virtual travel italy

18 Wonderful Virtual Tours of Italy

Updated December 4, 2020

// By Margherita

Are you stuck at home, dreaming of travelling to Italy? Well, what if I said that you can? Have a look at these amazing virtual tours of Italy – from Florence, Rome and Venice virtual tours, to virtual tours of Italian museums, online cooking classes, and lots more!

If you’re reading this, 2020 was probably the year you were finally planning to travel to Italy, but your plans are now on hold – who knows for how long.

Or maybe you’re just bored and dreaming of Italy , of visiting David in Florence , marvelling in front of the Last Supper in Milan , hiking Cinque Terre or the Dolomites .

If these were ‘normal’ times, you’d be looking at flights and start making plans – but this is 2020. 

What if I said that in a way, Italy has never been so close? True, you may not be able to travel there physically, but you can experience Italy from the comfort of your own home , thanks to many different virtual Italy tours, cooking classes, and other online travel experiences. 

You’ll be able to learn the secrets of the Colosseum, admire the Uffizi in Florence, learn how to make fresh pasta… and a lot more. These are just some of the best virtual tours of Italy , created over the last few months, for visitors from all over the world to experience our beautiful country. 

If you know of any more Italy virtual tours or other travel experiences , feel free to share them with us!

Meanwhile, check this post for the best online travel experiences from all over the world!

Venice Virtual Tours

1) St. Mark’s Basilica Virtual Tour

Have you always wanted to visit Venice ? This 2-hour St Mark’s Basilica tour is your chance to explore the floating city’s most famous church , a true architectural wonder with a history stretching over one thousand years. 

Follow licensed guides as they narrate a millennia of Venetian history in a fun and informative manner, before moving to St. Mark’s and learning about its art, architecture, and hidden symbols. 

This tour is organised by Take Walks – for any virtual tour you join , you’ll receive a $25 voucher you can use to book any live tour over the next 2 years, not just in Italy!

2) Venice Highlights Webinar

Venice is a unique and fascinating city, and there’s nothing better than exploring it with a local! In the duration of this 1-hour Venice webinar , you’ll be led on a virtual walk around the city, learning about iconic sights such as St. Mark’s Basilica, Rialto Bridge, Murano and the famous gondolas. 

It’s a great chance to chat with a Venice connoisseur , so make sure you have all your questions at hand!

3) Free Tour of Doge’s Palace

Google Arts & Culture is a great way to explore many of Italy’s best sights and museums for free.

If you want to virtually travel to Venice , one of the best tours on offer is that of Doge’s Palace. You approach the Palace from the water, gliding under the iconic Bridge of Sighs connecting the Palace to the former prisons nearby.

Afterwards, you can enter the palace, wander the corridors and explore its luxurious rooms, taking a close look to some of the most notable artworks like Carpaccio’s Lion of St. Mark. 

You can find many other Venice museums on Google Arts & Culture, including Ca’ Rezzonico – Museum of the 18th Century, Museo Correr , and the legendary Biennale .

4) Explore a Squero

Google Arts & Culture is not just for museums! You can also learn about local crafts and traditions – for example, you can virtually visit a Venetian squero , workshops in courtyards hidden throughout the city where gondolas are built by hand.

Florence Virtual Tours

5) Florence Highlights Webinar

If you’ve visited Italy in the past, or you’re considering doing so, I’m sure Florence features in your travel plans.

Did you know you can explore the best Florence highlights in just one hour, without having to worry about the heat and the crowds? This Florence webinar offers the perfect intro to places like the Florence Duomo, Ponte Vecchio , the most famous squares in the city, and naturally Michelangelo’s David!

There’s also a Q&A session at the end , with a Florence guide at hand sharing local tips – so you can start planning your future visit!

6) Free Uffizi Virtual Visit

If you only have time to visit one place in Florence , it would have to be the Uffizi Gallery . This art gallery shows the best artworks of the Italian renaissance, including the two famous Botticelli masterpieces – The Birth of Venus and The Primavera . 

The Hypervisions section of the Uffizi website offers a high-tech virtual experience, allowing you to visit specific rooms or explore individual artworks. There are also virtual tours you can follow , and all images shown can be enlarged up to 40 times to appreciate even the smaller details.

7) Uffizi Gallery Virtual Tour

Sure, exploring by yourself is all well and good- but to really make the most of your time at the Uffizi, it’s better to visit (even virtually) with a guide. 

This virtual tour of the Uffizi Gallery takes place twice a week. Over the course of two hours, you’ll explore the life and work of Renaissance masters like Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael and Botticelli with a local Florentine art historian, broadcasting from their home in the heart of the city. 

You’ll also learn about pictorial techniques and about life in Florence during the Renaissance , plus a lot more – you’ll just have to join to find out. 

Rome Virtual Tours

8) Colosseum Virtual Tour

I mean, who hasn’t dreamed of visiting the mighty Colosseum , the symbol of the power of Ancient Rome?

The history of the Colosseum is one of light and darkness, or death and glory, symbolised by the feared and revered Gladiators , who battled to their death amidst these ancient walls. 

This virtual tour of the Colosseum is an hour-long journey to this ancient Roman arena and its history, accompanied by a licensed guide and Rome expert . Get ready to discover the Colosseum from different viewpoints, and to learn secrets and curious facts.

9) Vatican Virtual Tour

This tour focuses on the two most famous attractions in the Vatican – St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums. 

Over the course of an hour, you’ll be introduced to their history and treasures. The tour starts with the Basilica , learning about its architecture and artworks like Michelangelo’s Pietà , before moving on to the Museums and admiring some of the best exhibits. 

You’ll end your exploration at the Sistine Chapel – get ready to be amazed!

10) Sistine Chapel Virtual Tour

If you want to know more about the Sistine Chapel and the genius of Michelangelo, this dedicated tour is for you! You will learn about Michelangelo’s life and work , about the symbolism hidden in the various parts of the chapel, and about life in Rome at the time.

However, this is not all – for centuries, the Sistine Chapel has been the location of the Conclave , the papal election. During the tour, stories about the Conclave and its rituals will also be shared.  

11) Discover Ancient Rome

When I say ‘Rome’ , what do you think? If Ancient Rome is your answer , you’ll love this virtual tour !

Over the course of one hour, you’ll be led on a virtual walk through some of the most iconic Ancient Rome locations, which survive to the present day. Start with the Colosseum , and its dark tales of gladiators and intrigue; then move onto the Palatine Hill , to learn about the foundation of the city. 

You’ll also explore the Roman Forum , where you’ll journey back to the time of the markets and of Caesar’s assassination. 

Other Virtual Tours of Italy

12) Milan Duomo Virtual Tour

Italy is full of beautiful churches, but if you asked me what the most beautiful one is, I would respond with no hesitation – the Duomo of Milan !

True, I am from Milan, so I guess I am biased – but there’s something special about our cathedral , its façade with statues and spires, its interiors with stained-glass windows, and the amazing rooftop terrace. 

If you want to know more about our Duomo, you can have a look at GetYourGuide’s FREE Milan Duomo Tour! It’s a wonderful 20-min video, narrated by a licensed Milan guide, covering the locations visited during traditional Duomo tour. Find the free Duomo tour (along with many others) on GetYourGuide’s The World At Home page ! 

Looking for other ways to explore Milan from your home? Have a look at our full post about Milan virtual tours!

13) Pompeii Virtual Tour

Pompeii is probably Italy’s most mysterious town , frozen in time at the moment when it was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. 

It’s also one of those places in Italy that is best explored with a guide, to learn not only about the town’s history and tragic demise, but also about life and culture at the time of Ancient Rome. 

This amazing virtual Pompeii tour does just that – in one hour, you’ll travel to the heart of Southern Italy with a guide, who will bring the history of Pompeii and its inhabitants to life. 

14) Introduction to Italian Wine

Think about Italy. What drink comes to mind? More than likely, the answer will be wine – but how much do you really know about Italian wine?

If the answer is ‘not much’ , that this virtual wine tour led by an Italian sommelier is just what you need. You’ll learn about the history of wine in Italy and the difference between Italian wine regions , focusing on those surrounding Venice, Florence, and Rome. 

After taking this tour, you’ll know what wine to order when visiting Italy!

15) Wines from the Past

The love Italians have for wine is not a recent fashion – it stretches over thousands of years, to the time of Ancient Greeks and Romans. Back then, wine was consumed differently compared to now , most of the times with the addition of honey and spices or fruit. 

Wine and history lovers will love this Wines from the Past virtual tour , available on Airbnb Experiences, led by an archaeologist from Naples. Over the course of an hour, you’ll learn about the history of wine in the Italian peninsula , from the times of Pompeii to the Renaissance. 

You’ll also prepare different types of spiced wine to enjoy with your family and friends, and find out about ancient cuisine!

Virtual Italian Cooking Classes 

16) Online Pizza Cooking Class

True, you can have pizza nowadays these days, but after taking this online pizza-making course with Italian chefs you’ll sure impress your friends at your next dinner party!

You’ll learn how to make perfect pizza dough , but not only – the chefs will also reveal the history of pizza in Italy, and how the famous ‘Pizza Margherita’ came to be. There will also be time to ask about the perfect toppings, but remember – pineapple is not allowed!

17) Online Pasta Cooking Class

After pizza, there comes pasta! Learn about Italy’s most famous export in a fun, interactive virtual pasta cooking class , where you’ll find out all the secrets on how to make pasta from scratch. 

The chefs will also teach you how to make their favourite sauces , and there will be time to ask them to share their nonna’s cooking secrets. Trust me, your dinner parties will be very popular!

18) Online Tiramisu Class

No Italian meal is complete without a dessert, and Italy’s most favourite is definitely tiramisù!

Originally from Venice, this delicious mascarpone and coffee concoction can now be found all through the peninsula – and thanks to this online tiramisù class on Airbnb Experiences , you can learn how to make it in just an hour and a half!

Spoiler alert – making tiramisù is super easy and also very, very rewarding. The only challenge will be making sure you share it with your family and friends, rather than just eating the whole thing!

Airbnb Experiences also offer many more online Italy experiences – like a Medici escape room to learn about Florence history in a fun way, a themed tour about Caravaggio in Rome, a pasta cooking class with an opera singer and a lot more.

If you’re not on Airbnb yet, sign up using this invite link to get credit you can use towards your first online experience!

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10 ways to take a virtual trip to Italy from your own home

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Even if you can’t be there in person, a virtual trip to Italy is good for the soul.

Do you dream of Italy? I sure do, but as we live on the other side of the world we can’t be there as often as we would like. So to keep my connections to this beautiful country strong while we await our next trip, I like to immerse myself into Italian culture, food and language as much as I can.

If you’re dreaming of Italy but can’t make it there any time soon here are my favorite ways to bring a little piece of bella Italia into your life.

Article contents

Eat and cook Italian food

There is nothing more Italian than eating and enjoying food. When I am missing Italy, cooking up my favorite dishes takes me back there in a single bite. From a simple pasta pomodoro to my favorite melanzane (eggplant) parmigiana and decadent tiramisu , it’s an easy way to enjoy a little piece of bella Italia every day.

Best Italian cookbooks and resources

Even if you don’t have a lot of confidence in the kitchen, Italian cooking is wonderfully simple and easy to master. And there is no shortage of cooking books dedicated to Italian food. Find a style that you prefer and start with making simple pasta and sauce dishes.

Here are some of our favorite Italian recipe books to get you started:

• Jamie Cooks Italy – celebrity British chef Jamie Oliver was trained and mentored by some of Italy’s best chefs. His love for Italian cuisine knows no bounds and he keeps his recipes simple and easy to follow. We’ve been using his pizza dough recipe for years and you will never look back once you’ve tried his version of the classic chicken cacciatore hunter’s stew
• Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking – Marcella Hazan introduced Americans to many traditional Italian dishes in this classic book. In it you won’t find pictures but instead consider it a guide to techniques, ingredients, and recipes that are typical in Italian cuisine
• Pasta Grannies – cookbook to accompany the YouTube channel of the same name. In this collection, you’ll find recipes for basic ravioli and ragu and a mouthwatering pasta basket with ricotta and lemon

Plus some of our go-to Italian recipe sites:

• Italy on my Mind – Paola shares beautifully photographed and very tasty dishes focused on seasonal produce
• Emiko Davies – Florence-based cook and photographer Emiko has a beautiful collection of regional Italian recipes to explore
• Jamie Oliver – this huge online collection of recipes includes instructions for pizza fritte and cannoli!

If you want access to Italian ingredients and produce and are not near or able to access a specialty store, check out our favorite Italian pantry items on Amazon including this chocolate hazlenut spread – a Nutella alternative – delicious!

Learn to make pasta live with Nonna Nerina

Nonna Nerina is famous on AirBnB experiences thanks to over a thousand 5 star reviews. Her enterprising grand daughter Chiara has found a way to live stream her 84 year old nonna’s pasta class live to you from their home in a lovely village just outside Rome. You’ll learn to make pasta from scratch and some family recipe secrets – not all of them though! >> Click here to check class times

Nonna Nerina is often sold out and hard to book into so here is another option

• If you’re looking for a private cooking experience try Withlocals . Book in a time to learn the secrets of Tuscan pasta making with a local expert > class details

Learn modern Italian cooking with Massimo Bottura

Massimo Bottura is head chef at Osteria Francescana in Modena – twice voted the best restaurant in the world. I’d love to eat there one day but his online English language cooking course might be the next best thing!

