Mediterranean countries have obvious appeal for travelers with their white-sand beaches, colorful diet, historic towns and gorgeous natural landscapes. Whether you have your heart set on the Greek Islands or the Balearics, mainland Spain or the east coast of Italy, the region is excellent for family holidays and romantic breaks alike. But how can you ensure that your trip to the Mediterranean is as ethical as possible? Here are some tips on traveling ethically in Mediterranean countries:

Lowering Your Carbon Footprint

If you're going on holiday to a mainland country then why not consider traveling by train? This will drastically reduce the carbon footprint of your trip and could also be a real adventure. The European rail network is fast and efficient, with overnight sleeper trains delivering people to various destinations including Spain, Italy and Portugal. Kids love a train journey, too.

Eating Ethically

The Mediterranean diet is known to be one of the healthiest in the world, and there is strong evidence that it reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Beans, fish, vegetables, nuts and olive oil are the classic components of a Mediterranean diet. You can eat both healthily and ethically on your trip in a number of ways. Choose local restaurants over international chains to support the local economy. Shopping at local markets is good for the same reason, and will also mean less food miles. In terms of foods to avoid, you may wish to choose hand reared and free range meat over factory farmed. Likewise, you may want to avoid those types of fish that are currently depleted in the Mediterranean.

Ethical Activities

Eco tourism is now a really big thing across the world as more and more people realize the need to protect their local environment. It's a great idea to support local ecotourism on your trip, whether you're staying in an eco-hotel, going on a tour or visiting a sanctuary or nature reserve. Loggerhead turtles nest in Greece, for example, and you can visit agritourism farms in Portugal. By supporting ethical ventures you can do your bit to ensure that the local environment and wildlife stays protected.

These are just some of the ways you can travel ethically in Mediterranean countries. Are you a seasoned traveler in this part of the world? What are your top tips?

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