Choosing sustainable tourism means preserving the natural environment and improving the well-being of local communities.
Traveling to a new destination doesn’t just mean discovering unfamiliar places: our presence affects the environment around us, and our trip will have an impact on the places we visit, even if we don’t realize it at first. Every choice we make—where we sleep, how we move around, where we eat—contributes to changing the landscape, for better or for worse.
Sustainable tourism is part of a growing awareness that has emerged over the last few decades, encouraging people to travel more consciously and offering alternative solutions to protect nature and improve the lives of local populations.
5 Tips for Planning Your Trip to Campania
Follow our five practical tips for a sustainable trip, so that not only will your journey through Campania be beneficial for you, but your presence will also have a positive impact on this beautiful land.
Visit Small Villages
Campania, like the rest of Italy, is full of small towns and villages that hide incredible treasures. You will love your trip because you can find beauty everywhere. You might end up visiting tiny villages with baroque-style churches, walking through hills with ancient towns full of history, or discovering breathtaking frescoes and artworks hidden in villages so small they don’t even have a movie theater.
Why is visiting these small towns a sustainable choice? Because doing so directly contributes to their preservation. Locals take great pride in their heritage, and seeing tourists arrive from around the world makes them more likely to maintain and protect it. Bringing tourism to these places helps ensure they don’t disappear. Locals will be eager to show you authentic Italy.
Here are a few examples of small villages in Campania worth visiting:
- Sant’Agata de’ Goti (Benevento): Built on a rocky cliff, its medieval charm remains intact.
- Castellabate: Near Paestum and Agropoli, with a 12th-century castle and part of the Cilento National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Albori: Part of Vietri sul Mare, perched on Mount Falerzio, overlooking the Amalfi Coast.
- Monteverde: In Irpinia, surrounded by wheat fields, it is one of the most accessible villages in Italy, with a majestic castle and a beautiful cathedral.
Trekking Along Ancient Trails
The Apennines stretch across all of Italy, and in Campania, you can hike stunning trails with breathtaking views.
Many trails date back to Roman times and were used for trade or military purposes. You can still spot ancient stone foundations and “milestones.” Other trails are old mule tracks, once used by farmers to quickly transport goods.
Hiking these trails is both a human and spiritual experience and a great way to practice ecotourism. These paths are maintained, signposted, and often used by locals who can share hidden gems, panoramic spots, water sources, and churches or monasteries to visit.
Recommended hikes include:
- The Path of the Gods, with panoramic views of the Amalfi Coast.
- Mount Vesuvius Trail, with sweeping views over Pompeii, Naples, and the crater.
- The Southern Via Francigena, an ancient pilgrimage route that runs through 26 municipalities in Campania, with 170 km of history, art, and nature.
Cycling Holidays
What’s greener than a cycling holiday? Pedaling alone or with friends under the warm spring sun brings freedom and vitality. Cycle tourism is a slow-travel choice that lets you fully enjoy the landscape without polluting or being bound to public transport schedules.
Many tourist destinations now offer bike rentals, and some travel agencies organize guided cycling tours. Here are a few places to explore by bike:
- Capri, cycling through scenic routes and pairing it with a sailing trip.
- The Volturno Cycle Route, from Capua to the river’s source at 567 meters altitude, passing through historic towns like Vairano.
- The Silent Way (La Via Silente), over 600 km through the Cilento National Park, offering an immersive journey through Campania’s natural heart.
Local Food Markets
No matter where you are in Campania—mountains, sea, city, countryside, or islands—one thing is certain: the food is delicious! Campanian cuisine is world-renowned for its creativity and high-quality ingredients.
A key sustainable tourism choice is to shop at local open-air markets, where farmers, growers, and ranchers sell their fresh, organic products. You’ll find seasonal fruits and vegetables, local meats, and fresh seafood.
The Slow Food association organizes “Earth Markets,” based on three principles: good (quality), clean (sustainably produced), and fair (respecting workers).
Don’t miss these regular market dates:
- First Sunday of the month: Capaccio Paestum (ex-tabacco factory) and in the archaeological park of Ercolano.
- Second Sunday: Piano di Sorrento (covered market) and Boscoreale (Piazza Vargas).
- Third Sunday: Benevento (Piazza Mercato), Nola (municipal park), and Pellezzano (Parco Serra Wenner).
Want to try traditional Campanian specialties? Visit Naples’ Pignasecca market, where you’ll find fresh ricotta, regional cheeses, buffalo mozzarella, and seasonal fish like “capitone,” served at Christmas.
Mountain Cabin Holidays
If you love the mountains and want a truly “green” experience, choose a stay in a wooden cabin near alpine pastures, where cows graze freely and produce top-quality milk. In Campania—particularly Irpinia—you’ll find charming mountain cabins at elevations above 700 meters.
You can enjoy traditional dishes, walk through mountain trails, watch stunning sunrises and sunsets, and breathe the purest air.
Plan your trip for late September, and you might witness the transhumance—a yearly celebration when cows leave high pastures and return to winter farms in the valley. This ancient tradition is part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Cows are sometimes adorned with flower garlands and bells, as the mountain shines one last time in farewell.
Campania offers experiences you’d expect only in the Alps—like snowshoeing in Verteglia’s winter landscape or near Mount Terminio, where snow-covered forests show why these areas must be protected from mass tourism.
Snowshoeing in the Picentini Mountains Park offers untouched nature, mountain trails, and small hillside churches surrounded by peaceful forests—reminding us of the importance of preserving the balance between people and the environment.
