Many of the world’s most famous landmarks now offer virtual tours, allowing you to visit museums, world heritage sites, and other attractions from the comfort of your own home. A VR headset is also not required, though some attractions do support virtual reality for a more immersive experience.

Viator offers virtual tours of fantastic tourist destinations, beautiful landmarks, and popular natural attractions, and the following are some highly recommended tours to consider going through, especially if you’ve been bitten by the travel bug but can’t seem to book tickets anywhere due to a global pandemic. In high spirits, these virtual tours may bring back memories of adventure and discovery, but they may also encourage people to see what the world has to offer, perhaps soon. Check out the best highly rated virtual tours from around the world to plan your next big trip with friends and family.

What Exactly Is A Virtual Tour?

A virtual tour allows users to interact with an existing location by using images, videos, or other multimedia. It frequently offers a first-person perspective and creates a realistic experience that can be accessed from any location with a Wi-Fi connection.

1. Machu Picchu in Peru’s Andes Mountains

Machu Picchu is a breathtaking UNESCO World Heritage site that must be seen to be believed. However, you no longer need to fly all the way to Peru to see it in all its glory because the virtual tour is comprehensive, immersive, and full of fascinating insights.

You can visit every popular vantage point and learn more about the history of the famous site thanks to a helpful voice narrator with 360-degree views of the ruins of Inca settlements and lush green landscapes. Okay, you can’t feel the warm breeze, but if you turn on the heat and have a handy desk fan set to low, it’s almost as good.

2. Paris’s Louvre Museum

The Louvre Museum, which attracts millions of tourists each year, has also created a series of virtual tours based on its permanent collections. Explore Egyptian antiquities, the Louvre’s Moat Remains, and the Galerie d’Apollon decorative arts.

The tour is simple to navigate, with an expandable minimap that allows you to highlight exhibits to view with a few clicks. You can also learn more about each room in The Louvre, with detailed descriptions that will most likely make the room you’re currently sitting in seem dreadfully boring in comparison.

3. Milton Keynes’ National Museum of Computing

The National Museum of Computing is home to the world’s largest collection of operational historic computers. That means one of them is probably still running Microsoft Vista and working.

The museum has a fantastic, user-friendly virtual 3D tour. You can zoom in on the details of each exhibit to learn more about every aspect of computing history, such as the world’s oldest working digital computer. That’s some impressive work.

4. Georgia Aquarium, Georgia, United States of America

Nothing beats nature’s beauty, so it’s nice to know you can still get your daily dose of comfort on your couch. The Georgia Aquarium houses over 50 different species, ranging from sea lions to underwater puffins, with many of them viewable via webcam. There’s also a daily and weekly livestream aimed at piquing children’s interest in animals, which is a great at-home educational tool to keep the kids entertained.

Have you ever wondered what a Beluga Whale does in its spare time? Simply click on the link below to find out. Have a good time on the water.

5. Tokyo 3-Minute Tour

What if we told you that in under three minutes, you could ride a Tuk Tuk, cross the famous Shibuya crossing, win a Pikachu from a claw machine, and make friends with a robot? That may be physically impossible, but with VR, it’s a piece of cake.

If you’ve ever wanted to take a whistle-stop tour of Japan, the Japan National Tourism Organization has created a 360-degree virtual reality video that allows you to do just that.

Simply put on a VR headset and you’ll be transported from feeding a deer to facing off against a sumo wrestler in a matter of seconds. The video is also available in 2D and is well worth watching.

6. The British Museum in London

The British Museum, which houses a remarkable collection spanning over two million years of human history and culture, has nearly 50 online exhibits available for viewing. There’s a lot to learn about here, from Napoleon and the Battle of Waterloo to the history of LGBTQ people.

You can look through a wide range of exhibits organized by century, continent, and category, such as trade and conflict or art and design. Each exhibit includes a detailed description as well as accompanying audio, which helps to provide an intriguing backstory to each piece.

7. The Vatican in Rome

The Vatican, which is filled with spectacular architecture and historic monuments, is now available online through a number of museums. Enter the Sistine Chapel and Raphael’s Rooms, which are filled with breathtaking artwork.

The tour is WebVR compatible, so you can use a VR headset to get an even closer look at some of humanity’s most memorable creations. Even through a screen, it is truly breathtaking.

8. Paris’s Musée d’Orsay

This historic museum, located in the heart of Paris, was built in the former Orsay railway station. It was originally built for the Universal Exhibition of 1900 and houses art collections dating from 1848 to 1914.

Take a virtual stroll through the opulent halls and see works by dozens of famous French artists. With no other visitors to contend with, you can absorb all of the cultures on display to your heart’s content – and there is a lot to absorb.

9. Acropolis of Athens

The Athens Acropolis, which includes the world-famous Parthenon, is a must-see destination for history buffs and a cultural hotspot for tourists. Choose from popular sites like the Dionysus Theatre and enjoy in-depth videos that provide a fascinating and educational insight into ancient Greece.

There are numerous photographs to view and fascinating facts to learn, so don’t be surprised if you quickly become an armchair expert. Now, where did you put that wine amphora?

10. The Royal Academy of Arts in London

If architecture fascinates you, the Royal Academy of Arts has a virtual tour that will keep you going for hours. The Sensing Spaces exhibition uses high-quality 360-degree photography to give visitors a taste of its structures and incredible exhibitions – it truly feels like you’re there.

Conclusion

Times are uncertain right now, and the desire to travel is growing while everyone is trapped indoors, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fantastic travel experiences. Explore some of the best tourist attractions and travel destinations around the world by taking one of our highly recommended virtual Viator tours. Learn new skills and discover how locals prepare their authentic, everyday meals as you assist them in preparing something delectable for yourself. Make the most of your time at home and get excited about your next trip. Consider some of these suggested destinations for a memorable trip—nothing there’s like the feeling of first seeing it online and then finally seeing it in person, am I right?