Massimo is a really fun guy with some great ideas on sustainability and assisting people who are socially and economically vulnerable. In this course Massimo teaches you how to transform classic Italian recipes into exciting modern dishes. You’ll learn how to make tagliatelle al ragù, pumpkin risotto, and a MasterClass-exclusive Emilia Burger recipe > course details

Watch Italian movies or films set in Italy

How lucky are we to have movies and tv shows available at the click of a button to immediately transport us to where we want to be. Now I know it’s not the same as actually being there but there’s nothing like beautifully produced Italian scenes to soothe the soul.

Favorite Italian movies and films set in Italy

Life is Beautiful (La Vita e Bella). Set in Arezzo, Tuscany at the outbreak of World War II, Roberto Bernigni’s Oscar winning film tells the love story of bookshop owner Guido and Dora. As the war and persecution of Jews gathers pace, and their family is torn apart by the war, Guido guides his young son through the trauma with imagination and grace. This is my favorite film of all time and it’s beautiful to watch when you’re feeling hopeless in times of adversity.

A Room with a View – Merchant Ivory’s production of the classic novel by E.M. Forster perfectly captures the beauty of Florence and surrounding countryside. Swoon worthy views from the pensione overlooking the Arno river ensure you’ll covet a room with a view in Florence too. The contrast between Italian and British culture is laid bare as the heroine, Lucy Honeychurch, undergoes her own awakening  under the Tuscan sun.

Roman Holiday – starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck star in this fun story about a modern day princess who escapes the confines of her strict life and has an adventure in Rome. Gorgeous frocks, romance and scooter rides around the sights of Rome in 1950s style make this movie a must watch for pure escapism.

Want more movies? Here are some favorite movies set in Italy to add to your watch list.

Take a virtual tour to Italy’s favorite sites

For an interesting and intimate experience, Withlocals offer private online experiences for up to 10 participants. Discover the mysteries of Pompeii, Venetian secrets and more with your personal tour of some of Italy’s best known cities and sights. You can even prepare aperitivo with a host from Rome! Cin cin! > browse private online experiences

Read books about Italy

Are you a book lover? I fell in love with Italy through the pages of books and I love to explore Italian culture, cities and regions through written words to this day.

• A Room with a View – E.M. Forster’s classic coming of age story of an Englishwoman discovering Italy (and herself) in Florence
• My Brilliant Friend – the first in a brilliant four part series of novels exploring the lives and friendship of two women growing up in Naples in the 1950s by Elena Ferrante. I read all four in two weeks – full review here .
• The Agony and Ecstasy – the epic biography of genius Michelangelo that transports you straight into Renaissance Florence.

For more reading inspiration, check out our huge list of books set in Italy and about Italy .

Watch TV shows about Italy

TV Dramas set in Italy 

• Medici: Masters Of Florence  – highly dramatized series exploring the rise and fall of the ruling Medici family in Florence. Starring Richard Madden and Dustin Hoffman, it is an entertaining series that is loose on historical accuracy.
• My Brilliant Friend [HBO] – adaption of the beloved books by Elena Ferrante following the lives of friends Lila and Lenu growing up in Naples in the 1950s. 3 seasons with a 4th coming soon. 
• The Borgias [Showtime] – 3 seasons of high drama starring Jeremy Irons and Holliday Grainger tracking the impact of one of Rome’s most powerful families, the Borgia, through the Renaissance era.
• Rome [HBO/BBC] – historical drama that chronicles Ancient Rome’s transition from Republic to Empire.
• Inspector Montalbano [RAI/BBC]- Italian series about a fictional detective in Sicily. With subtitles
• Gomorrah [Sky Atlantic ] – equal amounts grit and drama in this series about organized crime in Naples

Italy travel shows

• Dream of Italy [PBS] – American travel writer Kathy McCabe explores the places and people of Italy
• Rick Steve’s Europe – Travel writer Rick Steves takes us to 21 popular places throughout Italy
• Travel Channel’s Italy episodes – includes several featuring chef Anthony Bourdain
• BBC travel – stories to inspire travel to Italy

Italy food and wine shows

• Jamie Cooks Italy [Channel 4 UK] – celebrity chef Jamie Oliver eats and cooks his way around Italy with mentor Gennaro Contaldo
• Stanley Tucci – Searching for Italy [CNN] – Italian-American actor Stanley Tucci travels across Italy to discover the country’s regional cuisines. Already a firm favorite in our Italy Travel Planning community , series 2 is out now. 
• Chef’s Table [Netflix] – Season 1, Episode 1 – Massimo Bottura (head chef of Osteria Francescana – twice voted best restaurant in the world; Season 4, Episode 2 – Corrado Assenza (Sicilian gelato); Season 6, episode 2 – Dario Cecchini (renowned Tuscan butcher)
• Vincenzo’s Plate [YouTube] – Vincenzo takes us on a food journey around Italy with his nonna, family and friends

Learn to speak Italian

Italian is such a beautiful and expressive language. It pulls you in and makes you smile when you hear it spoken. There are so many ways to brush up on your Italian these days if you’re a beginner, intermediate or advanced speaker.

Want to get beyond a friendly “Ciao!”, “Buongiorno!” or “grazie”? Then invest some time in your language skills. Take advantage of free online resources like Duolingo – an online platform and app that uses game-like lessons to accelerate your learning.

Or, if you’d like to focus on pronunciation and conversational Italian these podcasts

• Coffee Break Italian – 15-30 minute lessons focused on building confidence around every day experiences using Italian
• 5 minute Italian – bite sized fun Italian language lessons
• News in slow Italian – current affairs for those with an intermediate understanding of Italian

For those of you who like or need a more structured approach, we are working through the Rocket Italian program. This three stage course (beginner, intermediate and advanced) uses a variety of techniques to get you speaking and reading Italian quickly.

Use the voice recognition technology to perfect your accent and learn at your own pace with easy to digest 20 minute lessons. Everyone learns differently, so it’s a good idea to test out what works for you. Access the Rocket Italian free trial and try it for yourself or read our full review .

READ: Best ways to learn Italian

Visit Italian museums and sites with your laptop

The internet gives us the opportunity to admire the art masterpieces and historical artefacts on display in Italian museums like the Uffizi Gallery, Pompeii archaeological site and the Vatican Museums. These days you don’t have to leave your home to discover the treasures of these famous locations. Here are some of our favorites:

• Sistine Chapel – stunning 360 views of one of the most beautiful and most visited paintings on the planet. Use the zoom function to examine Michelangelo’s masterpiece for yourself.
• Uffizi Gallery – this video shows some of the many highlights of the Uffizi in Florence including Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and the Caravaggio Medusa.
• Pompeii – there’s no narration but this walk through Pompeii shows you the scale and size of the city destroyed when Vesuvius exploded in 79AD

Google also has a project to document major cultural sites in Italy in conjunction with UNESCO and the Italian government. You can browse many sites and cities across Italy via the Wonders of Italy project.

Listen to Italian music

Can you visit Italy in a song? Of course you can! We asked our Italy Travel Planning community to nominate their favorite Italian songs and created this playlist from the answers. You’ll find classic tunes from Andrea Bocelli, Paolo Conte and Il Volo.

Or, if you just need more Andrea Bocelli in your life, download his greatest hits !

Browse the Internet for inspiring content

There are almost too many resources to choose from on the internet so we’ll share our favorites across the many platforms at your disposal.

Blogs and websites

Apart from our own sites Untold Italy and travel blog Untold Morsels we enjoy:

• Italy Magazine – online publication dedicated to all things Italian – culture, food, travel and even property
• Italian Tourist Board – discover the places to go and things to see across each of Italy’s beautiful regions
• Atlas Obscura Italy – explore quirky places and curiosities across “the boot” including a bookshop that uses gondolas for storage in Venice and a keyhole where you can look through three countries

Top inspiration articles from our sites

• Beautiful Tuscan towns
• Our favorite fountains in Rome
• Picturesque towns of the Italian Riviera
• The best beaches in Calabria

Italy Instagram accounts

A little Insta-escapism never hurt anyone. Here are some of the best accounts to fuel your Italy wanderlust

• @borghiitalia – a collection of the prettiest towns and villages in Italy posted daily
• @nickipositano – escape to the Amalfi Coast with gorgeous images and scenes from southern Italy
• @italy_bestplaces – all the incredible sights of bella Italia in one beautiful feed

YouTube Italy content

YouTube is very popular however there aren’t too many channels specifically dedicated to Italy. Here are some that you can get lost in for hours and bring Italy to your home.

• Rick Steves’ Italy playlist – hours upon hours of Italian history, culture and sights from the ever prolific American traveler
• ProWalk tours – no narration and really just a guy walking through places with a camera strapped to his head but it really does give you the unedited view of what your trip to Italy will be like
• The Roman Guy / The Tour Guy – informative and fun videos with Italy travel tips and inspiration from one of our favorite tour companies
• La Rosa Works Sicily tours – lovely insights in the people, places and culture of Sicily

Italy podcasts

If you haven’t checked out our Untold Italy podcast then head on over for discussions on the highlights of major destinations, Italian food and wine and general travel tips for your trip to Italy. If you love listening to podcasts then I can also recommend

• Italian Wine Podcast – exactly what it says on the bottle
• A History of Italy – bite sized insights into important events in Italian history
• Rick Steves Audio Tours – Rick takes you on a walk through some of Italy’s famous sights including the Colosseum

Latest episodes from our Italy travel podcast

Episode #225: avoiding italy trip planning mistakes – 2024 edition, episode #224: brilliant bari – puglia’s bustling capital, episode #223: delicious umbria’s most tasty food experiences, episode #222: must have experiences in venice, episode #221: magical marsala – the sweet taste of sicilian wine, episode #220: italian hospitality – come as a guest, leave as a friend, shop italian made goods and gifts.

What you discover when you visit Italy is that Italians are master artisans and craftspeople. Great care and attention is paid to the quality of materials used whether they are creating a designer leather bag, a moka coffee pot or a bottle of wine. Often traditions and skills have been passed down over many generations. So the products you buy are themselves steeped in history

When I can’t be in Italy then I like to have a few beautifully made things that remind me of the time I spent there. My favorite fragrance from Capri , this Alessi cheese grater for my pasta and Gray Malin’s stunning coffee table Italy photography book to thumb through.

You can browse our shopping guide more of our favorite products and Italian themed gifts.

Make a photo book of your last trip to Italy

Do you have hundreds of photos of your trip to Italy sitting on your phone or laptop? I do! Actually thousands. There’s no better way to relive the memories of your trip to Rome, Tuscany or the Amalfi Coast than to browse your curated photos in a beautiful album of cherished memories.

Create a photo book and you’ll need to select your favorite snaps and arrange them. Spend time reminiscing over past vacations and adventures while you create your book and those memories will come flooding back. If you want your book to last, along with your memories choose a professional quality photo book. We like Blurb’s print on demand service where you can choose from a range of sizes and layouts – you can check out the options here .

Plan your travel to Italy

To be honest, planning our next trip is my most favorite way to bring a little piece of Italy into my life. I love gathering inspiration, mapping out itineraries and choosing accommodation for adventures to come.

If you want to get started planning your next trip then head over to our article on planning a trip to Italy that takes you step by step through the planning process.

Other useful resources from our websites:

• Want to know the best time of year to visit Italy? Click here
• Read our guide to the costs of a trip to Italy
• Choose a guidebook from our selection of best Italy travel books
• A fast paced 10 day itinerary for first time visitors
• The best booking sites for travel to Italy

How will you take a virtual trip to Italy?

We hope you enjoyed learning about the many ways to bring Italy to your home. Now you know that no matter how long it is between visits, you can always go to Italy through your tastebuds, your television, your mind and your dreams. Italy is waiting.

Planning a trip to Italy?

We love travel in Italy and sharing our knowledge. Read our Italy trip planning guide or join our FREE Italy travel planning community . Our 140,000+ members are happy to answer questions about your itinerary, how to get from place to place, the best places to stay and fun things to do.

Sign up for our news and podcast updates where we share mini guides, tips, exclusive deals and more and we'll send you our Italy Trip Planning Checklist to say grazie ! >> click here to subscribe

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Italy is one of the most exciting and memorable places in the world. Join our Italy virtual tours with our qualified and professional guides to get a taste of this amazing country from the comfort of your couch! Get ready to explore the vibrant art and culture of Italy , visit beautiful destinations and idyllic villages, immerse yourself in its thousand year old history , learn about local life , traditions and food . Let yourself be charmed by the wonders of Italy for an unforgettable journey without leaving home. ✈️Get on board and explore Italy with us!

