10 Tips for a Sustainable Holiday

Germany is a diverse travel destination. To ensure that you find a destination that suits your taste, it is advisable to gather information in advance, here on germany.travel, in travel guides or at a travel agency.

And if you manage to brush up on your German or English before the trip, you have the best chance of getting one or two insider tips from the locals when you get here. In this way, your trip can become a real discovery tour far away from the tourist hotspots.

You want to relax on holiday - but a long journey can be exhausting. So if you are travelling from overseas, plan a longer stay in Germany if possible and treat yourself to some local relaxation. Within Europe, it is best to choose to travel by train: this way you get to know the country and its people as soon as you arrive.

Sustainability is a complex issue and as a guest it is difficult to distinguish "greenwashing" from genuine commitment to sustainability. Therefore, when choosing your holiday providers, be guided by recognised certifications for an all-round sustainable travel experience.

You will find a selection of certified offers on these pages as well as on our interactive "green travel map" featuring sustainable accommodation.

Conserve your resources and the environment and take advantage of reusable drinking bottles on the road, for example. In Germany, you can easily get clean drinking water free of charge from the tap or find public refilling stations near you via Refill-Deutschland.de. In many regions, take-away coffee is also served in recyclable containers. Fruit and vegetables are sold plastic-free and very fresh at the many farmers' markets and also in some supermarkets.

On foot, by bike, or canoe, you can experience cities and natural landscapes cheaper and more intensively than rushing from one place to the next in a car. In many regions, the use of public transport is also free of charge with TouristCards. If you can't do without a car, why not rent an electric car? This is easy and convenient, and not only available in cities, and can be done via car sharing using an app.

Germany's cuisine is as diverse as its landscapes. Many restaurants also use carefully selected seasonal products from organic or small-scale farming in their dishes. In this way, the environment is saved by shorter transport routes, and you get new taste sensations while supporting regional agriculture. By the way, there is now also a large selection of vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Germany

The encounters with the local people are what make every holiday a special experience. So don't be afraid to approach people and take part in traditional, cultural and religious events, depending on what you want and what is on offer.

Be aware of local customs and ask if you are unsure about what kind of behaviour is appropriate. You will surely find that many people will also be happy to take a souvenir photo if you ask them for permission in advance.

Souvenirs that really represent your holiday destination are best found at local markets and in small individual shops. Buy originals instead of cheap imitations - this way you support local crafts and give real pleasure to those at home. Please do not take home any specimens of special animal or plant species or protected cultural objects.

Tell friends and acquaintances about the positive experiences you had with sustainable providers in Germany and share your experiences on social media. In this way, you become an ambassador for environmentally and climate-friendly travel.

Every journey involves emissions. To keep your ecological footprint as small as possible, you can offset unavoidable CO2 emissions. Find out how high the CO2 emissions of your holiday are with our CO2 calculator and make your trip climate neutral by supporting worldwide compensation programmes.