5 sustainable destinations in Europe to travel differently

Combining culture, cycling, beautiful landscapes and delicious food and wine, the Green Wellness Route is the perfect itinerary if you want to be sustainable while discovering the beautiful Slovenia. The route is designed for about 40 kilometers cycling every day across 16 days, and going through amazing vineyards and spas for the most relaxing and fulfilling holidays ever. You will start your journey from Ljubljana, then head north towards Austria, and south towards Croatia. You will go through the beautiful medieval town of Kamnik with red roofs, then pass through spas, resorts, check out the country’s biggest arboretum, and even taste noble wine at Maribor, or move to the Green Gourmet cycling trail for some delicious food. It is bound to be an unforgettable experience, with an eco-friendly and local approach that is perfect for conscious travelers.

If city breaks might not seem like the most sustainable way to travel, you should however remember that it depends on how well you pick the city. Berlin for instance has been elected Europe’s most eco-friendly city, offering plenty of eco-friendly hotels and restaurants, such as the SPRK Deli or the Klub Kitchen, that create dishes with extra food. There are plenty of wilder places to explore while in Berlin - check out the Tiergarten, and the hiking path of Havelhöhenweg, which offers beautiful cliffs and perfect places for wild swimming.

Going from the early September to the end of October, the YHA Festival of Walking takes place across England and Wales, bringing together properties from the Youth Hostel Association in order to push people to enjoy the joy of walking. The hostels on the list are carefully selected properties that put forward sustainable practices, making it a great choice if you are an eco-conscious traveler and want to bring the love of the countryside forward. The chief executive of the YHA explained their approach, commenting: “We want more walkers to discover our hostels and all they offer. Whether it’s a bed for the night, a day visit for a cuppa, filling up a bottle at a refill station, using a drying room or just grabbing a loo break.”

With its bird tourism club, Extremadura is the perfect destination for bird lovers, and particularly if you are into birds of prey. Not only does it feature 23 different species, but it is also home to 1,200 pairs of black vultures, making it the perfect place for bird-watching and to learn about biodiversity. Check out Casa Rural el Recuerdo for a perfect place to stay, a family-run country house with an olive grove, a vegetable garden, and solar panels. Besides, the owner can take you on a bird-watching trip, making sure to show you special species you really want to see, while consuming as little fuel as possible.

Being Poland’s longest bicycle trail, Green Velo is the ideal destination if you want to go on a cycling holiday. Focusing on the east of the country through five regions, the cycle path is designed to be low-maintenance and sustainable, with a particular attention on caring for nature and limiting the human impact on vegetation and water supplies. It goes through the Swietokrzyski national park, where you can go bird-watching as well and marvel at the beautiful forests and mountains, and also stops at the Krzyztopor castle, as well as the charming city of Kielce, which is home to palaces, galleries, and a limestone quarry.