The Sistine Chapel Experience – Virtual Tour

Tuesday, May 28th, 2024 03.00 pm – 04.00 pm EDT ( New York Time )

Tuscany Virtual Walking Tour – Lucca, the Walled City

Thursday, May 30th, 2024 11.00 am – 12.00 pm EDT ( New York Time )

Foligno Virtual Walking Tour – Discovering “the Center of the World”

Monday, Jun 03rd, 2024 12.00 pm – 01.00 pm EDT (New York Time)

Calabria Virtual Tour – Exploring the Land of Two Seas

Tuesday, Jun 04th, 2024 03.00 pm – 04.00 pm EDT (New York Time)

Luca Signorelli’s Masterpieces Virtual Tour – A Renaissance Art Experience

Thursday, Jun 06th, 2024 03.00 pm – 04.00 pm EDT (New York Time)

Taste of Tuscany: Pappa al Pomodoro, Pecorino di Pienza & Brunello Wine Virtual Experience

Friday, Jun 07th, 2024 01.00 pm – 02.00 pm EDT (New York Time)

Luisa Spagnoli Virtual Tour – Fashion and Chocolate

Monday, Jun 10th, 2024 03.00 pm – 04.00 pm EDT (New York Time)

Turin Virtual Tour – Italy’s Most Elegant City

Thursday, Jun 13th, 2024 03.00 pm – 04.00 pm EDT (New York Time)

Florence Cathedral & Brunelleschi’s Dome Virtual Tour

Friday, June 14th, 2024 02.00 pm – 03.00 pm EDT (New York Time)

Leonardo da Vinci’s Masterpieces Virtual Tour

Monday, Jun 17th, 2024 02.00 pm – 03.00 pm EDT (New York Time)

Spoleto Walking Tour – From Roman Ruins to Renaissance Art

Tuesday, Jun 18th, 2024 11.00 am – 12.00 pm EDT ( New York Time )

Naples and the Royal Palace of Caserta Virtual Tour

Thursday, Jun 20th, 2024 03.00 pm – 04.00 pm EDT ( New York Time )

The Medieval Festival in Bevagna – Virtual Walking Tour

Friday, Jun 21st, 2024 03.00 pm – 04.00 pm EDT ( New York Time )

In the Footsteps of Shakespeare – Verona Virtual Walking Tour

Monday, Jun 24th, 2024 12.00 pm – 01.00 pm EDT ( New York Time )

Sansepolcro Virtual Walking Tour – the homeland of Piero della Francesca

Tuesday, Jun 25th, 2024 11.00 am – 12.00 pm EDT ( New York Time )

Naples San Gennaro Virtual Walking Tour: Miracles and Marvels

Wednesday, Jul 24th, 2024 12.00 pm – 01.00 pm EDT (New York Time)

Assisi Underground: Hidden Heroes Virtual Walking Tour

Friday, Jul  26nd, 2024 12.00 pm – 01.00 pm EDT (New York Time)

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Virtual Tour of Italy: 10 Easy Ways of Visiting Italy From Home!

Fancy visiting Italy, but not able to right now? Well, mi amico , let me take you on a virtual tour of Italy instead!

I get ya; I know what it’s like. I’m a frequent visitor to Italy , and the place has my heart. The people, the scenery, the scent of lemon and pine on a sea breeze. The language lilting through the air, or laughing through cypress trees. The feeling of warm Italian sunshine, and eating wonderful Italian food al fresco. Siiiiiigh.

But, most of us can’t travel the world full time. You might not always have the money, vacation time, or ability to pack up and go visiting Italy whenever you like, because life is terribly cruel like that. Sometimes it seems as though when you need a trip to Italy most, it just isn’t possible.

But don’t despair, because I’ve compiled the ultimate virtual tour of Italy for you! This is the definitive guide to having that perfect Italian experience without ever leaving home, ideal for those times when your heart craves Italy so badly, but you just can’t get there. This is how to see and experience the best of Italy from your own home!

Visiting Italy from home

Okay, this is how it works!

I’ve thought long and hard about the very best aspects of visiting Italy; the experiences, sights and scents that I love the most. I’ve researched what other people enjoy about visiting Italy, scrutinizing their primary motivations (including much silent judgement if sampling pizza in Naples isn’t on their bucket list. C’mon folks), and analyzing the most popular attractions. That all sounds terribly scientific, but it means that I’ve been able to distill your average trip to Italy into its most potent, addictive essence.

I’ve then stuck this bottle of Italian magic under an imaginary microscope, sucked out individual elements with a pipette, and researched just how you can experience that element from home. Museums, food, culture, and wonderful scenery – I discovered that it was all possible!

Against the backdrop of a sky filled with lightning, I have created my masterpiece – a virtual tour of Italy, which harnesses the power of the interwebs to bring the best Italian experiences into your own home! You can see it all, and you don’t even need travel insurance! Hahaha! Mwahahahaha!!!

Ahem, yeah. This is my virtual tour of Italy, designed especially for you, because everyone needs some Italy in their lives sometimes.  Look, we’re about to land in Rome!

Virtual art galleries

We’ve arrived in Italy – hurrah! And we’re getting straight into our virtual tour of Italy; we’re just going to throw our suitcases into our rooms and head straight out to the art galleries. Visiting Italy without setting one sandal-clad foot into an  art gallery is tantamount to treason, people.

Art galleries are perfect for virtual tours. After all, you get all of that gorgeous, culture-laden art with none of the crowds, and none of the achy feet from standing on the spot for too long. You can check out some lesser-known gems, things you might’ve missed on another visit. You can stay as long, or as little, as you want!

My favorite art gallery in the whole of Italy is the Uffizi Gallery in Florence , and their HyperVisions online tours are a wonderful way of seeing their collection. Their artworks are most definitely among the world’s best, and a thorough explanation of each gives you far more info than you’d receive if visiting in person! The tours are based around themes, and all of them are most certainly worth checking out.

Florence’s other star gallery is the Accademia . Although the home of Michelangelo’s David doesn’t go as far down the virtual tour route as the Uffizi, its site still contains a plethora of information and beautiful photos of its most important pieces, including some rather nifty videos!

However, if you want to get your virtual tour of Italy off to the very best start, check out the Vatican Museums Virtual Tour . This amazing resource gives you full 360-degree views of some of the most beautiful rooms and art-filled corridors in the world – yep, including the Sistine Chapel! Even on a computer or phone screen, the beauty of the place simply leaps out at you, and there’s no pesky tourists to ruin it. You can zoom in on individual artworks, and get a better view of that famous Sistine Chapel ceiling than you probably could in real life. It’s a must-see!

If you make it to Tuscany after all, or want some inspiration, check out my guide to two days in Florence!

Virtual tour of Italy: city walks

So, what else do we love about visiting Italy? I don’t know about you, but I love just strolling around. Taking in the sights of blue seas or glorious architecture, whilst sunshine gently warms your skin. Seeing Italian putter past on their Vespas. Experiencing local life in the city, or soaking up the natural surroundings of the countryside. Surely there’s not much we can do to include that on our virtual tour of Italy?

Guess again! As with so many things in life, YouTube is your friend. If you can think of an Italian location – whether it be Rome, Venice, or Cinque Terre -there is almost certainly a high-quality walking tour video out there. The very best ones will even give you a bit of history and local culture notes, too! 

One of my very favorite YouTube channels (yes, one of my favorites on the whole site!) ,is ProWalk Tours . I’ve linked to his Amalfi Coast tours on my articles about Sorrento , Positano , and Capri for one simple reason: they’re flippin’ awesome. He straps a GoPro to his head, and takes a leisurely, scenic walk around some of the loveliest places in Italy. That also explains some of the weird looks he gets from passers-by; seriously, watch out for those!

So, what are the best videos to watch in order to get that true, virtual tour of Italy feel? Check out my favorites from some of Italy’s most iconic cities!

Rome:  the Roman Forum , Colosseum , and Spanish Steps to the Trevi Fountain .

Venice:  The Grand Canal and Rialto Bridge , Murano  (with a glassblowing tour!)

Florence: a  long walking tour  , and a Tuscan hill town

Virtual museum tours

If you’re visiting Italy, whether in real-life or sitting in your jammies by a computer screen, you’re going want to visit some museums! Seriously, what kind of virtual tour of Italy would this be without some museums?

Predictably for somewhere that has been at the center of human history, Italy has some of the world’s best museums, with Rome leading the way. The city’s museums are practically overflowing with Roman history, and you can easily spend one day – and a very full day at that – simply soaking in the collection of a single institution. So what does the city have to offer for the virtual tourist?

Well, how about the Capitoline Museum , one of my favorites in Rome? It’s a great place to go and see antiquities (it’s within spitting distance of the ancient Roman Forum, after all), and the excellent virtual tour does a brilliant job of bringing it to life, and allowing you to virtually skip down its corridors! It’s easiest to navigate if you use the floor plans, but you can spend many an hour feeling like you’re walking through its stately passageways. Check out all those Roman goodies, especially in the Great Hall!

Want more Roman history in your life? No problemo; have a look at the Trajan’s Market virtual tour, an impressively-rendered landscape which lets you poke around one of the most recognizable buildings in Rome. This really is a treat; again it’s located right on the boundaries of the Forum, and it allows you to explore a building which is incredibly impressive, but far less famous than it should be! It’s actually the world’s oldest shopping mall, though probably lacking a branch of Forever 21.

But let’s be honest – if you’re visiting Italy, or just taking a virtual tour of Italy, there’s one place you want to see in particular. Pompeii is one of the most-visited historic sites in the world, and quite rightly so. Pompeii and Herculaneum were destroyed by a volcanic eruption of nearby Mt Vesuvius in AD 79, and they’ve been shrouded in mystery and archaeological excitement ever since their rediscovery. If you’re staying in Rome or Naples, a day trip to Pompeii by train is a must!

But don’t worry, virtual tourists! You don’t need to miss out. Our old friend ProWalk Tours has got a 360-degree tour of Pompeii . That means that you can drag your mouse, or tilt your phone, and look around you as he’s walking. Yep, you can look in any direction you want! How. Awesome. Is. That?

Virtual Italian cooking class

I know, I know. I can hear you, shouting through your computer screen.

“Giiiiiiirl, this is all well and good, but what about food? What about my beloved Italian food?! I can’t get that virtually through my screen!”

Well… no, you can’t. The internet is super-clever, but as yet we have no reliable way of 3D printing a genuine Neapolitan pizza. I know, it’s a crime.

But how about the next best thing? How about a cooking class with a genuine Italian grandma, where she and her friends can teach you how to make those delicious dishes you love, in the comfort of your own home?

That’s exactly what you get if you sign up to Nonna Nerina Live ! This adorable 84-year old is a local legend in her village, holding the undisputed title of Pasta Master. She’s also a budding entrepreneur: having gained an excellent reputation for her cooking classes hosted through AirBnb, she’s now gone online with her granddaughter Chiara to teach the entire world how to cook authentic, delicious Italian dishes. You’ll even be emailed a list of necesssary ingredients and equipment beforehand – but don’t worry, there’s nothing too obscure!

Nonna Nerina teaches on two or three days a week; on other days, you’ll be taught by Chiara or one of the other grannies in the village. These ladies are having an absolute ball with their new internet fame, and their passion really shines through. It’s incredibly reasonably-priced, you won’t have to worry about language issues, and it’s just as much fun as taking a cooking class in Italy! Plus if you go a bit wrong, no-one’s going to see the charred embers, which is definitely a plus for me!

If you want a sneak preview, plus some bangin’ Italian tunes, here she is being utterly awesome!

Italian language classes

One of my top travel tips for visiting Italy, especially if it’s for the first time, is to learn some Italian. It’s not a difficult language to learn, there’s a lot of words that are very similar to ones we use in English, and it’ll help you in situations where you need to read instructions – in a train station, for example. Plus it makes you seem generally a bit cool when you get home. Win-win!

But even for our virtual tour of Italy, I’m going to recommend learning some Italian. Partly for those vital street cred points, but partly because one of the joys of visiting Italy is hearing the language in action. Italian is a beautiful language, and being surrounded by it is one of the joys of a trip. Just doing a little bit of learning per day seriously has you picking it up in no time! So unless you import a household of Italians into your home, which can probably be considered an extreme way of going immersive with your staycation, you’re probably going to want to download some language learning apps!

Which language learning app to use?

Let’s go through the big hitters one by one, because they each have their own pros and cons. First up, and most well-known of the language learning apps, is Duolingo . Fun, well-developed and attractive to look at, Duolingo is the undisputed king of language apps, and it has a great community surrounding it. It’s also completely free to use, which is always a major plus point in my book! But there are one or two flaws – there’s not enough notes on why a particular grammar rule is the case, or just the little details that make you understand what you’re learning a bit better. You can feel like you’re just parroting words. And there are many, many people scarred for life by the Clitics section.

Memrise is similar to Duolingo in some respects (it’s also free, and designed to be game-like), and it certainly manages to go a little more in-depth on some of the vocabulary (I found that even the beginner’s course brought up some words that Duolingo never did). It prides itself on being one of the quickest ways to learn a language, and the style it teaches you in certainly seems to work – I did a large chunk of their Japanese course, and can still remember a lot of the kanji characters very clearly. But again, it’s severely lacking on notes, and background detail.

Rosetta Stone is a survivor from the days when you learned languages on a cassette tape (remember that? No? Oh, you sweet summer child). Impressively, it adapted with the times, and is now an online course and app! It very much likes to immerse you in the language – you won’t find heaps of English instruction – but there’s no denying that it’s a tactic that works, even if it might be confusing to begin with. It’s also got an impressive amount of vocabulary to teach you, way more than the free options. The downside? The cost. But it’s worth checking out, and doing a free trial at the very least!

