The most eco-friendly Italian beach is Castiglione della Pescaia in the province of Grosseto.
The Tuscan beach has been awarded the prestigious “Cinque Vele” award in the new “Guida Blu” (Blue Guide) by Italian environmental association Legambiente and nonprofit national tourist organization Touring Club. The guide, updated and published annually, includes the best seaside resorts that offer sustainable tourism.
The reason given for the top award is as follows: “The protection and enhancement of the coastal ecosystem are the objectives of Castiglione della Pescaia. The Tuscan town carries out projects for the preservation and awareness of the dune habitat and of the coastal pine forest, involving schools, citizens and tourists.”
Following Castiglione della Pescaia in the top 5 most eco-friendly beaches are Pollica (Campania), Posada (Sardinia), Ostuni (Apulia) and San Vito Lo Capo (Sicily). Santa Marina Salina in the province of Messina is first among small islands, while Molveno in Trentino grabs the top spot for lakes.
The best tourist resort is in Sardinia: the Gulf of Orosei, Ogliastra and Baronia along the island’s eastern coast.
A total of 14 seaside resorts and seven lake resorts received the “Cinque Vele” award this year.
