You know what I’m not looking forward to? All the engaging small talk of what we got up to during our time stuck at home in quarantine. I’m sure we all have a friend that will excite us with his riveting talk of an intensive online course in marketing or the new LinkedIn badges she’s added to her illustrious profile. Make sure your bladder is full for that one and make a timely escape to the bathroom. The truth of the matter is that most of us have lazed around binge-watching Netflix shows and read the first fifty pages of that Stephen King novel that was teasing us underneath the dust on our nightstand. And that’s alright!
However, if you truly want to impress them, tell them you went away! Yeah, you can tell them that you spent an evening in a medieval Irish town, among other locales. You can save the virtual tour part to the end, unless you can get away without having to say it at all, of course. On that note, if you haven’t seen it already, Ollie’s Tours has just released it’s first virtual tour of Ennis. We’d love to have you walking around Ennis with us right now, but with Ollie’s great attention to detail and lots of effort, this is the next best thing. And it’s FREE!
So after you’ve checked that out, here’s a list of my favourite virtual tours:
The Acropolis is the epicentre of Greek history and culture and sits atop the bustling city of Athens. Sitting atop elevated ground, you’ll manage to view all of the sights of the Acropolis and even get to see the city of Athens in all it’s vivid beauty. The virtual tour of the Acropolis uses extraordinary photo technology to capture even the finest details in the various structures around the site. Take this opportunity to examine these details that you wouldn’t get to enjoy in a busy and packed out tourist site.
Having experienced the virtual tour myself, this might be my favourite. You’ll be presented with a bird’s-eye view of the Acropolis that let’s you decide on what historical destination you’d like to examine before reading a written description of the architecture. There’s enough content here to keep you busy for a long evening! If you really want to impress those fans of yours? Spew some facts about Ancient Greek history. Subliminal.
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Washington D.C.
Back when I was a young man at 13 years old I went with my family to Washington D.C. As the home of America’s politics, there was understandably so much to find and see that I’ll never forget. It was the Smithsonian, however, that was the most engaging for the mind of a 13-year old. Unfortunately, I won’t get the opportunity to travel there for a long time, even if I could afford it. This virtual tour helps me get over that.
The Smithsonian’s virtual tour lets you move around every room with a 360 degree viewing angle. Instead of waiding past scores of ogling onlookers, check out every exhibit or portrait at your own pace. Whether you’re interested in history, animals, space or African-American culture you’ll find something here to let your jaw drop. You’ll have even saved the cash you were going to spend on an overpriced snow globe “souvenir”.
Machu Pichu is an extraordinary location that still holds secrets to this day. Often misregarded as The Lost City of the Incas and recently voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, it’s really a sight you have to see before you die. As an old Inca citadel it’s sights and views are far different to the traditional Greek and Roman architecture we see throughout the West. Those secrets and myths are what first brought Machu Pichu to my attention as my first foray into the World Wide Web was spent looking for pictures of aliens and mythological creatures. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that but here’s hoping there’s a virtual tour of Lake Loch Ness.
Anyways, this old citadel is an architectural marvel. It’s huge blocks were moved together so precisely without the use of 15th century technology to view astrological patterns in the night sky. Yeah, but definitely not aliens. The panoramic views are majestic. There’s a secret temple and even a hidden museum. There’s no doubt that this place is full of magic and therefore you’re required to see it all on a virtual tour at least once.
Finally, I’d like to give a mention of #TakeWalks, a motley crew of people delivering tours of destinations across the world. I haven’t had the opportunity to explore any of their tours yet but I’ve preemptively planned on several tours already. As somebody who has recently moved to Italy with dreams of travelling to Rome dashed, I think I’ll join in on their Pizza Cooking Class with Italian Chefs class. I’ve already had tons of pizza while I’ve been here, but, you see, I just want more.
Arrivederci e grazie per la lettura!
Goodbye and thanks for reading!
Written by Kieran Cunnane.