Babbel falls somewhere in the middle of all of these – and that alone actually makes it my favorite of the bunch. I learnt Italian from this very app; it has a paid subscription, but it won’t break the bank. The amount of vocabulary on offer is incredibly extensive (it’s more than possible to come away with a very good grasp of the language, well before you finish all the modules), and using the app is easy and fun. And hurrah: it actually has notes on why grammar rules are set the way they are, as well as cultural notes! At last!! It’s a must for any virtual tour of Italy; click the link, and give it a look!

Driving through Italy… virtually!

What would a virtual tour of Italy be without a little road trip? Winding the window down, seeing the Italian countryside zip by, relaxing in your seat…

I have loooong been a fan of Euro Truck Simulator 2. It’s on my list of the best travel TV shows, books, and video games, and if I’m being totally honest, it takes over my life on occasion. Especially when I’m trying to get things done, or get this blog written. It’s mellow, relaxing, and perfect for a virtual trip through any country in Europe.

Download ETS2 from Steam , and after a few loading screens, you’ll be in charge your own trucking business. Choose a base in Italy, and after a few practice runs you’ll be free to drive wherever you so choose. Haul goods from Sicily to Milan, or from Rome to Venice – all beautifully and realistically rendered. This is no generic landscape, but one intended to be as close to real life as possible – you can drive past the Vesuvius National Park, for example, and actually recognize it exactly.

Want to expand your virtual tour of Italy a little? Well, the clue is in the name of the game: most of Europe is lovingly recreated for you to take relaxing drives through. France, Scandinavia, the Baltics… it’s all there for you, with some remarkably beautiful scenery.

If you want to take a drive through Italy, revel in the thought of not having the real-life consequences of crashes, and ensure that Italy is properly supplied with everything from fishfingers to empty wooden pallets, this is the video game for you!

Books about Italy

Sometimes, using your own imagination can be the best way of taking a virtual tour of Italy. Whether it’s beautifully-written fiction, or travel guides that’ll help you visualize visiting Italy in real-life, there’s a number of wonderful books set in Italy that’ll have you transported there in seconds.

Let’s have a look at some of my favorite books about Italy!

Lonely Planet’s Italy : The Bible of Italy travel – if it’s not in here, then it’s quite possibly not worth visiting. I love Lonely Planet guides and have read them for years; you can read through them almost like a novel, and visualize visiting every hotel, restaurant and attraction. Cultural notes and history add extra appeal.

Bill Bryson – Neither Here Nor There : I always enjoy Bryson’s grumpy looks at the world, and Europe comes under scrutiny in this classic. It’s clear that Italy holds a special place in his heart (he’s even impressed by a pickpocket who relieves him of his traveler’s checks), and the whole book is worth reading purely for his descriptions of Sorrento and Capri. The section on Capri in particular will have you transported into a flower-scented, sunlit world.

Tim Parks – Italian Neighbors : I read this a few years ago, and it really stayed with me. On the surface, it doesn’t sound that exciting – it’s the author’s experience of moving into a small village in northern Italy – but the local characters, scenery, and his seemingly insane neighbors will instantly be recognizable to anyone who has ever visited the country. Reading it feels like moving into the village yourself, and it’s easy to imagine yourself in Italy for the duration!

E.M. Forster – A Room With A View :  This was one of my exam texts back when I was in school. I don’t know about you, but I always think that if you have to study a book for school and you don’t end up hating it, then it’s clearly a very good book! That certainly holds true for Forster’s classic tale of upper-class English folks visiting Florence as part of the Grand Tour. Love interests enter the scene, but you may well fall in love with the descriptions of the city instead – you’ll certainly think of the novel every time you see bluebells. 

Donna Leon – various titles :  Fancy some crime and mystery? Donna Leon’s novels focus around the investigations of Commissario Brunetti, an intensely likable Venetian police officer who patrols his home city solving crimes, and trying not to have too many mobs of tourists getting in the way. Light-hearted without being all-out comedic, Leon has a talent for taking situations which seem almost surreal, then unraveling it until it makes perfect sense. Beautiful descriptions of Venice, too!

Michele Giuttari – various titles : Okay, another crime series, but these are far more gritty than the Donna Leon novels. Giuttari is a retired police officer turned novelist, and you get the distinct impression that his novels – which expose the darker side of Florence without ever turning you against the place – are based on real experience. The dealings of the Mafia are certainly his favorite topic to write about, and it provides a realistic, occasionally dark, view of life in Italy.

Other Italian goodies

Okay, we’ve got all the visual elements we need for our virtual tour of Italy! But what about some of the other elements of visiting Italy? What about scent, or taste?

Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered here too! I like to grab Italian products when I can – anything that brings back memories of the place, so I can add to my own virtual tour of Italy – and I’m going to share some of them with you! These all evoke some of my very favorite parts of Italy… except fishing villages, because I don’t need to experience the scent of those, thanks.

Nesti Dante soap : I LOVE THESE. Italy’s premier soap company is based in Florence, and specialize in creating bars of suds which represent different cities and regions of the country. Aside from soaps which smell like Tuscan hills , monasteries , or Italian forests , my pick would be the Dolce Vivere range. These capture the typical scents of plants found in places as diverse as Rome , Venice , Lake Como or Capri , and they’re absolutely glorious . And they last forever, too! Pick your favorite part of Italy, and just breathe it all in.

Limoncello : Nothing says a trip to the Amalfi Coast region than a little bit of limoncello! Italy’s favorite lemon liqueur most typically comes from the region, and it’s a great way of bringing a little taste of the country into your own home. Any Italian will tell you that Sorrento is where the good stuff comes from, and fortunately for us all, it’s available online! PèpeCello is one of the best brands out there – I’ve seen it on the shelves of the local supermarket in Sorrento, which is always a good sign – and is well worth getting!

Carthusia perfume : Also from the Amalfi Coast region – specifically the glorious, flower-strewn island of Capri – are the wonderful perfumes made by Carthusia . I always include these on my lists of the best souvenirs from the Amalfi Coast, because they’re sooo good at bringing back memories! The scent is so evocative… I own a bottle of their Mediterraneo perfume, which is based on lemons and green leaves, and every time I smell it, I’m transported back to Capri in the sunshine. They truly manage to capture Italy in a bottle, and applying a bit of this per day will definitely enhance your virtual tour of Italy!

Share this guide to Italy virtual tours!

I really hope you’ve enjoyed this article about taking a virtual tour of Italy in your own home! Visiting Italy isn’t always a possibility, for whatever reason – but there’s no need to be disheartened when there’s some easy steps to bring Italy to you!

If you have indeed enjoyed this, you get a big hug from me, you lucky thing! How about giving it a share in return? You can hit any of those awesome little share buttons, pop it on your favorite social media network, and totally make my day.

If you’re a smart cookie (and I know you are!), share the below images to Pinterest! That way, this article gets a share, and you get a permanent bookmark back here, saved on Pinterest for when you need it. Rainy day? Feeling down? Can’t make it abroad this year? Go to Pinterest, and you’ll be able to come back here, and get instant Italy. Yay!

Psst! This article contains some affiliate links! These incur zero extra cost to you, should you choose to purchase the product provided, but it earns this blog a bit of commission which goes towards running costs. Any extra money earned gets spent on my beloved Nesti Dante soaps, specifically pinging them around my bathtub.

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This is actually so cool! I had heard of virtual tours but never really knew much about them until recently. I’ll have to give it a try! 😁

This is a great overview! I love the sweet women making pasta. This will hopefully inspire people who have never been to Italy to travel in future once this passes.

Cindy Scott

I’ve never taken a virtual tour before, thanks for all of the tips!

Juleen Meets World

Ooooh! That virtual cooking class is looking really tempting

30 (almost) Free Family Activities – Shana's Organized Chaos

[…] can go Italian and visit Pompeii while eating a big bowl of pasta or whip up some tacos as a family and learn to salsa in Mexico. […]

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9 Virtual Tours Of Italy To Explore The Magical Country From Home

Taylor - 05/08/2020

Italy really earned its nickname the “bel paese”, because from north to south it’s such a beautiful country! I’ve even teased my husband that he had an undisputable home field advantage, when we met on my 3 day trip to Rome.

The country captured my heart straight away. From the architecture, to the pristine beaches, you’ll never see a bad view! And while we have to be away from our loved ones there, I’ve never been more grateful for virtual tours, that connect us to my favorite place on earth.

In the spirit of armchair travel, I’ve created this full itinerary with virtual tours of Italy! I’ll take you from across the country, showing you 9 incredible places to visit through videos, hyperlapses, and aerial footage. Each stop is either a favorite of mine, or on my short list – and really captures the beauty of life in Italy.

A big thanks to all those who sent sweet & supportive messages leading up to this post, and a shoutout to all the amazing creators who captured this enchanting country at its best! Hope you enjoy!

1. Virtual Villa Tour Of Lake Como

From the pristine water lapping along the banks, to the graceful villas perched on its shores, “Lago di Como” is true eye candy!

This virtual tour of Lake Como highlights one of my favorite things about Italy: all the dreamy historic Villas! Be sure to check out the picture perfect views of Villa Balbianello, featured in both the Casino Royale, and Star Wars Episode II.

2. Hyperlapse Virtual Tour Of Milan

As the fashion capital of the world, Milan is a modern metropolis that blends old and new architectural styles in a truly unique way.

This hyperlapse of Milano shows over 19,000 frames of breathtaking Italian beauty. My favorite part is the magical glass dome ceiling in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele – one of the prettiest shopping areas on earth!

3. Canals Of Venice Virtual Tour

When I visited Venice, I was blown away by the colorful architecture and charming details. Around each corner is another picture perfect frame, of canals, bridges, and the quintessential laundry dangling from clothes lines.

This virtual tour of Venice was created by National Geographic, and shows some of the most beautiful bits of this partially underwater city. It really feels like taking your own personal gondola ride around town.

4. Frolicking Through Florence Italy

Some of my fondest memories of introducing my family to my new Italian in laws, was the trip we took to Florence together. This city may not be large, but it has so much charm packed into every square inch!

This virtual tour of Florence will take you past all the most beautiful sites, including the Piazza del Duomo, and the place where I (must have) made a world record for most people squished into one selfie stick photo: The Ponte Vecchio.

5. Virtual Tour Of Trevi In Umbria

When I first met my new Grandfather-in-law, I didn’t speak too much Italian. He didn’t seem to mind. His eyes lit up, merrily describing to me the beauty of his home in the Umbrian countryside. And whatever he was saying, I knew he was right.

Umbria is renowned for its sweeping views, charming renaissance villages, and of course, incredible wines! For these virtual tours of Italy, I wanted to shows one of my favorite teeny towns of them all: Trevi.

We had our wedding in the nearby town of Spoleto, so Umbria will forever have a special place in my heart! I can’t wait to share more about the relaxing B&B where we had our ceremony, so keep your eyes out for that in a future post!

6. Soar Across The Amalfi Coast

There’s something so picturesque about all the coastal towns dotted along the shores of Amalfi. This video shows some of the prettiest aerial views of Positano, Sorrento, and my personal favorite, the tiny island of Capri!

The unique rock formations (“faraglioni”) makes this iconic area of Italy instantly recognizable after just a glance. I can almost taste the fresh squeezed Amalfi lemonade now!

7. Ride Through The Streets Of Rome

When I tell people that I met my husband in Rome, they usually ask if our first date happened on the back of a scooter. Full disclosure, I would probably never get on one, considering the infamous traffic, but it’s sure enjoyable to watch someone else have all that fun!

This virtual tour of Rome captures some of the most breathtaking piazzas and cultural sites, but it also shows one of the best parts of being in Italy: simply people watching.

8. Virtual Tour The Palace Of Caserta Gardens

The South of Italy is home to some of the best pizza, pastry, and palaces in the world. I had the best time wandering around the incredible formal gardens of the Royal Palace of Caserta, and this virtual tour is really like taking a step back in time.

Designed in 1753 with a revolutionary telescoping effect, the gardens look deceptively smaller than the two mile stretch that unfolds before your eyes. After you check out the park, take the full visit of the world’s largest Royal residence with these Virtual Castle Tours .

9. Sail Through This Virtual Tour Of Sardinia

Leaving you here with Italy’s most celebrated coastline. Sardinia, the famous Italian island, has enough insta-worthy blue sea hues to keep you enchanted for hours.

This final stop on my virtual tours of Italy, shows off all the most beautiful spots for boating, snorkeling, and my favorite thing about coastal cities: watching the ports light up at night.

Thanks so much for checking out my round up of ways to virtual tour Italy! These places are so unique and special, and it was a ton of fun picking my favorites to share with you all!

Whether you’ve visited before, it’s on your bucket list, or you just enjoy some good armchair travel, I really hope you enjoyed these virtual tours of Italy! Let me know which one was your favorite of them all in the comments below!

And if you’re looking for more Italian inspiration, be sure to check out some of my favorite tours and travel guides from Rome:

The Magical Villa Borghese Gardens

Where to see the best fountains in rome, rome’s hidden palace: galleria doria pamphilj.

