It looks like some international travel may be possible, in small numbers, in the coming weeks. In the meantime, the demand for (and access to) online tours has never been greater. Following on from our post about the best ways to travel virtually from home in April, we’ve kept an eye out for more!
From museums and galleries, to livestreams and pyramids, here are some of the best online travel opportunities! Now updated for June 2020!
Online Tours and Virtual Travel
1: Visit the Louvre from your sofa
From Egyptian Antiques to the Louvre’s mysterious underground moat, visitors can explore some of the museum’s most popular galleries at the click of a button. We’ve all seen the manic crush to take a look at the Mona Lisa at peak times – this is the perfect way to beat the crowds!
When: Always available
How: Via the Louvre’s website
2: Watch the sky over ancient Stonehenge
Stonehenge is one of the UK’s most popular tourist attractions. Visitors come in their droves to gaze at the mysterious stone circle, which is even accessible by day trip from London.
Given the age and fragility of Stonehenge, it is often claimed to be a victim of ‘overtourism’. Today, the site is getting a much deserved break. However, you can still place yourself slap-bang in the middle of them – live!
Stonehenge Skyscape allows you to view a 360 camera, available 24/7. Watch the famous sunrise or sunset, or watch the stars via the in-built tracker.
When: Available 24/7
How: Via the Stonehenge Skyscape website
3: Get your VR headset out for a Virtual Reality online tour of London’s National Gallery
The National Gallery have partnered up with Oculus to provide virtual travellers with the chance to experience the Salisbury Wing in full VR.
According to the Gallery’s website, “the immersive experience invites you to step into our collection of Early Renaissance paintings from 1200 to 1500.” Many galleries are offering 2D virtual tours, but not many have taken the extra step into virtual reality!
When: Available 24/7
How: Via the National Gallery’s website
4: Follow in the footsteps of the Incas with Virtual Reality online tours of Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu features frequently on bucket lists and ‘must see’ itineraries for travellers everywhere. Following the Inca Trail to reach the ancient settlement requires stamina, planning, time and money – it’s hard enough to get there at the best of times!
Thankfully, there is now the opportunity to explore the site virtually. The best experience can be had with a VR headset, but it’s still excellent without. Enjoy the view and learn more about the history of this incredible place whilst safely at home!
When: Available 24/7
How: Via Machu Picchu VR’s website
5: Control a tour guide LIVE as you explore the Faroe Islands remotely
This is possibly our favourite so far. A go-pro is strapped to a tour guide’s head, and what happens next is up to you! The public decide whether they go left, right, straight on or back, whilst the guide provides commentary for the whole tour.
How do you get to take the controls? Well, the Faroe Island’s tourist board give away 1-minute slots on a first-come first-serve basis – if you grab one, you’ll control the guide via a virtual joypad. If you miss out, you can still tune in for free – the tour is live-streamed for all.
Wonderfully innovative. A game changer for online tours.
When: Check the website for the next tour date.
How: Via the Faroe Islands Remote Tourism website.
6: Virtual Travel Through Food!
OK, so this one might need a bit more prep than just clicking on a link, but it should be all the more rewarding for it.
We’ve been trying out recipes from places we’ve travelled to over the last few years, choosing some of our favourite dishes to recreate. From Uzbek Plov to good-old Wiener Schnitzel, there will be something out there for everyone. With the internet at your fingertips, a good traditional recipe will be only a click away.
When: Whenever you like!
How: Pick a dish, choose a recipe and buy the ingredients (whilst practicing good social distancing). Emma from Emma Adventures has put together a great list of the best food in the world if you’re in need of inspiration!
7: Online tours through the best of Slovenia – from museums to mountains
Slovenia is one of Europe’s best little secrets. Great museums, beautiful cities, and some of the most spectacular mountain scenery on the continent.
Much of what Slovenia has to offer has been added to the collection of virtual travel opportunities on Slovenia’s tourist website. Expect walk-through tours packed with information, as well as 360 degree views of dramatic peaks and lush forests.
When: Available 24/7
How: Via the Slovenia.info website
8: More tours available of the ‘country that doesn’t exist’
Transnistria is an unrecognised country in Eastern Europe. It can be hard enough to get to Transnistria at the best of times, but now you can explore with a local guide without needing to leave your sofa!
Local artist and explorer Anton Dendemarchenko is offering regular tours – with 3 separate urban explorations to be streamed along with a live Q&A.
When? Regular tours are scheduled
How? Contact Anton on Instagram, or book via TripAdvisor
8: Discover the inner workings of Cruachan Power Station
If you feel like getting a science fix, you can check out Cruachan Power Station on an online tour.
According to their website, the virtual tour will show views “how Cruachan operates like a giant battery, and how power stations generate the electricity we all use in our everyday lives.”
When: Available 24/7
How: Via the Drax website
9: Become a virtual resident of the ancient city of Bath
Visit Bath, the official tourist board for the beautiful Roman city, are putting on a whole host of virtual events.
From pub-quizzes to Zoom dinners, lectures to arts festivals, there’s plenty to leave you feeling like an honorary citizen of the city!
When: Various events on a regular basis
How: Via the Visit Bath website
10: Discover hundreds of years of history with the Royal Armouries museum
From the Tudors to D-Day, armoured elephants to pistols and cannons, the Royal Armouries museum is home to a wealth of resources and some amazing exhibitions.
Their biggest collection can be found at the museum in Leeds, but whilst this is temporarily closed, the Armouries has moved a whole load of learning resources online – and more is added each week!
When: Available 24/7
How: Via the Royal Armouries website or through their YouTube channel
11: Check out what’s still available from April
Have a quick glance at our list of virtual travel opportunities that we’d spotted in April. There are still plenty which are ongoing and are worth checking out! Maybe you want to tour round a zoo, or do some urban exploration in an unrecognised country!
