Top Places for Sustainable Travel | Green Tours in Europe & Scandinavia

If there’s one good thing a global pandemic has accomplished, it’s opening the world’s eyes to how hard tourism can be on the planet. Now, sustainable travel, the newest buzzword to hit travel trends lists everywhere, is bringing tourism back to life again. The bad news is, a lot of people are wondering, what is sustainable travel? The good news is, many people are traveling sustainably already and don’t even know it! See if you already travel responsibly, and find five of the top places for sustainable travel in Europe and Scandinavia.

You might be a sustainable traveler if …

• You prefer local experiences over well-known major attractions.
• You like making souvenirs in hands-on workshops rather than buying them at shopping malls.
• You ride public transportation for the adventure, not (just) because you’re a broke backpacker.
• The best foods you’ve ever eaten were whipped up by sweet locals in tiny booths outside on street corners.

Starting to get the picture?

What is sustainable travel, and why is it important?

According to the travel experts at the World Tourism Organization, the term “sustainable tourism” is just a big, fancy term for traveling responsibly. One of the biggest components to traveling responsibly is minimizing our negative impact on the planet, and one of the easiest ways to do this is by supporting local communities and economies. The idea of sustainable travel is … sustainability … or paying things forward and doing our part as humans to ensure that the communities who welcome us as tourists will continue to prosper long after we are gone. And that’s super cool.

Master sustainable travel in just a few easy steps

Sustainable travel often goes hand in hand (casually down the riverfront, of course) with eco-tourism, green travel and what some super savvy tourists call mindful travel. And that’s fair because sustainable travel does involve protecting the globe and engaging our brains. (Just a little. We promise, it doesn’t hurt.)

10 super easy ways you can travel sustainably

1. Make the most of your immediate surroundings, and find adventures close to home.
2. Choose a destination that loves sustainability as much as it loves tourists.
3. Consider taking direct flights or using eco-friendly airlines (Yep. There are such things.) for international trips.
4. When traveling domestically, rather than driving yourself, consider using fuel-efficient cross-country trains, where available.
5. Exploring smaller areas within a city district? Rent a bicycle or use your own two feet.
6. Give back to communities by hiring local tour guides or tour agencies that support local businesses.
7. Reduce food and plastic waste by carrying your own water bottle and by buying fresh, local foods and packing snacks and meals in recyclable containers.
8. Take shorter showers! So easy.
9. Leave places better than you found them: spend an hour picking up litter; dedicate a day for volunteer work; buy souvenirs from charitable organizations.
10. Stay in sustainable accommodations. Why, yes! We’re happy to help you find those.

FIND SUSTAINABLE HOTELS ON AGODA 

How Agoda supports sustainable travel

Since travel is our business, Agoda takes sustainable travel seriously. You can learn more about the initiatives Agoda is taking with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and other sustainability experts through Agoda’s Partnerhub. You’ll not only find great ways to contribute to sustainable travel, but property owners can learn how to make their accommodations sustainable and eco-friendly.

5 best countries for sustainable travel

Sweden leads the way for sustainable tourism, according to a report released by Euromonitor International. Four other Scandinavian and European countries, however, weren’t far behind. Diehard sustainable travelers could score extra green-travel points by embarking on a “slow travel” expedition and covering all these in one trip!

1. Sweden

It’s no surprise that Sweden, the birthplace of the flight-shaming movement and climate activist Greta Thunberg, is big on sustainable travel. The country doesn’t just promote sustainable tourism, either. It is devising a sustainable tourism strategy, which is incorporated into a national goal to achieve net zero emissions by 2045. In other words, Sweden is leading the way in sustainable travel, and here are just a few places you can go to enjoy their efforts.

Eco-friendly attractions in Sweden

• Biking Dalarna – choose from 21 biking adventures that cover more than 900 kilometers through the rolling hills and pine forests of Dalarna.
• Urnatur – this wooded getaway is set in Holaved Forest, just a three-hour daytrip from Stockholm. Sleep in a treehouse or cabin, and monkey around in nature all day long.
• Växjö – this southern city was named the “Greenest City in Europe” in 2007 by BBC. ‘Nuff said.
• Aurora Sky Station – as popular as it is sustainable, this attraction in the north of Sweden chairlifts tourists to one of the best spots in the world to view the Northern Lights.
• Skansen – even in the center of Stockholm, you can find sustainable tourism in Sweden. This open-air museum with costumed characters and a zoo is kid-friendly and educational, too!

Sustainable hotels in Sweden

Clarion Collection Hotel Grand Sundsvall

Elite Park Hotel

U&Me, BW Signature Collection

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2. Finland

Finding sustainable attractions and places to stay in Finland is easy because this country is serious about responsible travel. Tourist destinations in Finland must meet certain criteria to be labeled sustainable by Finland’s Sustainable Travel Finland program. The guidelines for the program ensure that tourist attractions follow Finland’s deep-seated principles of living harmoniously with and preserving nature.