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Virtual Venice: How To Tour Venice From Home

Here’s my armchair travel guide to Venice Italy. Via 15 virtual tours, you can visit Venice’s famous landmarks, must see attractions, and world class museums from your couch or computer. You can feel like you’re in Venice even if you’re not.

La Serrenissima is one of the world’s most beautiful and captivating cities. No other place looks anything like it. It’s a magical floating city of grand palazzos, golden domes, picturesque canals, and labyrinthian lanes.

Venice has suffered lately — from overtourism, flooding, and now the world wide lockdown. If, like me, you had a trip to Italy planned and canceled, you may be feeling disappointed.

But thanks to the wonders of armchair travel, you can now take a virtual cyber vacation to Venice. To be sure, it’s not nearly as fascinating as the real thing. But you can see the iconic place in a quiet and peaceful state, without crowd or queues. Perhaps the Venetians prefer it this way.

REA D: 2 day itinerary for Venice

How to Enjoy A Virtual Venice Vacation Online

1. google earth | google maps | youtube.

Google Earth and Google Maps are perfect for an overview of Venice. These sites enable you to see different digital views of Venice – aerial views, street views, and panoramic views. You can navigate your way around online using your keyboard or mouse. In addition, you can explore Venice here or take this 360 tour .

There’s also a brilliant live webcam on YouTube here . It shows Venice shut down, eerily quiet and empty. YouTube’s “I Love You Venice” channel plays live footage to classical music. It claims to have the “most beautiful live cam” of Venice.

National Geographic also has a lovely 4 minute video about Venice.

2. Google Arts & Culture: Virtual Tours

Google Arts & Culture is a brilliant initiative for the travel starved. Google has partnered with museums and institutions around the world to bring masterpieces to you in high resolution or present thematic tours of important art and architecture.

If you’re a culture vulture, it’s one of the best online best resources. In addition to the specific Venice sites, Google Arts & Culture also has an online exhibition from the National Gallery in London of Impressionist Claude Monet’s paintings of Venice.

3. Doge’s Palace

The Doge’s Palace or Palazzo Ducale is Venice’s most iconic landmark. Set in St. Mark’s Square, the palace is the very symbol of Venice. This pink and white marble Gothic-Renaissance building was the official residence of the doges, rulers of Venice for more than 1,000 years.

Now, from your armchair, you can explore the architecture of the building, the grand interior, and some of the fabulous Renaissance and Venetian art. The must see masterpieces are Veronese’s Rape of Europe and The Triumph of Venice, paintings and ceilings by Tintoretto, and Tiepolo’s Neptune Bestowing Gifts upon Venice .

You can tour the Doge’s Palace virtually on Google Arts & Culture and take a 360 tour of the exterior and tour the interior here .

READ : Must see sites along the Grand Canal

4. Saint Mark’s Basilica

St. Mark’s is one of the world’s most ornate churches, designed in an Italo-Byzantine style when Venice was a wealthy military power. It’s right on the Piazza San Marco and connected to the Doge’s Palace. The basilica used to be a smaller chapel for the doge.

It’s called St. Mark because it holds the body, a relic, of St. Mark. St. Mark was hugely important as one of the authors of the New Testament. Venetian merchants actually stole the relic from Alexandria in 828.

St. Mark’s is constructed in a Greek cross design, with each arm equal. The interior is like a golden jewel box. The walls are covered with mosaics, 40,000 square feet in total.

You can take a virtual tour of St. Mark’s here and listen to a Smarthistory lecture here .

5. Peggy Guggenheim Collection

Ah, this is my favorite museum in Venice. And it’s one of the finest modern art museums in the world. It was founded by Peggy Guggenheim, an eccentric American heiress with a nose for spotting talent.

The museum is housed in the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, an 18th century palace on the Grand Canal. Peggy purchased it from another eccentric European personality, Maria Louisa Casati.

Peggy’s collection includes works from the major movements of Cubism, Surrealism, Futurism, and Abstract Expressionism. There’s an entire room dedicated to her beloved Pollack. You can see works by Picasso , de Chirico, Kandinsky, Miro, Klee, Ernst, Magritte, de Kooning, Dali, and Calder.

The Schulhof Collection, also on site, is also impressive. It’s housed in a wing of the museum called the Barchessa. The collection features post-war American and European art, from the period following Guggneheim’s works.

The focus is on minimalism, pop art, and post-painterly abstraction. It includes works by Frank Stella, Cy Twombley, Ellsworth Kelly, Jasper Johns, and Eduardo Chillada.

You can tour the Peggy Guggenheim Collection online here . Here’s my complete guide to Peggy Guggenheim Collection .

6. Palazzo Rezzonico

Also located on the Grand Canal in the Doursoduro area, Palazzo Rezzonico is a shrine to 18th century Venetian artists. This period is sometimes called the “Age of Decadence.” You’ll find paintings and frescoed ceilings by Tiepolo, Longhi, Canaletto, Guardi, Molinari, and Lazzarini.

You can take a virtual tour of Ca’ Rezzonico here . You can also take a Google Street View tour of the lovely palace and admire the beautiful furnishings, the paintings, the Throne Room, and the Grand Ballroom.

The palazzo also has an online exhibition on Canaletto, a painter renowned for his oil paintings of Venetian canals.

7. Ca’ Pesaro International Gallery of Modern Art

Ca’ Pesaro is a spectacular 18th century Venetian palace in Venice’s Santa Croce area. While not as renowned as the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, the Ca’ Pesaro is real a hotspot for modern art lovers.

It has a fabulous collection, spanning several movements from the 19th and 20th centuries with an especially rich collection of expressionists and surrealists.

The collection includes art works by works by Kandinsky, Chagall, de Chirico, Ernst, Matisse, Miro and Gustav Klimt . A highlight is Klimt’s Judith II .

You can take a virtual tour here .

8. Palazzo Fortuny

Palazzo Fortuny is an intimate personal museum to check out. It was founded by the Fortuny family, who manned a successful company producing silk and velvet fabrics.

The visually stunning museum is filled with eclectic art — printed fabrics, drawings, and sculptures, paintings, and photography. They’re all works created by Mariano Fortuny in the early 1900’s.

You can take a virtual tour here . Touring virtually will quell the desire to reach out and touch the goods on display.

9. Museum of Natural History | Museo di Storia Naturale di

This little museum is housed in the Fontego dei Turchi Palace on the Grand Canal. Its collection focuses on the natural history of the lagoon that surrounds the city. The museums conducts and coordinates scientific research.

Inside, you’ll find dinosaur skeletons, big game taxidermy, fossils, insects, shrunken heads, etc. It’s a perfect place for a history or science buff. You can tour the museum online at Google Arts & Culture here . You can take a Google Street View tour here and here .

10. Gallerie dell’Accademia

Located on the south bank of the Grand Canal, the must visit Gallerie dell’Accademia is housed in the former Santa Maria della Carità church and convent complex. It was built, in part, by famed Italian Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio.

The Accademia was founded as an art school in 1750. In 1807, a conquering Napoleon opened the collection to the public.

The 24 galleries of the Academia are home to astounding artworks by pre-19th century Venetian artists. The Accademia boasts masterpieces by the likes of Canaletto, da Vinci, Veronese, Bellini, and Titian. This is where you can find Leonardo’s famous Vitruvian Man .

You can tour the Accademia virtually here or on YouTube here .

11. Correr Museum | Museo Correr

This little museum is dedicated to the history of Venice. The sumptuously decorated rooms include an opulent ballroom, a Napoleonic loggia, a throne room, and a dining room. All have beautiful frescoed ceilings.

Amid the ornate rooms, you’ll find beautiful Neo-Classical sculptures by one of my favorites, Antonio Canova. His themes were love and beauty. The museum also has an outstanding art collection, spanning the earliest days of Venetian painting up to the 16th century.

You can take a virtual tour of the Correr Museum on Google Arts & Culture.

12. Ride A Gondola Online

You can even take a gondola ride from home. Geneeo, a tech company, filmed a 20 minute virtual gondola ride through Venice’s canals with 360 views. Sip a limoncello and enjoy the beautiful views here .

If you’re ever in Venice, you can also learn how to row a gondola yourself. I did that the last time I was in Venice and it was fabulous.

13. Island of Murano Tour

Murano is a colorful island located in the Venice lagoon. It’s a wonderful day trip from Venice proper. Murano is renowned for its exquisite glass products and glass blowing techniques.

Google Arts & Culture has a page devoted to Murano. You can learn about the ancient art of glass blowing  here . You can also visit the Museo del Vetro online . The museum is devoted entirely to glass, from Roman to contemporary times.

You can even purchase authentic Murano glass souvenirs online from your couch or computer.

14. Thirsting In Place: the Aperol Spritz

A more unique and fun virtual tour is to make an Aperol Spritz, or Spritz Veneziano, online with Venice local Valerio. Venice lays claim to have invented the spicy European cocktail, which is a mixture of prosecco, Aperol, and soda water. The cocktail became wildly popular in the US starting in 2018.

If you want to learn how to make the aperitif and see lovely views of Murano at the same time, you can book an online course with Valerio here .

15. Films Set in Venice

Venice is an incredibly cinematic place, with its ancient crumbling palazzos and winding gondola-studded canals. Cue up these films for an armchair glimpse of Venice:

Death in Venice (thriller based on Thomas Mann’s famous book)

Dangerous Beauty (period piece about courtesans in Renaissance Venice)

The Italian Job (thieves team together to steal gold)

The Tourist (Johnny Depp in a romantic thriller)

Moonraker (James Bond film with a gondola chase scene)

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (third installment of the series)

You may enjoy these other Italy travel guides and resources:

• 3 day itinerary for Rome

• 3 day itinerary for Florence

• 1 day itinerary for Milan

• 10 day itinerary for Tuscany

• 10 day itinerary for Italy’s classic cites

• 10 day itinerary from Milan to Rome

• 1 week itinerary from Venice to Milan

• 30 beautiful towns in Italy

• Historic landmarks in Italy

If you’d like to visit Venice virtually from home, pin it for later.

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Last Updated on November 20, 2021 by Aamir Faiz

An Italian Mama's Guide to Italy

Virtual tours of Italy and Italy virtual experiences you can enjoy from home right now

Virtual tours of Italy you can enjoy from home. Virtual tours of Italian museum, virtual cooking classes and that will bring Italy to you

A virtual tour of Italy may not feel quite the same as the real thing.

However, they are a surprising good way to bring Italy a little closer to you and they can also be a fantastic way to help you get excited and plan a future trip.

Weather you are looking at virtual tours of Italy because you cannot go right now, to finalize an itinerary or just to pass the time surrounded by the best of Italy, I hope you enjoy this selection of Italian tours and experiences and help bring a taste of Italy to you, wherever you are!

Need to know : the tours are all provided by different museums and operators and use different platforms. Some are actual tours with a guide, others are webinars and some are 360 degrees images that you can move with google earth/ google arts and culture technology.

No tours require technical knowledge. Some are free, those with a guide are fee paying.

Please note: this post contains affiliate links. Should you make a purchase, we might make a small commission.

Virtual Yours of Italian museums

Virtual tours of the vatican museums.

The Vatican Museums has a section of their website devoted to official ‘virtual tours’ of some of their most famous spaces.

The tours are interactive images that you can move at 360 degrees on your screen so that you have the illusion of being inside the room itself and they are very enjoyable.

The ability to zoom into details allows to see up close all parts of the room, including the ceilings, that would be hard to fully appreciate in real life.

14 tours are available, including the Sistine Chapel and Raffaello’s Stanze. You can access them all for free here.

If you prefer a tour with a guide, a free one is offered by GetYourGuide, which is also an excellent provider of actual Vatican Tours, for when you are in Rome! You can find it here (once on the article, click on the YouTube video).

Virtual Tour of he Uffizi, Florence

The wonderful Uffizi in Florence also offer a virtual tour, accessible for free on their website.

You tour is organized on the basis of the Uffizi Plan: you click on your room of choice and an interactive image of the room appears. Some images are powered by Google Earth and you can move them to have a 360 degree view of the space but others are static.

I find this an excellent tool to help you plan your actual Uffizi visit: the museum is so big, knowing what rooms to prioritize will be priceless.

You can access the Uffizi free virtual tour here

Another way to experience the Uffizi from home is by joining the Uffizi Virtual Tour offered by GetYourGuide: the tour is not free but is it hosted by a local guide, so you get value for your money.

You can access the GYG virtual tour here

Virtual Tours of Venice Museums

The Google Arts & Culture project allows you to peek into several of Venice museums, from home, for free.

Available museums are:

• Doge’s Palace
• Ca’ Rezzonico (Museums of 1700 in Venice)
• Ca’ Pesaro (International Gallery of Modern Art)
• Palazzo Mocenico (1800s residence)
• Museo Correr (Venice History)
• Museo del vetro (Glass museum)
• Venice Museum of Natural History
• Palazzo Fortuny (Venetian gothic)

Virtual Tour of Leonardo’s last supper in Milan

Google Earth technology allows us to visit the Leonardo’s LAst Supper in Milan and appreciate not just the beauty of this fresco but also its incredible location, the cenacolo .

