Travel
Going Green: Sustainable City Break Destinations
Slide Nr 1An increasing number of cities are promoting their eco credentials to attract the more environmentally aware traveller. We highlight 10 leading examples to inspire your next trip.
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Going Green: Sustainable City Break Destinations.
Slide Nr 2COPENHAGEN – The Danish capital is rightly proud of its reputation as a city best enjoyed by bike. Where Copenhagen has raced ahead, other destinations have followed – no doubt pedalling furiously to try and keep up. However, the city’s sustainability credentials span everything from transport to accommodation, food and shopping. Making a difference: Around 70% of the city’s hotel rooms have eco certification, so it pays to research your options. What to experience: In the home of New Nordic Cuisine, look out for innovative dining experiences that celebrate locavore culture with fresh, seasonal and even foraged ingredients.
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Going Green: Sustainable City Break Destinations.
Slide Nr 3CURITIBA – Brazil’s eighth-largest city might seem an unlikely choice for our list, but Curitiba has been a shining light for eco-friendly urban planning in recent years. Where other Latin American cities impress with isolated standout initiatives, Curitiba is targeting progress in all directions. Making a difference: Over 70% of the city’s garbage is recycled thanks to incentives such as bus tokens, notebooks and even food! What to experience: Take the Linha Turismo bus to the viewing point and waterfall at Tangua Park for a moment of calm, and to enjoy a panoramic view of the city below.
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Going Green: Sustainable City Break Destinations.
Slide Nr 4HELSINKI – Prioritising sustainability is becoming a way of life in the Finnish capital, focusing not only on ecological needs, but also social, economic and cultural ones – all aligned with the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Making a difference: Serious policy changes on sustainability are translated into even greater fun for visitors with a host of experiences all year round that are gentle on the environment, from winter hikes and kayaking to archipelago tours and even mushroom hunting! What to experience: Our tip is to sample the bountiful nature on Helsinki’s doorstep with a trip to Lammassaari Island (Sheep Island), carefully treading 1.2 kilometres of duckboards over protected wetlands. Remember: it’s not the destination, it’s the journey…
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Going Green: Sustainable City Break Destinations.
Slide Nr 5LISBON – Eco-friendly transportation is likely to be at the heart of your sustainable stay in the Portuguese capital. Aside from the romance of the traditional – and oh-so Insta-worthy – trams, you could also get around by bus or the now-ubiquitous e-scooters, which can be rented at the click of an app. Making a difference: Portugal’s tempting local cuisine and fine produce has been key to promoting the values of sustainability and local, low-impact production. What to experience: Shop smart and buy local, eco-friendly goods such as those made of cork – the poster boy of natural, renewable and recyclable products. Alternatively, if you have the time, you could take a bike trip out to tour a local organic and biodynamic vineyard.
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Going Green: Sustainable City Break Destinations.
Slide Nr 6LJUBLJANA – The Slovenian capital arrived early to the sustainability party, already being crowned as the European Green Capital back in 2016. Its historic centre was pedestrianised eight years before that, contributing to over 12 hectares of the city being closed off to traffic. Making a difference: There are endless tours and other experiences in the city centre that bring its unique marriage of culture and eco-consciousness to vivid life. What to experience: Take time to head out of the centre, easing the pressure of tourist flows, and discover the full extent of Ljubljana’s eco initiatives. One example is the peaceful Koseze Pond on a former industrial site that is now a burgeoning habitat for natural wildlife, as well as the venue for remote-controlled boats in summer and skating in winter.
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Going Green: Sustainable City Break Destinations.
Slide Nr 7STOCKHOLM – Sustainable thinking is not only a means to meet environmental targets in the Swedish capital. It is also fundamental to managing the city’s continued growth as the country’s largest conurbation. Making a difference: Stockholm is already a green role model boasting clean air, low noise and a largely toxin-free environment, but is now also aiming to be fully fossil-fuel-free and climate-positive by 2030. What to experience: The Stockholm metro is not only an efficient and eco-friendly rapid transit system – it has also been described as the world’s longest art exhibit, with art concepts elevating and inspiring the system’s stations. Our favourite is ‘the blue platform’ (pictured above) at the T-Centralen station.
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Going Green: Sustainable City Break Destinations.
Slide Nr 8TALLINN – Named as the European Green Capital for 2023, Tallinn has much to be proud of in its efforts to meet sustainability targets – efforts ‘powered’ by a creative and entrepreneurial mindset that has helped the city pivot from heavily polluting industry to sustainable development and greater efficiency. Making a difference: No progress is too small or marginal in Tallinn, even leading to the creation of the world’s first carbon-neutral orchestra (the Lahti Symphony Orchestra). What to experience: You may be surprised to discover that Tallinn is home to a thriving vegetarian and vegan food culture. There are a host of hip eateries to try, for example within the essential Fotografiska photography museum. The reference point, however, remains Vegan Restorant V, among Estonia’s very first temples of green cuisine.
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Going Green: Sustainable City Break Destinations.
Slide Nr 9VANCOUVER – When considering a city with nine beaches, 230 parks and 22 kilometres of walkable waterfront, you almost wonder whether Vancouver has an unfair advantage in promoting the beauty of nature and the importance of sustainability. Making a difference: A leader in environmental policy for decades, the city aspires to be known as the greenest city on earth, and has a good chance of achieving that thanks to its large supply of hydroelectricity. What to experience: Enjoy the urban appeal of this vibrant destination with a laid-back charm all its own, but make sure to enjoy Vancouver’s other wild side with a few hikes and walks. The Capilano Suspension Bridge Park will take you into the rainforest canopy for a few blissful hours.
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Going Green: Sustainable City Break Destinations.
Slide Nr 10WELLINGTON – The New Zealand capital continues to make progress towards its environmental goals through a series of smart measures that incentivise innovation and startups with original new solutions. Making a difference: Having long endured jokes about its status as the world’s windiest city, Wellington is now grateful for the generally excellent air quality that those winds support, other than low levels of particles in winter due to home heating. What to experience: Take a trip by cable car to the Kelburn Terminal for panoramic views of the city, where you can appreciate not only the beauty of Wellington’s natural surrounds, but also its compactness which supports eco-efficiency, smart growth and walkability.
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Going Green: Sustainable City Break Destinations.
Slide Nr 11ZURICH – We end our list as we began it: with an eminently bike-friendly city. Like Copenhagen, Zurich has been a pioneer in promoting the advantages of cycling, with 385 separate cycle paths threading their way through the city – many of which are extremely scenic, encouraging leisure use alongside commuting. Making a difference: With 80% of its energy from renewable sources, Zurich is well-placed to make further progress on its eco commitments. What to experience: For all its serious and prudent green initiatives, don’t forget to sample the fun side of Zurich’s natural environment. We’ll be dipping our toes in the water for some river bathing this summer.
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