Italy has faced major environmental controversy but it’s also in the middle of an eco-renaissance. 

On the heels of its Nutella scandal, it’s important to acknowledge the individuals, winemakers, hotels, restaurants and even a corporation dedicated to sustainability while preserving some of Italy’s oldest traditions that are slipping away.

Here are 5 Masters of Italy’s Eco-Renaissance:

1. Roccafiore Country Resort, Umbria 

Umbria’s RoccaFiore has it all: a boutique hotel, vineyards, cantina, wellness center and a restaurant featuring a sumptuous Zero-K menu. You’ll pinch yourself in midst of lavender gardens and sweeping views over Umbria’s hills and medieval towns. Try a safari through the native organic grechetto vineyards that make a crisp white. Roccafiore is equally committed to ecological balance as well as style and Italian chic. All the while generating their own solar energy that saves a whopping 90.000 Kg of carbon emissions annually!

2. Naturhotel Miraval, Alta Badia

If you like skiing, biking or climbing, this is the place to be. Nestled in Alta Badia, home to the famous Sella Ronda, this sexy new eco hotel is quickly becoming a traveler’s favorite. Perched on the Sasso Santa Croce Mountain, when you take a seat on its panoramic lounge or soak in the outdoor hot tub, you can’t help but feel one with nature. In a UNESCO World Heritage site, locals, tourists, and developers work together to protect nature’s delicate ecosystem. Proud of its KlimaHotel certificate, the Naturhotel Miraval meets very high standards to have a low impact.

3. Toscana Resort Castelfalfi, Tuscany

Many an expat has renovated an old farmhouse under the Tuscan sun. But an entire village? That’s what international travel group TUI is doing. Toscana Resort Castelfalfi is an 800-year-old medieval hamlet that had only five residents left at the time of purchase. Most had moved out of the village years ago in search for employment. Now, employment and opportunity has come to them.

Situated on more than 2,700 acres of vineyards, olive groves, woods and lakes, TUI is busting their buns to make Toscana Resort Castelfalfi sustainable. 96 percent of water comes from collected rainwater on property. And 64 percent of energy comes from renewable resources. Even its promotional paper products are FSC-certified paper to combat deforestation. (Ahem, Ferrero.) Toscana is collaborating with local Italian agencies to create sustainable solutions such as a three-year trial of biomass production with the Scuola Superiore S. Anna of Pisa. And for olive oil lovers, in 2016 its entire production will be completely organic.

4. Arnaldo Caprai Vineyard and Cantina, Umbria

If you like Barolo, then you’ll love Sagrantino di Montefalco. Especially from Umbria’s famed cantina Arnaldo Caprai. One of the biggest producers of Sagrantino, owner and winemaker Marco Caprai is committed to sustainable growing practices and not just in his vineyards. His vision is for all Italian winemakers to join his New Green Revolution project, limit pesticides, create vineyard
biodiversity, limit CO2 emissions and more. He recently presented his sustainable ideals at EXPO MILAN 2015. In vino veritas. And sustainability works. Because his wine – is fantastic!

5. La
Tavola Marche, Marche

Ashley and Jason Bartner, an enthusiastic American couple, help keep local traditions alive while staying green. At their inn, farm and cooking school they use solar panels for hot water and a sulfur mineral spring provides the water for the house and garden. These and more sustainable practices helped them earn a Green Award from Trip Advisor. The couple’s Farm to Fork cooking classes have been featured on many top ten lists due to their unique hands-in -the-dirt garden experiences. You can learn everything from how to forage to how to making your own Italian dried meat and sausages.

Every day more Italians and expats in Italy are experiencing an eco-renaissance by realizing how important it is to become stakeholders in preserving not just the culture but also the sustainability of the land they love.

Oh, and about that Nutella scandal? I have a solution. Make your own. There’s no palm oil. And it’s delicious.

Related on EcoSalon

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The Greenest Countries Tend to be Happier and More Open

Photos courtesy of: Roccafiore, Ashley Bartner, Arnaldo Caparai Vineyards, Toscana Resort Castelfalfi, Tuscany, Naturhotel Miraval, Alta Badia

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Located on a cobblestone street in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood is the eco contemporary Crosby Street Hotel.

In a city that’s one of the most popular tourist destinations in the U.S., as well as home to many eco inventors, we’re excited that there’s an eco-hotel that’s leading the way in the industry. We are, of course, talking about New York City and tucked smack in the middle of SoHo sits the Crosby Street Hotel.