You can access the image for free here : use the arrows and the + and – buttons to zoom in and out.

Virtual Tour of Milan’s Duomo

The official site of Milan’s Duomo offers 360 degrees photos of several of its areas, for free. The site is not the most intuitive and it took me a few clicks to get the tour started but the images are super sharp and incredibly beautiful.

You can access the virtual tour for free here .

Centrale Montemartini Museum Virtual Visit, Rome

This is a lesser known yet wonderful museum in Rome with ancient mosaics and Roman statues hosted in an unusual setting: a disused electric plant!

The juxtaposition of industrial spaces and ancient art is wonderful.

The tour is offered via google arts and culture, which you can access here

Online tour of Musei Capitolini, Rome

Musei Capitolini are among the most important in Rome and you can experience them from home in two different ways:

The first is via google arts and culture, for which you only need an internet connection.

To access, click here , then click again on the yellow man on the right corner of the main image.

A new page will open up with a selection of images from the museum: click on any that grabs your attention for a close-up!

If you have Flash player, you can also access the virtual tour offered by the museum itself here .

Virtual Tour of Mercati di Traiano, Trajan Markets, Rome

I mercati di Traiano, Emperor Trajan’s Markets, are a beautiful and well kept ancient structure now serving also as a museum.

A visit is well worth it both virtual and in real life! There are two access options:

Museum virtual tour (required flash player, follow the prompt from the museum page to install it if needed, it is free and easy to do)

Google arts and culture tour : click on the little yellow figurine and then on any image for a close up.

Online visit of Ara Pacis, Rome

The incredible Ara Pacis, dating back to Augustus’ times has been recently restored and can now be enjoyed in all its splendor via two virtual tours:

Via google arts and culture here (not really a virtual tour, but a selection of images you can move around and see in close up)

Or via the museum itself, here .

This is a much better and enjoyable option, however, it requires the use of Flash Player, which not all computers have. You can download it safely and for free following the prompts on the museum page.

Virtual tours of Italian Cities and areas of natural beauty

When it comes to virtual tours of Italy that brings you to cities, these are the ones we have found.

60 Min Virtual tour of Florence

If you cannot wait to see Florence, then you might love this 60 min webinar about the city hosted by a local guide.

Over 1 hours, an English speaking guide will introduce you to the art, history and architecture of Florence and, at the end, will be available for a Q&A session too.

You can find info, prices and how to join here

Virtual Tour of Ancient Rome

A beautiful way to experience the marvels of ancient Rome from your own home is to join a tour that leads you two three of its most impressive landmarks: the Colosseum, the Forum and the Palatine Hill.

This is a one-hour tour hosted by a licensed Rome guide. There is a Q&A session at the end should you want to ask questions. The session is audio-only and you only need microphone access if you decide to take part.

You can find info and ticket here

Virtual Tours of Venice, Italy

I have come across two different ways to experience and learn about Venice.

A 360 degrees photo tour, which you an access here for free and a live webinar with guide that you can access here . The webinar is one hour long and uses photos, videos and a chat system to connect you with a local Venice guide.

Virtual Tour of Piazza del Campo, Siena

You will not believe your eyes as you enter this tour of Piazza del Campo, in the heart of wonderful Siena!

The tour is a 360 degrees images with great detail and definition that you can move with the easy to use arrows at the bottom of the screen.

You can access it for free here .

Virtual tour of Alberobello, Puglia

Immerse yourself in the peculiar architecture of Alberobello and its trulli with this 360 degrees moving image /free virtual tour (with music).

The tour brings you in the heart of Rione Monti, where you have the highest concentration of trulli. You can access the tour here.

360 degrees interactive images tours of the Dolomites

You can almost feel the fresh air of the Italian Dolomites when you access this 360 degrees interactive image of their powdery slopes! You can use the slider on the right to select the image that interests you most. Access them here

360 degrees interactive images of Cinque Terre

The colors of the Cinque Terre villages truly pop in these 360 degrees images!

As you enter, you see a birds-eye view of the location first but pay attention to the little icon of the hiker: if you click on it, you will access specific areas of the photos and feel as if you are walking there yourself!

Access it here

Virtual classes in Italy

Virtual pasta making class in rome.

If you always wanted to learn to make real pasta, you don’t have to renounce just because you are not in Rome right now. You can also learn from home, joining this live pasta making class, directly from Rome.

This is an interactive class and you will be cooking along: recipes will be sent in advance so you can stock up on what you need for the day.

Find info and tickets here

Virtual pizza making class from Rome

You will never order take out pizza again after you learn how to make your own with this 1.5 hours pizza making class live from Rome!

You will get the full list of ingredients in advance so you can cook along. Sign up here .

Virtual Italian cooking class from Rome

always dreamed of being able to make a real Italian meal from scratch? Now you can, with this online Italian cooking class live from Trastevere, Rome. Cook a full meal and enjoy the fruit of your labors booking your slot here

Live Virtual Tiramisu Cooking class from Venice

1h virtual cooking class with an Italian chef who, from Venice, will walk you through the steps to make the perfect tiramisu!

List of ingredients sent prior to the class to give you time to get ready. Info and tickets here

I hope you enjoyed this selection of virtual tours in Italy and Italian virtual experiences. Stay safe!

Marta Correale

Marta Correale is an Italian mama of two. Born and raised in Rome, Marta has a passion for travel and especially enjoys showing off Italy to her kids, who are growing up to love it as much as she does! A classics graduate, teacher of Italian as a second language and family travel blogger, Marta launched Mama Loves Italy as a way to inspire, support and help curious visitors to make the most of a trip to Italy and learn about Italian culture on the way.

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Virtual travel to Florence, Italy

Top attractions & things to do in florence:.

Florence must-watch travel tip and art movies on YouTube

Florence, facts and travel tips

Welcome to the beautiful City of Florence . Bathed in architectural beauty, artist charm and centuries of history , Florence is an Italian city of culture.

Located in the heart of the stunning Tuscany region, the city is surrounded by natural and manmade beauty at every turn . Home to globally-renowned landmarks such as the Duomo Cathedral and Michelangelo’s David , Florence offers a journey of discovery and enlightenment — as well as a feast for the senses.

What are the best things to do in Florence?

Whether you’re looking to relax or delve into the history of the beautiful city, there are many great attractions to visit .

Florence Cathedral dominates the skyline, and gives it real character and grace with its famous red dome. If you’re an art-lover, no trip to this beautiful city is complete without a visit to Uffizi Gallery . Home to works initially collected by the Medici family, the gallery now houses the largest collection of renaissance art in the world . Adoration of the Magi by Leonardo da Vinci and Primavera by Sandro Botticelli are just two of the iconic works that take pride of place in this stunning gallery.

If you’re looking for some retail therapy, you’ll find it at the historic Ponte Vecchio , which is a Medieval bridge that hosts, among other things, some authentic Italian jewelry shops. Delve into the military history of this Tuscan city by taking a look around Palazzo Vecchio — an eye-catching fortified palace that dates back to the 13th century. In fact, wherever in the city you are, you’ll find historic landmarks, jaw-dropping architecture and a quintessentially Italian ambience .

Florence has a long and illustrious history of politics, art and military might. Everywhere you turn in this complex, fascinating city you’ll be able to learn something new about the history of both the region and Italy. Take the Santa Croce Franciscan Church , for instance, which is home to Giotto frescoes and the tombs of both Galileo and Michelangelo .

Step back in time with a climb up Giotto’s Campanile , a marbled Gothic tower that delivers spectacular views across the city. And if you want to learn how the wealthiest people of Florence lived during the Medieval era, spend some time at Palazzo Davanzati, which is full to the brim with art, antiques and glorious architecture.

The best way to see this exquisite city is on foot — as you’ll get the chance to walk in the footsteps of some of the most accomplished artists and scientists the world has ever known. Just make sure you take in the very best La Dolce Vita (the sweet life) in Florence has to offer. Stand on the bridge over the Arno, and watch sunrises and sunsets; walk to Piazzale Michelangelo to soak up the artistic beauty of Florence; stroll around the Medieval backstreets for a spot of boutique shopping. Whatever you do, Florence is a city that is there to be explored.

What is the best time of year to visit Florence?

The peak vacation season in Florence runs from April to July . However, the busiest time is usually between April and June, during the Maggio Musicale festival of the arts.

June is a great time to visit , as you’ll get the chance to take part in the historic processions held in honor of the patron saint of Florence — San Giovanni. Another popular time among tourists is Easter , as there are spectacular firework displays by the Duomo .

What is the weather and climate like in Florence?

The hottest month of the year is usually August , which is why many shop and restaurant owners close for a few weeks. Summers in Florence can get very hot and humi d, and it’s not unusual to see temperatures of more than 35C. The coldest, wettest month of the year are November to February , but temperatures recover rapidly during March.

The city of Florence is one of the most beautiful in the world. Blessed with Medieval architecture and a welcoming ambience, this treasure trove of art and culture will leave an indelible mark on your heart.

Florence travel tips and articles

• Florence travel guide for first-time visitors
• Top 20 things to do In Florence
• Weekend in Florence: 3-day itinerary
• The secrets of the Divine Comedy: “Inferno” film locations
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A virtual tour of Italy | Travel from your couch

Travel A virtual tour of Italy | Travel from your couch

The world has been thrown a curveball, a terrible one we all hope to recover from real soon. However, there’s always a silver lining. Stick with us for the next 10 minutes and we’ll guide you there.

We understand that your long awaited vacation has been cancelled and you’re quarantined within the confines of your walls. How does experiencing the glory of Italy from the comfort of your couch sound? Hear us out.

Walk the cobbled streets of Rome, play a quick round of trivia, read some travelogues and novels set in Italy and maybe even learn to whip up a few authentic Italian delicacies. Traveling from your couch has never been more exciting.

PS: Do you still have pending cancellations with Headout? We’re working round the clock to help travelers around the globe, so chat with us and we’ll resolve your queries.

Where would you like to travel?

The ancient seat of the progenitors of Western Civilisation, Rome is a classic European city that is a mix of historic ruins, stunning works of art & architecture, great food and a vibrant city life making it one of the most beautiful and romantic cities in the world.

Experience Virtually

Thank god for videos and VR, you can (virtually) walk the cobbled streets of Rome from your couch! Walk through the Colosseum’s Arena, stroll the many halls of the Vatican Museum and appreciate art at the Borghese Gallery . We know you’re stuck at home, but these videos will sure make you feel like you’re in Rome.

Eternal City

Drag the image to look around

Top Sights in Rome

You’ll be walking these streets soon. This is just a trailer.

Panoramas Of The Colosseum

Walking Tour of Colosseum

Guided Tour of Colosseum

Secrets of the Colosseum

Panoramas Of The Vatican Museum

Guided Tour in The Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel

St. Peter's Basilica Walking Tour

Rome and Vatican

Vatican Museum Highlights

Panoramas Of The Borghese Gallery

Villa Borghese Gallery Gardens

Borghese Gallery: 20 Must see artworks

A Walk Through Rome

Discover the beat and vibe of Rome

What to do in Rome by night

Rome walking tour

Story of Ancient Rome

Food tour in Rome

Nestled in the heart of Tuscany, Florence is often referred to as the 'Athens of the Middle Ages'. The city is credited as the birthplace of the Renaissance and is home to countless masterpieces of Renaissance art and architecture.

Thank god for videos and VR, you can (virtually) wander the artistic lanes of Florence. Unveil the treasure trove of renaissance from the comfort of your house with virtual tours of world-class museums in Florence. Beware, you might just experience the stendhal syndrome from your couch

The Renaissance Era

Top sights in florence, duomo florence.

Google Street View

About Duomo

Walking tour

Other Attractions in Florence

Touring The Uffizi Gallery

Florence and Uffizi

Accademia Gallery Tour

Michelangelo's David in Florence

A Walk Through Florence

A city so full of life and culture

Top things to do in Florence

Florence walking tour

Food Crawl in Florence

A doorway to Spain’s past, Seville is a city that slowly charms and wins you over. The land where Columbus departed from for his world exploration has evolved to a rousing mix of Mudéjar palaces, gothic churches, flamenco clubs and winding medieval lanes.

Thank god for videos and VR, you can (virtually) glide on a gondola from your couch!. Wander the gold clad Doge’s Palace, marvel at the byzantine marble at St. Mark’s Basilica and walk through the bustle of Rialto market. We know you’re stuck at home, but these videos will sure make you feel like you’re in Venice.

City Of Canals

Top sights in venice.

Saint Mark's Basilica - Google Street View

Saint Mark's Basilica, Venice

Doge's Palace Tour

Gondola Ride

A Walk Through Venice

We wish we could bottle the aromas of the orange-scented courtyards for you

Venice walking tour

Venice in a glimpse

All of Venice

Dotted with remarkable gothic architecture and gifted with a legacy of art and history, Milan is a city waiting to be discovered. Whether you’re someone who is an art enthusiast, or someone who appreciates fashion or food — there is something for everyone.

Top Sights In Milan

Stroll the Sempione Park

Duomo Milan

Last Supper

Milan walking tour

Milan City Guide

Food in Milan

From novels like A farewell to arms and The city of fallen angels - travel the farthest corners of Italy through the power of words and your imagination. We promise, you’ll be a more learned traveler the next time you head to Italy. Choose your pick and get reading!