Eco-friendly attractions in Finland

• Suomenlinna – arrive by ferry, and explore tunnels, museums, a historic dockyard and more at this former military sea fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site just outside Helsinki.
• Maretarium – a visit to Kotka’s public aquarium offers a view of Finnish fish, along with information about Finland’s lakes and waterways.
• Kulttuurikeskus Pentik -mäki – learn about Finnish heritage and support local craftsmen at this cultural center in Posio, central Finland.
• The Museum of War and Reconstruction – discover the unique territorial tug-of-war between Finland and Russia at this exhibition in Salla, northern Finland.
• Pyhä Ski Resort – hit the slopes and feel good about supporting this family-owned business in Eastern Lapland. You can also visit Pyhä-Luosto National Park, the oldest park in Finland, while you’re there.

Sustainable hotels in Finland

Radisson Blu Seaside Hotel Helsinki

Scandic Pohjanhovi

Scandic Oulu Station

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3. Austria

A simple way of life has woven its way into Austria’s tourist sector, and because of the country’s dedication to everyday organic farming practices and renewable energy sources, Austria just naturally qualifies as one of the top places for sustainable travel. Some evidence of the country’s commitment to reduce its carbon footprint includes inner-city car-free zones in Innsbruck and Graz Old Town, electrical-powered buses and trolleys in Salzburg and free public transport nationwide.

Eco-friendly attractions in Austria

• Gmünd – soak up medieval vibes and a small-town welcome in this revitalized northern community that offers artists plenty of space to work.
• Hohe Tauern National Park – hike, ski and bask in heavenly mountain air in the largest protected area in the Alps.
• St. Johann in Salzburg – spend a few nights in this Austrian Alps community to see firsthand renewable energy sources and clever conservation practices.
• Holiday on a farm – get a feel for farm life by lending a hand on one of 900 organic farms in southcentral Austria.
• Kitzbühel – ski resorts in winter are this town’s main attraction, but visitors can enjoy the Kitzbühel’s medieval center, history museums and art-strewn cafés and streets any time of year.

Sustainable hotels in Austria

NH Salzburg City

BEST WESTERN Plus Hotel Goldener Adler Innsbruck

Melia Vienna

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4. Estonia

Look for EHE labels when visiting this northern European country, famous for its unique history and coastal vantage point. Estonia’s EHE labels are awarded to tourist attractions that meet environmental and community-friendly standards. EHE facilities make commitments to avoid the use of plastics and choose local goods over imported products.

Eco-friendly attractions in Estonia

• Estonian Dairy Museum (Eesti Piimandusmuuseum) – this museum in central Estonia gives tourists a glimpse of what life is like on a traditional dairy farm. It’s “udderly” charming.
• Toosikannu Holiday Center (Toosikannu Puhkekeskus) – take a daytrip one hour south of Tallinn to spot wildlife along scenic bike trails. This safari center also provides accommodations.
• Saaremaa – experience harmonious living on this island known for its hard-working and humorous community that prides itself on unique preservation practices.
• Angla Heritage Culture Centre – while on Saaremaa, visit the town of Angla to learn Estonian history and culture.

Sustainable hotels in Estonia

Noorus SPA Inn

Hotel St. Petersbourg – Small Luxury Hotels of the World

Luxury Art Nouveau Hotel Villa Ammende

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5. Norway

Norway set its Sustainable Destination standard in 2013, and tourists today can identify sustainable businesses and properties in Norway by either an Ecotourism Norway certification (tourist attractions) or Eco-Lighthouse status (hotels and other enterprises). The country’s sustainable standard certification measures more than 100 factors which cover everything from the impact projects make on nature to how they affect social values.

Top places for sustainable travel in Norway

• Lyngenfjord – do all things outdoors and view the Northern Lights along this 90-kilometer-long fjord in the very north of Norway.
• Oslo – The capital city makes and many efforts to reduce its carbon footprint as the rest of the country. It’s a super city to explore on foot. Plus, you get to learn about Vikings!
• Jæren beaches – the southwest tip of Norway is a safe-haven for wildlife and native plants. Visitors can enjoy seven miles of clean beaches and scenic coastline in the region known as Jæren.
• Geirangerfjord – part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Nærøyfjord, its counterpart to the south, Geirangerfjord is a sustainable traveler’s paradise with flowing blue waters, untouched nature and what looks like never-ending mountain peaks.

Sustainable hotels in Norway

Scandic Lillehammer Hotel

Comfort Hotel Boersparken

Thon Hotel Nidaros (Gildevangen)

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