Featuring floor-to-ceiling warehouse style windows to take in the natural light, each of the 86 rooms are individually designed, some with private terraces planted with native plants. But what’s impressive is that the Crosby Street Hotel is one of the first LEED Gold certified hotels in New York City and is one of the most environmentally responsible in the U.S.

In addition to a slew of green features like green power, use of recycled materials during construction, and usage of regional materials, the Crosby Street Hotel also maximizes their open space. A whopping 61% of the hotel’s site is considered as such, “open,” and on the rooftop is a kitchen garden with a seasonal vegetable patch. Managed by head chef Anthony Paris, also in the formerly unused space on the roof is a Tudor style chicken coop in which the Araucana chickens produce eggs used in the kitchen as well.

Guests are encouraged to visit the Sculpture Garden and the Crosby Bar, both of which are outdoor spaces filled with green space and cool décor, perfect for relaxing with friends.

If you go: Check out the state-of-the-art screening room with 99 seats featuring different films every Sunday. Rates start at $525 per night.

Places & Spaces is a travel guide that will inspire you to carve out a vacation on your calendar. All of the gorgeous locations and accommodations in our guide share our concern for the environment. From tent glamping to lavish built environments, fair warning, you’ll feel compelled to pack your suitcase.

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Spend your days by the sea in the treetops, and playing with nature at Morgan’s Rock Hacienda & Ecolodge in Nicaragua.

Imagine if you could reset your day to the sunrises and the sunsets without the hassle of agendas, cell phones and meetings. For many of us, this would mean a complete readjustment of our clocks but for the owners of Morgan’s Rock Hacienda & Ecolodge outside of San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua, this is the norm and they invite all of their guests to “play with time” as well.

Located 15 miles north of the Costa Rican border, Morgan’s Rock is located within a 4,400-acre nature preserve and sustainable tree farm, which 1.5 million trees have been planted in over the past 10 years. The resort is said to be one of the country’s oldest high-end eco-resorts, and the land is rich with history as well.

The 15 well-appointed bungalows are set into the hillside of the jungle and outdoor queen-sized hanging beds allow for breathtaking views of the water (13 of which are accessible only by a 100-meter pedestrian suspension bridge). Inside, each of them are open and have fully screened walls so you can hear the sound of the ocean and nature at all times.

If you go: Morgan’s Rock has its own private beach (equipped with hammocks and loungers) and a hatchery for giant sea turtles. Rates start at $322 per night and are all-inclusive.

Places & Spaces is a travel guide that will inspire you to carve out a vacation on your calendar. All of the gorgeous locations and accommodations in our guide share our concern for the environment. From tent glamping to lavish built environments, fair warning, you’ll feel compelled to pack your suitcase.

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Instants d’Absolu in Auvergne, France was designed as an escape for those who want to get away from it all.

Perched high on a 3,760 foot plateau is Instants d’Absolu, an eco-lodge in a preserved sanctuary in Auvergne, France. Nestled in the heart of the Natural Reserve of the Auvergne Volcanoes, it’s wedged between Lac du Pêcher (a lake), the Puy Muy volcano, and the edge of the Pinatelle Forest. In other words, Instants d’Absolu is an “escape” in the truest sense of the word.

Instants d’Absolu (meaning timeless and rare moments), is located on a renovated, eco-friendly lava stone farm. What we like about it is that it can be visited year-round with no shortage of activities. In warmer months, there is fishing, horseback riding, mountain biking, hiking, and even a hot air balloon ride to explore the beautiful landscape from above. In the winter, guests can experience dog-sled rides, snowshoe excursions, cross country skiing, and even skiing on the slopes of volcanoes. But the activity most enjoy is the art of doing nothing. The Nordic inspired spa helps with that, an outdoor hot tub that looks out onto the raw French nature.

Restored with love and care, the land that Instants d’Absolu sits on is considered “sensitive natural space,” which means the owners have gone to great lengths to keep the property as natural as possible. Instants d’Absolu is a world in itself, to relax and get away from it all.

If you go: Expect to fall asleep listening to an evening concert of frogs and stag belling. Rates start at $180USD per night.

Places & Spaces is a travel guide that will inspire you to carve out a vacation on your calendar. All of the gorgeous locations and accommodations in our guide share our concern for the environment. From tent glamping to lavish built environments, fair warning, you’ll feel compelled to pack your suitcase.

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San Francisco’s Hotel Triton has been a pioneer in eco lodging since the early 1990s.