Stories in Italy, set to steal your heart and soul.

A Farewell to Arms

The City of Fallen Angels

The Talented Mr. Ripley

SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome

Angels and Demons

Under the Tuscan Sun

Romeo And Juliet

There’s no better time to fulfill your couch potato fantasies. Binge watch and expand your Netflix horizons! We have a few recommendations that will keep you occupied for a few 20 hours, and then some more.

It’s Time For Some Italian Binge

We hope you pick up some Italian. It’ll surely come handy!

The Borgias

My brilliant friend

The Young Pope

Killing Eve

A room with view

La Dolce Vita

Life is beautiful

Eat Pray and Love

Call me by your name

The Great Beauty

PS: Use Netflix Party to watch our recommendations with your friends online. You can synchronize video playback and add group chat as well!

How about grooving to the beats of Umberto Tozzi and Jimmy Fontana to keep you company at your WFH set up? Our carefully curated “Social Distancing - Italy Edition” playlist is just what you need to keep you going through these drab long days where your laptop, pet and spouse are your only company.

Top artists in Italy

If you haven’t heard of them, today’s the day.

Umberto Tozzi

View Artist

Andrea Bocelli

Jimmy Fontana

Social Distancing Playlist - Italy Edition

Maximum volume is recommended so your neighbors can dance with you!

The kitchen is your playground and the possibilities are endless. Learn to whip up some bowls of Carbonara and end your meal with some home-made Tiramisu! How fun would it be to perfect the recipe before tasting the real deal in Italy!

A little bit of this and a little bit of that

Try your hands at Italian plates - beyond pasta and pizza!

Napolean Pizza

Carbonara Spaghetti

Traditional Pesto Chicken

Italian Bruschetta

Hot Choclate - The Italian Way!

More Cities

Lakshmi Menon

Born to parents bit by the wander bug, Lakshmi calls her love for travel "hereditary and habitual". Perpetually ensconced with a book in her hand and a mug of coffee in the other, she has been to over 15 countries in her 23 years of existence and is currently saving miles and money for her solo trip to Iceland. Always hustling towards the least trodden path, she has encountered some wonderful people during her escapades and if you ever meet her, she won't stop gushing about them.

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Ostia Antica Virtual Tour: The Ancient Port of Rome Frozen in time

Experience the ancient world come to life on our virtual tour of ancient Rome's amazingly preserved port

• tour overview
• tour description
• tour reviews

duration 1.5 hours

Tour Overview

Embark on a fascinating virtual voyage back in time to Ostia Antica and explore the magnificently preserved remains of ancient Rome’s bustling port. Join expert guide Gracelyn for a virtual stroll through the ancient city’s dense web of streets, and discover what it was really like to live in an ancient Roman town over two millennia ago. Thanks to high quality photos, videos and reconstructions we’ll be painting a fascinating portrait of ancient life in the harbour city, visiting restaurants and bathhouses, temples, bakeries, theatres and more. Discover how goods of every kind imaginable passed through Ostia’s marketplace and warehouses, feeding the greatest metropolis in antiquity. Our virtual Ostia tour will immerse you in the world of ancient Rome from the comfort of your own home – book your place today! If the day of the week or start time of this group tour doesn't work for you, please email us at [email protected] to arrange a suitable alternative date.

• Live broadcast from Rome
• Immersive webinar with expert guide Gracelyn
• High-res imagery, videos and reconstructions brings ancient Ostia come to life
• Have your questions answered in live Q and A

Tour Description

Meet your guide: gracelyn.

Hi I’m Gracelyn! A native New Yorker with qualifications in Speech Communications Studies, classical theater, voice and drama, I’ve been living and working in Rome since 2006. After 13(!) trips to Rome over the years during which I couldn’t get enough of the city’s history, beauty, art and architecture, I decided to follow my heart, quitting my job in New York and pitching up in the Eternal City with 3 suitcases. I began my life in Rome by volunteering with the Pantheon choir and at Rome’s famous cat sanctuary (the site of Julius Caesar’s assassination!), where I gave tours showcasing the sanctuary’s mission. A licensed tour guide of Rome, I was introduced to Through Eternity in 2007 and have been happily collaborating and guiding with them ever since.

What Exactly is a Through Eternity Virtual Tour?   

The world of travel might be on hold right now, but just because we're all staying at home to help the world overcome a common enemy doesn't mean we have to put our wanderlust on the back burner. Frustrated with not being able to get our travel fix, we decided to transform our award-winning tours into immersive virtual experiences, meaning you can still explore Italy’s spectacular archaeological sites and jaw-dropping museums from the comfort of your own home. 

* Please note that the booking times are in US Eastern Standard Time and Rome, Italy CET is 6 hours ahead *

Fun and informative , our virtual tours take the form of online  real-time presentations  led by our  expert guides . Combining videos, high-definition photos and more, our guides will be sharing their wealth of knowledge and experience with you on these interactive walkthroughs of Italy’s most fascinating sites. The  live format  of our virtual tours means you’ll be able to ask your guide anything you wish, just like on a normal tour. We really believe it's the next best thing to being here!

As a sign of our gratitude to those who are on the front line fighting the Coronavirus, we would be more than happy to invite all  first responders ,  health workers  and  NHS workers  to join our Virtual Tours for free. Please message our office staff directly!

Please note that the proceeds from our online tours go directly to our guides, providing them with a valuable lifeline in these tough times for the world of travel. Thank you for your support!  

Explore the incredible remains of Ostia Antica from home on our virtual tour

The vast ruins of Ostia Antica rival Pompeii for their size and incredible state of preservation, but are fare less known to visitors. Spectacularly sited in the Roman countryside surrounded by umbrella pines and swaying cypress trees, our virtual tour is the perfect opportunity to learn why the harbour city of Ostia was a vital cog in the massive machinery of the Roman empire.

Thanks to the wonders of technology we’ll be recreating the lives of the people who once lived and worked in this bustling port. Discover the mysteries of complex pagan rites in Ostia’s countless temples, and visit some of antiquity’s best preserved baths decorated with fabulous mosaics and learn all about the trade networks that sustained the metropolis that was ancient Rome in Ostia’s atmospheric marketplace.

As we pick our virtual way through the ruins, you’ll get a vivid sense of the massive logistical challenges involved in managing the largest empire the world had ever known. Goods of all kinds arrived here daily from the furthest flung corners of the known world: grain from Sardinia and wine from Greece; marble from Egypt and olive oil from Tunisia. More sinisterly, slaves from Turkey and exotic animals from India all passed through Ostia on their way to certain death in the Roman arena. In the city’s marketplace you’ll learn all about the economics and trade networks that sustained the city, deciphering incredible mosaics that represent the different kinds of goods traded here.

At Ostia the smallest details of daily life in the ancient world can be recreated with astonishing precision, and you might be amazed to discover how little some things have changed. Discover an ancient bakery and get a close-up look at the grain mills and ovens that churned out vast quantities of bread for a hungry populace, and admire mosaics that pay homage to the sea’s bounty at a fishmonger’s. Best of all, pop in to the extraordinary thermopolium - the ancient world’s equivalent of a fast-food restaurant - where the menu is advertised in vibrant mosaics on the walls. You can still practically smell the pungent aroma of fishy garum sauce lingering in the air.

Our virtual trip to the ancient world’s most important port is a unique opportunity to experience the distant age of antiquity come to life. Book your place on our online tour today, and get to know the ancient world’s best kept secret!

360° Panoramic Creations:

We create high-quality stabilized video having 8k and 4k resolution, 48 or 24 frames per second together with high-quality post-processing. Videos are supported by the most advanced technologies, such as virtual reality headsets (including Samsung Gear VR), different electronic devices and YouTube channels.

We use different types of moving and fixed objects (tripods, monopods, cars, helicopters, building cranes, etc.) to record videos. For aerial shooting we usually use drones with fully gyro-stabilized unique suspension. Panoramic video covers up all the space around the camera 360x180 degrees without black spots at both nadir and zenith viewing angle.

360° videos are available in any format you choose: .mp4, .avi, .mov, etc. All the videos are made and kept in frames, making it possible to encode them into any available format and bitrate with the resolution up to 8k.

360° PHOTOGRAPHY

Our team creates high-quality 360° photo-panoramas with 35000x17500 pixels resolution (in the equidistant projection) and carries out professional post-processing and corrections of any complexity. We develop virtual tours which are suitable for all browsers, support both Flash and HTML5 technologies and are compatible with different mobile devices and virtual reality headsets (including Samsung Gear VR).

We use different types of moving and fixed objects (tripods, monopods, cars, helicopters, building cranes, etc.) to record videos. For aerial shooting we usually use drones with the fully gyro-stabilized unique suspension. Panoramic video covers up all the space around the camera 360x180 degrees without black spots at both nadir and zenith viewing angle.

Ready 360° photo-panoramas cover up all the space around the camera 360x180 degrees without black spots at both nadir and zenith viewing angle.

Info-points (description buttons that can be placed in the panorama), embedded pictures, video and audio can be added to the virtual tour.

360° GIGAPANORAMA

Our team creates high-quality 360° photo-panoramas with resolution from 1 to 3 gigapixel and carries out professional post-processing and corrections of any complexity. We develop virtual tours which are suitable for all browsers, support both Flash and HTML5 technologies and are compatible with different mobile devices and virtual reality glasses (including Samsung Gear VR).

Info-points (description buttons that can be placed in the panorama), embedded pictures, video and audio can be added to the ready virtual tour.

360° TIMELAPSE

We can make panoramic timelapses with the given viewing angle and resolution up to 12k with professional post-processing and without black spots at both nadir and zenith viewing angle. 360° timelapses are supported by the most advanced technologies, such as virtual reality glasses (including Samsung Gear VR), different electronic devices and YouTube channels.

360° timelapses are available in any format you choose: .mp4, .avi, .mov, etc. All the timelapses are made and kept in frames, making it possible to encode them into any available format and bitrate with the resolution up to 12K.

Content sales:

VIRTUAL TOURS

On the basis of 360° panoramas we create virtual tours of any complexity, branded with logos and design elements of the company’s website together with embedding interactive elements, such as photos, slideshows, videos, descriptions, switch-points to other panoramas, audio descriptions, 3D sounds.

Our clients receive a fully functional virtual tour developed in HTML5 and supported by any computer or mobile device (iOS, Android, Windows Phone).

360° Photo    Price List

STOCK PHOTOS

For almost 10 years of travelling around the world our team has gathered an extensive stock of pictures, taken from both flying devices and the ground.

Any picture presented at our stock can be licensed for any kind of possible use. We can also offer the photos of ultra-high quality (the longer side up to 103,000 pixels).

You can also take a look at the spherical panoramas published on the website www.airpano.ru . Any of the 360° panoramas represented on the website can be converted into a printed image of very high quality.

Photogallery    Price List

STOCK 360° VIDEOS

By filming 360° video since 2011, our team has gathered an extensive stock of clips, taken from both flying devices and the ground.

Any video presented on our website can be licensed for any kind of possible use.

360° videos are available in any format you choose: .mp4, .avi, .mov, etc. All the videos are made and kept in frames, making it possible to encode them into any available format and bitrate.

360° Video    Price List

APPLICATIONS

We are one of the software developers of applications based on 360° photos and videos. Currently, there are 7 applications in our portfolio. One of them was top-rated in 84 countries and listed among the best applications of the year 2014 according to App Store.

These applications can also be used for demonstration of panoramic content with the help of virtual reality devices, such as Samsung Gear VR, Google Cardboard and analogues.

Exhibition installations:

EXHIBITION INSTALLATIONS

AirPano team has the experience of creating panoramic cinemas and video-walls, making it possible to demonstrate our panoramic content at different kinds of events, exhibitions and in museums. The size is only defined by the premises, the quality of projector and the dimensions of plasma screens. Such solutions usually make a deep impression on visitors.

The control is carried out by a tablet or Kinect devices.

TOUCH SCREENS

We are ready to create applications with panoramic content working on touch screens of any size. Both AirPano panoramas and the client’s material can be the basis for this kind of software.

We create virtual tours of any complexity, branded with logos and design elements of the company’s website together with embedding interactive elements, such as photos, slideshows, videos, descriptions, switch-points to other panoramas, audio descriptions, 3D sounds.

VR HEADSETS

Our virtual tours and 360° videos are supported by all the types of virtual reality headsets (VR): Google Cardboard, Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR, Sony Morpheus and others.

We can also develop special software for operating on Samsung Gear VR, if required.

AirPano in cooperation with Polden Studio carries out the installation of the binocular usage of the client’s or our own content. With the help of binoculars, the client can present the panoramic content at different kinds of events, exhibitions and in museums. This kind of devices usually attract a lot of visitors and leave a deep impression on them.

The Original & Best Tours and Events

Online Experience: Best of Tuscany Virtual Tour

Visit Italy with our Online Experience Tuscany Tour – experience the magic of Italy from home

• Description
• Date & Times

Discover Tuscany Online with this Virtual Tuscany Tour

Rolling hills, luscious vineyards and medieval hilltop towns await you in this stunning online experience of a virtual tour of Tuscany. Visit Italy online with Artviva’s hand-selected experts and experience the next best thing to a trip to Italy with our virtual online zoom experiences.

