Awe-inspiring art at The Louvre
Welcome to Paris! The home of the Mona Lisa, the Louvre is the most-visited museum in the world and also a prominent historic monument. With around 35,000 paintings, sculptures and other artefacts, the museum is brimming with artistic works to be explored. While no virtual experience can replace an in-person visit, this virtual tour of some of the museum’s rooms and galleries gives you a chance to get up close with some artistic masterpieces. With no crowd jostling for space, it’s almost like you have the place all to yourself.
Where: louvre.fr/en/online-tours
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Mountain magic in Switzerland
With gorgeous scenery and breathtaking views, a trip to this country is on every traveller’s bucket list. What if you could visit some of these locales without even leaving your home? 1,600 kilometres, 22 lakes, 5 Alpine passes and 12 UNESCO World Heritage Sites ... the Grand Tour of Switzerland has all this and more. It takes you to cities, towns, mountain villages, waterfalls, castles, bridges, peaks, slopes, lakes, vineyards, glaciers, amphitheatres, railway lines ... From Bern to Zurich, Geneva to Neuchâtel, Lausanne to Basel, Zermatt to St. Moritz – lose yourself in the idyllic and charming locations. One thing you will miss out on, though, is binging on some of the world’s finest chocolate!
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Where: grandtour.myswitzerland.com/en/
Step back in time in ancient Egypt
If you have a penchant for history, archaeology and everything mystical, you are sure to enjoy this experience of walking through the 5,000-year-old tomb of Queen Meresankh III, the granddaughter of Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu, the builder of the Great Pyramid. Discovered in 1927, the royal tomb is replete with paintings, carvings and statues that have stood the test of time. A unique feature is a set of 10 statues of women standing shoulder to shoulder. Along with this virtual tour, Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has released four others: the tomb of Menna, the Ben Ezra Synagogue, the Red Monastery and the Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Barquq.
Where:my.matterport.com/show/?m=d42fuVA21To
Calling all wizards and witches to Harry Potter world
If you are a Potterhead, this one’s for you. ‘Celebrating Harry Potter’ is Google Earth’s virtual tour of real-life places featuring in the magical world of Harry Potter. Be it the cobbled streets of Diagon Alley, the barrier at Platform Nine and Three Quarters, or the impressive Hogwarts castle, this tour has it all. There’s also a little something for fans of the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them spin-off and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child . What’s more, you can catch a glimpse of the place where it all started: the café in Edinburgh where author J.K. Rowling famously wrote the series. A little bit of magic is all we need to get through tough times.
Where:earth.app.goo.gl/NPQf4w
Out of this world in Mars
Can you imagine exploring the surface of another planet? With Access Mars, an immersive experience presented by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in collaboration with Google, you can go on a virtual field trip to the Red Planet. The surface of Mars, as recorded by the Curiosity Rover, serves as the setting for this fascinating VR experiment. With this tool, you can wander around the dunes and valleys and visit several sites that the rover has explored. With Curiosity always in sight, you will never be alone in the vast, red desert.
Where:accessmars.withgoogle.com
A wild time at the South African national parks
Discover the hidden gems in what is easily a wildlife and nature enthusiast’s paradise, South Africa. This informative, immersive and interactive virtual tour will take you to 19 stunning national parks, including the Table Mountain National Park and the world-famous Kruger National Park. Whether you stand atop tall peaks and soak in incredible views, or meet wild animals such as lions, elephants and cheetahs, take this tour and lose yourself in the wild.
Where:discoverafrica.com/southafrica360/