If you have any more suggestions for online tours and travel in May, please do let us know!
12: Finished: Virtually attend the world-famous Chelsea Flower Show
As the highlight of the horticultural calendar, the Chelsea Flower Show attracts visitors from across the globe. 2020’s event was sadly cancelled back in March, but the organisers have now announced that a virtual flower show will take its place!
According to a press statement, the final details are still to be arranged. However, they’ve hinted that they “are looking at what we can do on our RHS website and other platforms for people to enjoy and to share the joy of gardening”. Watch this space.
When: Press Day – 18th May. Full virtual event – 19th to 23rd May.
How: Via the Royal Horticultural Society’s website
Please do let us know if you find any other great commendations for virtual travel and online tours!
That helps us get through our boredom..
Thank you for reading!
Isn’t this amazing. A “virtual travel tour”. Never thought i’d be doing that in my life and here I am loving the idea of it. (Even though travelling in real time is much better). This is actually amazing. I have read two posts about this and more and more people are doing this now. 😀
PS: Love the virtual travel through food *.*
It helps for people who are bored and wants to travel or actually planned to. This is so great. Thanks for this wonderful post Matt & Lucy!
We hear you! Neither did we, it’s been brilliant discovering just how much there is out there to explore from your sofa 😁
Thank you so much for reading! Stay safe 🙏
Amazing collection guys, I’ve actually open a few of the links and going to check it now because I need that travel inspiration right now! Thank you for putting this together for us, off I go now put my backpack on and explore Machu Picchu!
Thanks Karina, glad to hear you found it useful! Enjoy Machu Picchu – we certainly did! Hopefully we can all visit these places safely in person soon 🙂
What amazing ideas! I didn’t even realise these were going on. I’ve always wanted to visit Machu Picchu but was worried about overtourism so this is a great way to deal with that barrier!
Thanks Hannah! It’s been fun checking out all the different things that are popping up at the moment – I’m sure there’ll be more to come! Machu Picchu is somewhere we’re really keen on too, this was a great way to have a look virtually 🙂
It has been a real pleasure reading your posts and following online the virtual tours! Keep the good work!
Thank you, Claudia! Appreciate your kind words 🙂
I absolutely love this concept, thank you for sharing x
Kate | thelittlecrunch.co.uk
Hi Kate,
Thanks for reading, and for your comment! Hope you enjoy an online tour or two 🙂
Very useful and informative post! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Moheb, glad you enjoyed it!
I’ve heard about the tour for the lourve just keep forgetting to do it, sounds fab!
It’s amazing how much is out there for sure! We still haven’t got through half of the ideas we’ve seen! Thanks for reading!
I’ve been doing a few of these, I saw the faroe islands one, really unique way of doing it! I couldn’t believe it when I first saw it. Great post 🙂
The Faroe Island idea is definitely one of our favourites – so innovative! I pity the guide who gets three hours of “jump on the spot” commands though…! Thanks for reading!
Yes! It might have its issues!
It’s great that stuff like this is available and it sounds like an amazing option to help cure boredom right now. Got to admit though, stuff like this does make the travel wanderlust even worse for me right now. Might have to check one out for somewhere I’ve already been to start with 😂 x
Thanks for stopping by! Completely agree, all the virtual travel is fantastic, but it’s definitely giving us wanderlust too! We’ve spotted some places that we’d love to check out once we can all travel again, as well as bringing back great memories from past trips! Thanks again for reading 🙂
This is amazing, I never knew about any of these online tours. I just checked out Stonehenge and I will be exploring some of these other tours too. Transnistria sounds fascinating, I’d never heard of it before!
Thanks Sophie! It’s been great fun finding all the different online tours etc., really impressive how many places have innovated and adapted to the current situation. Transnistria is certainly an intriguing place – a unique part of Europe that not many people have heard of! Thanks again for reading!
I absolutely loveeee this idea! A virtual tour? Sign me up! I watched the stonehenge sky and it was gorgeous, thank you!
Thank you Sakshi! Stonehenge is certainly a favourite of ours – I love what they’ve done! It’s amazing how many online tours are out there now, enough to keep us all going for a while! Thanks again for reading!
Wow thank you for this! Great and useful information. Will check it out! 😉
Thanks Vinn, pleased that you found it useful! Thanks again for reading!
I love that we can do virtual tours now! Even though it doesn’t replace the physical experience, it’s still something we can do for the time being. OoH! I love that you can watch the sunset and sunrise over the Stonehedge!! Man, VR devices need to be more accessible! Thanks for sharing all of these great resources. Gotta check them out!
Nancy ♥ exquisitely.me
Thanks Nancy! It’s been brilliant to find out all the different possibilities! Completely agree on the VR, if only this was more mainstream – it would have revolutionised the last few months. Thanks for reading!
Wow this is such a cool concept! I love that we can now do this. It will be so enjoyable for the people that really miss travelling!
amber – The Unpredicted Page
Thanks Amber – it’s such a great idea, and there are new things springing up all the time. Hopefully it’ll continue even once we can travel again.
This is amazing and I had no idea this was even a thing! Such a good idea in times like these when we can’t travel but also for people who are unable to travel for whatever reasons. I’ll be checking some of these out soon – thank you for sharing!
Thanks Louise! Completely agree, it’s a great idea and hopefully one that will be kept going in the future for people who can’t travel, like you suggest! Thanks for reading!
You’ve provided some fantastic ideas here for myself, as we are stuck at home we have got to think outside of the box and this post shows that, I’m looking forward to reading more of yours posts 😁
Thanks Luke, glad you enjoyed it! It’s really great to see how different places are innovating and keeping things going during lockdown. Thanks for reading!