Best Virtual Travel Destinations to Explore From Home

A few qualities make a place especially rewarding through a screen. Look for destinations with several of them.

• Lots to look at in a small area. Busy streets, shopfronts, markets and signs give your eyes something new every few steps.
• A strong sense of place. Distinctive architecture, colours, vehicles or scripts tell you instantly that you are somewhere else.
• Landmarks within walking distance. Destinations where famous sights sit close together let you see a lot in a short session.
• Views and contrasts. Hills, water, skylines and old and new side by side make for memorable moments.
• Good imagery. Street-level and video imagery is not available everywhere, and quality varies. Big cities and popular areas are usually well covered.

Cities are the classic virtual destination: endless streets, constant detail and landmarks around every corner. These are some of the most rewarding.

Tokyo

Few cities pack in as much to look at. Wander from busy crossings lined with screens and signs into quiet residential lanes with tiny shrines, vending machines and neatly kept plants. The contrast between the two is the real attraction.

Lisbon

A city of hills, viewpoints and tiled façades. Steep streets open suddenly onto views of the river and the red roofs below, and the colours of the buildings change from street to street.

Rome

Ancient ruins, churches and fountains sit among everyday streets, so a short walk can take you across two thousand years. Look out for the small piazzas between the famous sights.

New York

The grid makes it easy to keep your bearings, and every neighbourhood has a different character, from skyscraper canyons to brownstone streets and busy corner shops.

Istanbul

A city on two continents, with domes and minarets on the skyline, busy waterfronts and markets. Following the water is one of the best ways to explore it.

Mexico City

A huge, lively city with a grand historic centre, colourful neighbourhoods and leafy avenues. Street food stalls and painted walls give every block its own personality.

Old towns are made for slow exploring: narrow streets, small squares and buildings with centuries of history. Cities such as Prague, Kyoto, Athens and Vienna reward a slower pace, where you stop to look up at façades, doorways and rooftops.

For culture, pair a city walk with a museum’s own online tour. The Louvre, for example, publishes virtual tours of its Petite Galerie exhibitions on its website. Seeing the streets of a city and then the art in one of its museums makes a satisfying double visit.

Some of the most dramatic places on Earth have no streets at all. Deep canyons, high mountain ranges, glaciers, deserts and fjords are best seen from above on a 3D globe, where you can fly along valleys and tilt the view to see the terrain rise around you. Google Earth on the web lets you explore 3D terrain and is a good way to travel to places no camera car could reach.

For a live feel, nature cameras show wild places as they are right now. explore.org runs a network of live nature cams, from wildlife to remote landscapes.

If you are not sure where to go, these simple prompts help.

• Somewhere on your list. A place you hope to visit for real one day. A virtual trip is a good first look.
• Somewhere you know nothing about. Pick a city you could not find on a map. Arriving with no expectations is half the fun.
• Somewhere connected to you. A family hometown, a friend’s city or a place from a favourite book or film.
• Somewhere seasonal. Visit a sunny coast in winter or snowy mountains in summer for a change of scene.
• Wherever the group votes. On a group trip, give everyone a vote. Our guide to virtual travel with friends explains how to plan it.

Wherever you go, a little curiosity turns a view into a story. Try these on your next trip.

• Signs and scripts: shop names, street signs and adverts tell you about language, trade and humour.
• Vehicles: buses, taxis, scooters and bicycles show how people get around.
• Doors and windows: shutters, balconies, plants and decorations differ wonderfully between countries.
• Food: markets, cafés and street stalls hint at what people eat every day.
• Weather and light: notice the season, the sky and the shadows in each image.
• Small details: letterboxes, benches, bins and lamp posts are often the most distinctive things in a city.

A virtual trip can be a change of season as well as a change of place. Choose a destination that gives you what your week is missing.

When you want sunshine

In a grey winter, head for a sunny coast: beaches backed by mountains, palm-lined promenades or harbours full of boats. Even on a screen, bright light and blue water lift the mood.

When you want energy

Busy shopping streets, night markets and big crossings are full of movement and colour. They are perfect for a group that likes to chat about everything they see.

When you want calm

Quiet residential streets, gardens, temple grounds and riversides make a slow, peaceful trip. Explore them at your own pace, or with one or two friends.

When you want something new

Pick a city on a continent you have never visited, or one whose name you only half know. Not knowing what to expect is a big part of the fun, and these are often the trips people remember most.

When you are planning a real trip

Explore the area you are thinking of staying in: how far the station is, whether the streets look lively or quiet, where the nearest park or market is. Treat what you see as a snapshot, and check current details before you book.