also fully trained in emergency procedures and will warn the walking group about dangers and how to prevent accidents. You might fall into the trap of thinking that you do not need a guide or leader in summer but this is not true. Conditions can still be extreme in summer, so don’t take any risks. Or, in early summer, the temperatures might soar early morning, causing ice melt and avalanche at higher levels. Eighty per cent of rescue operations are due to exhaustion, and are usually preventable with better preparation.
What you can do
Make sure you are fit and well prepared before your trip. Safe walking boots, the right amount of layers, waterproofs, water and an emergency kit are key. Ensure that you are walking with an internationally qualified mountain leader, particularly when hiking at higher levels. The UIMLA International Mountain Leader and the IFMGA Mountain Guide are the only internationally recognised qualifications in the mountains worldwide.
Make sure you are fit and well prepared before your trip. Safe walking boots, the right amount of layers, waterproofs, water and an emergency kit are key. Ensure that you are walking with an internationally qualified mountain leader, particularly when hiking at higher levels. The UIMLA International Mountain Leader and the IFMGA Mountain Guide are the only internationally recognised qualifications in the mountains worldwide.
Responsible tourism tips
More about Italy walking
Travel either side of the hotter summer months and you’ll find the best time to go on a walking holiday in Italy.
Discover la via e bella as you peruse our Italy walking travel guide and find out what walking in Italy entails.
Our Italy walking holiday highlights will take you from Mont Blanc in the north-west, down to Naples and Sicily.
From Amalfi to Mont Blanc, these are our top ten walking holidays in Italy or primo promenades, if you prefer.
Amalfi Coast walking holidays are romantic, rugged, classy and classic. Read our guide to discover the best way to explore.
You probably know the drink, but walking in the Prosecco Hills is a chance to discover where it comes from.
Puglia remains a largely undiscovered walking destination, a wonderful place to escape the crowds.
Walking is a fantastic way to discover the distinct and vibrant culture of Sicily, especially its food and wine. Read our Sicily walking guide to discover more.
There’s a reason why walking holidays in Tuscany are the next best thing to mozzarella, basil and tomatoes.
If you’re keen to take your walking in a decidedly muscular direction, consider tackling the mountainside ladders and cables known as via ferrata.
We’ve asked our tour ops to give us their expert tips to help you travel safely on Italy walking holidays.
