Ecologically sustainable itinearies: whale watching in Tuscany


DauphinAncient sages used to write fantastic stories about cetaceans, marine mammals that have always fueled every-time myths and legends. Considering that summer seems to be finally emerging from hibernation (with some difficulty this year anyhow!), I think that diving into the sea of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park could be a propitiating rite for a relaxing, funny and travelling summer.

And with regard to travels… maybe most of you have already planned summer holidays, even if being spoilt for choice could be easier than we expect due to the many local and exotic destinations! Anyway, if some days are still waiting for being planned and you are fond of nature, an ecologically sustainable journey is up your alley.

But let’s take a step back: what does ecologically sustainable tourism mean? These words do not only define a concept, but a particular policy whose rules have been made during a conference held at Quebec City, Canada, some years ago. Ecotourism, or ecologically sustainable tourism officially means: responsible travel to natural protected areas that aims to be low impact on the environment and benefit the economic and political development of local communities, respecting different cultures and human rights.

Ecotourism has been defined as a kind of tourism based on the respect and protection of nature and environment, that means travelling for discovering protected natural areas and unspoilt places, which are very different from all those cities and destinations that are getting more and more croweded. It’s a kind of tourism which is responsible and respectful of environment meant as set places, as well as set of people, traditions and cultures. To learn more about this topic, visit the Italian ecotourism official web site

And now it’s time to get back to our ecologically sustainable itinerary through the Tuscan Archipelago sea. Have you ever heard about whale watching? Who knows what you may think about when reading these words, but actually it is an incredible, at least extraordinary activity, since I assume you won’t assist to…dauphins and whales sightings every day!

On a sea basin comprising the waters between France, Monaco and Italy there is the Pelago Sanctuary for Mediterranean Marine Mammals which is obviously a marine protected area.

The waters of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park, which is the European biggest marine park, are comprised in the Pelago Sanctuary, which is then a further attraction to all those tourists who want to visit this area. That isn’t a type of mass tourism through which we use to recreate our daily life even on holiday, by choosing cosily and comfortable hotels, that offer every type of services.You should believe me when I say it’s a unique experience…Whale watching trips on sailing boats are usually organised leaving from Elba island (dauphins and whales may usually be seen on the stretch of water comprised between Elba, Capraia and Corsica islands, you may find here the complete programs of all the scheduled excursions). But you surely won’t remember a trip like that for those extraordinary mammals sighting only: travelling on a sailing boat is on its own a unique experience.

Travelling on a sailboat is not like cruising or travelling on a ferry: on a sailboat everyone has his own task and must contribute to his own and the group survival (e.g. preparing meals, helping the skipper to rog the sailboat, etc), both water and food resources are limited and the other passengers are often foreigners who we are obliged to share narrow spaces for several days with, besides being completely surrounded by water… I don’t intend to discourage you from this trip (even if it’s really important that everyone who’s going to afford such a journey is aware of what is in store for him – or her), but I would just like to point out that experiencing extremer conditions may shift our perspectives, aims and priorities, our attitude towards colleagues and neighbours; we might also learn to consider important what we usually take for granted. That is the ecologically sustainable tourism philosophy, and those are the essential requirements for going towards new destinations…which could be also other than holiday destinations.


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Commenti (2) | June 9, 2010

2 Responses to “Ecologically sustainable itinearies: whale watching in Tuscany”

  1. chiaraloche Says:
    October 1st, 2010 at 16:57

    Hi Dear,
    thanks a lot for all your positive comments! You can use our information on your website, of course! And a link to our blog will be certainly appreciated!

    Keep in touch!

  2. A Merry… eco-sustainable Christmas to all of you! Says:
    December 17th, 2010 at 16:26

    [...] but it is worth the trouble, I assure you. We can even have eco-friendly fashion clothing, spend an eco-friendly holiday without giving up an apartment or a room surrounded by the green Tuscan hills and breathtaking [...]

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