Kimpton Hotels have been leaders in the industry when it comes to eco-friendly accommodations. The company’s Hotel Triton in downtown San Francisco is no different and actually started it all with an “eco-floor” back in the 1990s, which spread to the rest of the hotel in 2003. Because of its environmental efforts, the Hotel Triton inspired the current company-wide eco-program for all Kimpton Hotels.

Each property owned by Kimpton has a theme and the one for Hotel Triton is pop culture. It was inspired by the imaginations of San Franciscan artisans and the décor is whimsy and fun with personal touches from celebrities that have stayed there, such as artwork, quotes, concert memorabilia, photographs, and personally selected amenities. The hotel is also a supporter of the local arts community by serving as a showcase for emerging artists with a rotating gallery of art.

The Hotel Triton has been called “The best hotel in San Francisco,” and we love the fact that it’s right smack downtown, across from the Chinatown gates. And it’s pet-friendly too!

If you go: Stay in the “Eco Premier King Rooms” which feature different eco design elements a guest can experience first-hand and consider in their own home environments. They each have a special theme like the Trust for Public Land, Happy Planet, the Collage Foundation and the Eco-Chic Room.

Rates start at $180.00USD per night.

Places & Spaces is a travel guide that will inspire you to carve out a vacation on your calendar. All of the gorgeous locations and accommodations in our guide share our concern for the environment. From tent glamping to lavish built environments, fair warning, you’ll feel compelled to pack your suitcase.

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Sadie Cove Wilderness Lodge in Alaska is a unique off the grid vacation just miles from the bear viewing capital of the world.

Tucked inside Alaska’s Kachemak Bay State Park, Sadie Cove Wilderness Lodge is located on a privately owned, remote beach that is only accessible by boat, float plane, or helicopter. The lodge was built from driftwood that was salvaged from the beaches of Kachemak Bay and milled by hand, piece by piece, into lumber and constructed without preservatives, chemicals, or oils of any kind.

Sadie Cove is completely off the grid and runs on hydro-electric power which is supplied from a mountain stream and a wind power generator. Wild, ocean-run seafood is served along with fresh, organic produce, some of which is grown in the garden on the grounds. What’s also unique is that the early Alaskans camped on the property of Sadie Cove seasonally to make stone tools and gather berries, clams, mussels, seals, and sea birds for their subsistence. Old paintings can still be found in caves along the grounds.

Sadie Cove accommodates just eight lucky guests at a time and has spectacular views with plenty of activities to enjoy such as hiking, sea kayaking, sailing, fishing, and whale and wildlife viewing. Awarded and recognized extensively by the media, this unique property is a great way to get away from the chaos of everyday life.

If you go: Sadie Cove Wilderness Lodge is just 10 miles from the bear viewing capital of the world. Rates start at $450USD per night and are all-inclusive.

Places & Spaces is a travel guide that will inspire you to carve out a vacation on your calendar. All of the gorgeous locations and accommodations in our guide share our concern for the environment. From tent glamping to lavish built environments, fair warning, you’ll feel compelled to pack your suitcase.

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A relaxing getaway on the banks of Portland, Oregon’s Willamette River.

For many, a getaway doesn’t consist of beaches and views but rather exploring cities and urban destinations. On the banks of the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, lies the Avalon Hotel & Spa located just a mile from the downtown area. With a cool architectural design, this luxury retreat is the tenth hotel in the world (and the first in Oregon), to be certified as a LEED hotel by the U.S. Green Building Council.

The Avalon features the best of both worlds. Not only are there plenty of outdoor activities such as a biking and jogging trail alongside the river, but the hotel is perfectly situated close to the shopping district. At the end of the day’s adventures, guests can recoup in The Avalon’s spa, offering an array of services (a Hot Salt Tub Soak, anyone?) in addition to a whirlpool, sauna, and steam room.

We also love that The Avalon is situated next to Cottonwood Bay Park, a protected green space that has one of the few remaining stands of cottonwood trees along the Willamette River. Additionally, the hotel has over 800 protected square feet of natural habitat where species of butterflies can be spotted.

If you go: The Avalon’s new Aquariva Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar is perfectly positioned on the river and guests can enjoy an after-dinner stroll along the waterfront walking path. Rates start at $189.00 USD.

Places & Spaces is a travel guide that will inspire you to carve out a vacation on your calendar. All of the gorgeous locations and accommodations in our guide share our concern for the environment. From tent glamping to lavish built environments, fair warning, you’ll feel compelled to pack your suitcase.

The post Places & Spaces: Avalon Hotel and Spa, Portland, Oregon appeared first on EcoSalon.

Escape into nature at Cala Mia, a boutique hotel located in the Chiriqui National Marine Park in Panama.

Near the Costa Rican border in Panama lies an island destination with a boutique hotel called Cala Mia. With eleven bungalows designed and handcrafted by local artisans, shoes are optional at Cala Mia and activities range from sportfishing to surfing to scuba diving. Located in Chiriqui National Marine Park, the resort is powered entirely by solar power and caters to ecologically and socially aware clientele.

The restaurant at Cala Mia is perched at the highest point of the resort, offering views of the beach, lush vegetation, swaying palm trees, and tropical waters. The Mediterranean-inspired menu often changes daily, depending on what’s been harvested from its own garden or the local farms (five percent of your room rate goes towards these farms). The spa, which is located on its own island just a hanging-bridge away, offers massages and organic beauty treatments.

Numerous animals that call Panama home can be found at Cala Mia, such as birds, monkeys, dolphins, and turtles, allowing guests to truly “escape” into nature.

If you go: Check out the special packages Cala Mia offers to experience other hotels in the area. Rates start at $195.00 USD per night.

Places & Spaces is a travel guide that will inspire you to carve out a vacation on your calendar. All of the gorgeous locations and accommodations in our guide share our concern for the environment. From tent glamping to lavish built environments, fair warning, you’ll feel compelled to pack your suitcase.

The post Places & Spaces: Cala Mia Boutique Hotel, Chiriqui, Panama appeared first on EcoSalon.

The Avana Resort and Spa in Bali is the perfect place to seek refuge.

Voted the “#1 Spa in the World” in 2010 by Conde Nast Traveler readers, the Ayana Resort and Spa in Bali will take your breath away. The 290-room hotel and 78 private freestanding villas are perched above the Indian Ocean on Jimbaran Bay amongst beautiful tropical gardens.

Just a few days ago, Ayana Resort and Spa was recognized for its commitment to sustainable practices and is now a certified Eco Hotel by the prestigious TUV Rheinland Germany. Apparently the resort’s eco-friendly practices have been followed for a long time: the two water recycling plants, which recycle grey and black water, are used on the gardens and ponds; a composting program is utilized; energy efficiency is of great importance and the resort uses eco-friendly detergents and other products.

There is nothing but indulgence at Ayana Resort and Spa from a “Floataway Champagne Brunch,” to a “Spa on the Rocks” treatment. But perhaps one of the most intriguing aspects of Ayana Resort and Spa is the meaning of its name in Sanskrit – “a place of refuge.”

If you go: Ayana Resort and Spa offers perfume-making workshops and cooking classes. Rates start at approximately $260.00 USD per night.

Places & Spaces is a travel guide that will inspire you to carve out a vacation on your calendar. All of the gorgeous locations and accommodations in our guide share our concern for the environment. From tent glamping to lavish built environments, fair warning, you’ll feel compelled to pack your suitcase.

The post Places & Spaces: Ayana Hotel & Resort in Bali appeared first on EcoSalon.

The Gaia Hotel & Preserve is a Costa Rican getaway guaranteed to bring you back to nature.

This is the first installment in a new round of Places & Spaces here on EcoSalon. Look for writer Kara DiCamillo’s travel series here every Saturday.

Situated next to the Pacific Ocean in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica is the Gaia Hotel & Reserve, an adult only luxury boutique hotel and resort. Perhaps what we love most about this tropical getaway – aside from its modern amenities, lush views, and more conveniences than one could possibly need on vacation – is that it’s smack in the middle of a lowland coastal forest. The Gaia Hotel & Reserve is committed to preserving this natural land, and with their eco-friendly and socially responsible values it shows.

The preserve was originally a center for native orchid and endangered wildlife conservation, called Jardín Gaia and today the land is still home to many native species.

Guests at Gaia Hotel & Reserve are able to experience Costa Rica’s tican hospitality and natural beauty, be it taking in vistas of the volcanic mountain range and Pacific coastline while sitting by the pool, or interacting with nature first hand snorkeling, sea kayaking, surfing and river rafting or surrendering completely to your inner romantic with a horseback ride along the shore.

Places & Spaces is a travel guide that will inspire you to carve out a vacation on your calendar. All of the gorgeous locations and accommodations in our guide share our concern for the environment. From tent glamping to lavish built environments, fair warning, you’ll feel compelled to pack your suitcase.

The post Places & Spaces: Gaia Hotel and Reserve, Costa Rica appeared first on EcoSalon.