Just as in our Best of Tuscany Tour , with this online virtual Tuscany tour you will visit 3 of Tuscany’s beautiful gems and historic hilltop towns, Siena, San Gimignano and Monteriggione and discover their history, architecture and gastronomy. Tuscany is world-renowned for its gorgeous landscapes, UNESCO heritage sites, and award-winning wine – now you can learn about and experience its sensations with the magic of Zoom travel experiences.

Highlights of this online experience Tuscany tour:

• Explore and experience Tuscany virtually without leaving home
• An interactive virtual tour to discover and learn about Italy’s incredible art history and gastronomy
• Live Q&A with your local qualified guide based here in Italy
• This is a live private on request tour, run at a time that best suits you.
• Book this private online Tuscany virtual tour for yourself, family and friends to enjoy together as a group, even if you are in different locations around the world.

Perfect Christmas, Birthday and Anniversary Presents

Bring your family and friends together this winter with a gift of an online experience in Italy. Enjoy a trip together to Tuscany virtually with your own exclusive online experience.

Exclusive online masterclasses & virtual experiences are perfect for:

• Families stuck in lockdown or home-schooling kids!
• Fun activities for distanced friends and family to come together online
• Gifts for a special occasion – book an online birthday party with us!
• Team-building activities & incentives for colleagues and businesses
• Online Curricula for schools, colleges & universities

If you would like a custom experience fill in the form below to arrange according to your needs, timing and budget

More Online and Virtual Experiences

If you’re in lockdown or unable to travel for a long time why not take a look at our other live classes to keep you occupied and having fun:

Online Cooking Class: Pasta Making Masterclass

Online Cooking Class: Florentine Steak Experience

Online Experience: Courtesans of Venice

or Discover them all here

Request a Private Online Masterclass Experience

All of our online virtual masterclass experiences can be hosted privately just for you and or your group. We can customize the virtual experience however you like. Whatever you are looking for we can create and design something specifically for you.

Go ahead and leave us some details below with what you are looking for and we’ll be in touch.

[wpforms id=”12999″]

Explore our Private Online Virtual Masterclass Experiences

• Enjoy exploring the world from your own home at a time that suits you.

We have amazing experts from around the world. World leaders and passionate locals, all great story-tellers, able to enthrall you with enjoyable interactive live masterclasses.

Explore our Private Online Virtual Masterclasses & Experiences

• We have amazing experts from around the world. World leaders and passionate locals, all great story-tellers, ready to engage and enthrall you

Great for Families & Kids

• Make homeschooling fun! Our amazing experts are available for 1 to 1 exciting learning time.
• Bring to life incredible stories from ancient Rome, learn to make pizza & handmade pasta, or virtually travel on the Venice lagoons!
• Family-friendly guides are great at bringing learning to life. Our online experiences are designed for children, teens & multigenerational families. Fill out our inquiry form, tell us about yourself and we will get back to you.

Have fun with distanced friends & family

• If you’re separated from friends or family, plan a get together with a fun online experience on a topic or activity of your choosing!
• Italian fine wine tasting with a sommelier, a fun relaxed masterclass with a Michelin chef, or a visit to the Vatican with a world-leading expert, we will work with you to create a private experience for your holiday, a special occasion, team building or just for fun. Enquire using our form.

Live Online Curricula for Schools, Universities & Colleges

• We work with you to develop your own custom multi-session curricula for preschool, kindergarten, middle, upper schools, colleges and universities.
• Our amazing experts are great at engaging with our dive in deep learning aided by fascinating visual presentations and virtually guided tours.
• Break out of geographical constraints and jump from viewing masterpieces up close in the world’s greatest museums to going into iconic monuments where history was made.
• With our interactive conversational Socratic approach, your students will be able to ask our experts questions as they go. Our curricula are also available for parents looking for immersive engaging home-schooling content.

Enjoyable Team Building Online Experiences and Incentives

• Enjoy connecting virtually with colleagues near and far.
• Our fabulous experts will guide you through an interactive online experience focused on the topic of your choosing: whether it’s a tasting of fine Italian wine with a noble sommelier, or a fun relaxed masterclass with a Michelin chef, or experiencing the Vatican with a world-leading expert, or having a fun virtual travel disco dance party with a destination of your choice…
• We will work with you to create a bespoke team-building experience that will be talked about for years to come. Enquire using our form above

Date & Times

This private experience can be customised and booked at a time to suit you with sufficient notice.

The times on the booking calendar are a guide and will be confirmed and arranged with you upon booking. Our expert is in Italy (UTC +2) and times will depend on your location and time zone as well as the chef’s availability.

Check your local time at your location with this converter:  https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com

Can I visit Italy at the moment?

Keep checking with your government’s official travel advice and your airline, as information and regulations change quickly. Regardless of whether you can physically travel to Italy or not these Live Experiences will transport you there from wherever you are in the world!

What are our Online Live Experiences?

These new experiences are live and  interactive guided tours   or masterclasses with one of our  amazing experts .

Each Online Experience will have a unique link to an  exclusive online webinar  with our world-class experts, where not only will they take you around the world and back in time through their video, but you can ask questions via chat and even  interact directly !

It’s not just a lecture, it’s an interactive experience with a live Q&A satisfying all your questions.  You get to be in the same ‘room’ as our experts!

What time of day do online experiences take place?

Please see the Date & Times tab for details. You can use this handy timezone converter link to verify what the start time is in your city/region.

https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/

What do I need to bring to an online experience?

All you need is a strong internet connection on your phone, tablet or computer. We recommend getting comfortable with a good coffee of nice glass of wine depending on your preference.

What age group is best suited for this online virtual experience?

This experience is appropriate for all ages. Please be aware, historical art, particularly in the renaissance, often features nudity, as in Michelangelo’s famous David sculpture!.

Can my family join this virtual live experience?

Yes of course! There will only be one login per booking on a device, so make sure you can all clearly see the screen.

Do I need to download a software program or install anything?

The experiences are via Zoom, usually this does not require installation but it can depend on your device.  We will send you everything you need with instructions and the link to access the experience when you book.

Do I need a Webcam or and a Microphone? Will other people be able to see me or and hear me?

You do not need these. You have the option to turn on your video and microphone to ask questions or you may use the chat function. You are welcome to interact during the experience; our expert will guide you.  In the question and answer part of the experience you can ask questions via audio or chat. For some experiences with a small group you may also interact with video if you like. We will always ask permission beforehand.

Can I cancel the Virtual Experience?

Virtual Experiences are non-refundable, but are transferable with sufficient advance notice to another time/day. Please see our terms and conditions.

How many spots should I book?

Please consider purchasing an extra guest spot on the experience. It will greatly help our local businesses. We very much appreciate your support.

Minimum Participants:

To run this virtual live experience we require a minimum of 2 people

As you know this is a difficult time for us in Italy. We are heartbroken you’ve had to cancel your trips and offer these online experiences as a way to experience a taste of Italy from afar until you can travel again.

We want to offer this opportunity to you at a price that is fair for you while helping us cover our costs to pay our experts, staff and running costs for the private custom experience at a time and date to suit you.

We’ve set a base price of 300 euros for your group of family and friends who may join from all over the world on multiple devices. Please get in touch via the form under the details tab to discuss a private quote if this does not seem appropriate for you.

• Price From:

(per person for a group of 10)

30,00 €

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A virtual tour of Rome, Italy

The Eternal City… From its legendary beginnings through the glories and cruelties of Ancient Rome, to the art and architecture of the Renaissance and beyond, this is a city you never get tired of exploring, whether it’s on a virtual tour of Rome or a planned real-life trip to Italy.

And from the chance to make some virtual museum visits as well as virtual Rome tours introducing you to the city, not to mention being able to travel back in time to Ancient Rome, you’re not short of armchair travel inspiration.

For more ideas of things to do in Rome with kids when you’re planning a family holiday, check out my top picks, along with the best kids books about Rome

Contents - click to jump to a section

Virtual tour of Rome

Several companies have made virtual Rome tour videos, using 360 videos and some VR technology – mostly covering the city’s highlights so you can pick the one whose commentary you prefer.

This 360-degree video tour from You Visit lets you pick your own sights and attractions, or you can simply let it play through.

Otherwise try this virtual tour of Rome lasting less than five minutes while this slightly longer tour is designed to be experienced using VR headsets, although you can also watch the 360-degree video on YouTube.

Virtual Rome sights

If you prefer to flick through Rome’s key sites at your own pace, the Google Arts & Culture project has a slideshow of some of the city’s highlights including more background.

It’s not interactive beyond that, so if you’re looking for more of a virtual Rome tour of some of the museums, scroll down.

Ancient Rome

Alternatively you can step back in time to discover Rome as it once was – a sight which you can only see virtually these days, with the Rome Reborn initiative.

Designed to be viewed on computers and VR headsets, you can explore the ancient city with computer reconstructions of the buildings and monuments, accompanied by a commentary from experts.

The free trial is over but you can still pay to explore sites like the Roman Forum . Still cheaper than a plane ticket, and a great introduction if you’re planning a city break in Rome.

Rome Street art

While Rome’s historic attractions are one of its biggest draws, there are plenty of modern temptations among the ancient.

Take a street art tour to discover some of the more recent artworks adorning the Eternal City – there are two to try: click here or here .

Virtual Rome art & culture

Take a walk through the Sistine chapel, wander Trajan’s markets or marvel at the roof of the Pantheon, all from the virtual comfort of your armchair.

Google’s arts and culture project is another great place to start to check out some of Rome’s landmarks and museums – you can see the complete set here as well as those which more detailed virtual tours to scroll for more but here are some of the highlights.

Take a virtual tour of the Colosseum – you’re limited as to how much you can see inside, but there are several options to explore the exterior online.

Take your first view from the sky , looking down onto the remains of the structure, built to seat 80,000 people, with this 360-degree aerial view.

Then soak up the sight of the world’s largest amphitheatre in the Italian sun before getting a little closer to the structure . Finally head inside to get a closer glimpse of the Colosseum’s interior .

Trevi fountain

The legend says that if you throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain, you’ll return to Rome – throwing two or three should also bring you love and marriage.

While you can’t lob a Euro into the water virtually, you can still get a look at the largest Baroque fountain in the city – and be secretly thankful you don’t have to battle the crowds.

The Pantheon

This former Roman temple, now a Catholic church, is famous for both its dome – still the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome, 2,000 years after it was built – and for the oculus, the opening to the sky in the centre of it. This 360-degree video lets you look up at the famous ceiling and imagine the building soaring overhead.

Roman Forum

Take a look down into the remains of the Roman Forum , once the heart of Ancient Rome.

Trajan’s Market

While most visitors flock to the Roman Forum, the Mercati di Traiano is another fascinating spot to wander around, and you can get a virtual tour of Rome’s Trajan’s Market too. The Google arts and culture tour is more detailed than some of the other better-known historic sites, letting you virtually walk through as well as exploring some of the objects on display.

Even better is the museum’s own virtual tour – you need flash player to make this work – which lets you virtually wander through the halls before heading outside.

Sistine Chapel

The Sistine Chapel is only one part of the Vatican Museums Virtual Tour that you can take but it’s easily one of the highlights – watching online, you can see as much detail as you’d like in the chapel , and there’s no fast-moving queue to shuttle you out too quickly either.

The Vatican museums currently have 360-degree video tours of seven different rooms , including the astonishing art work of Raphael’s Rooms.

There’s also an impressive virtual tour of St Peter’s Basilica letting you see the famous church’s details but also giving an impression of the soaring grandeur of the nave.

Capitoline Museum

Take a virtual tour of Rome’s Musei Capitolini, the art museum set on top of the Campidoglio hill. The museum has its own virtual tour (using flash) where you can wander through the halls as well as looking around the Campidoglio square as well.

Or try the Google Arts and Culture tour which gives you a little more detail, so you can look at some of the pieces on display inside the museum.

Museo dell’Ara Pacis virtual tour

The huge altar of the Ara Pacis might not be Rome’s best known sculpture, but it’s perfect for a virtual tour. The museum itself has its own 360-degree video to help you look around.

Or Google Arts and Culture has another virtual tour allowing you to see close up, along with some history about the inspiration behind the 2,000-year-old altar celebrating the military campaigns of Augustus.

Teatro dell’Opera in Rome

Step inside the opera house to take a look around, hear from its director and get a glimpse of performances.

Other virtual Rome museums

Discover ancient mosaics and Roman statues in the Centrale Montemartini , a museum set in an older power station.

Explore more relics of Ancient Rome as you learn about Roman culture at the Museo della Civilta Romana .

Learn more about a very different emperor at Rome’s Museo Napoleonico , dedicated to Napoleon Bonaparte.

Get a view from Rome’s old walls at the Museo della Mura .

Check out some modern art at Rome’s Museo Carlo Bilotti in the Villa Borghese, including works by Andy Warhol.

Check out my guide to Italy with kids to help plan your trip

PIN FOR LATER: A VIRTUAL TOUR OF ROME

First published on Armchair-Travels – for more virtual bucket list travel content, visit my  virtual travel guide

Images copyright Cathy Winston

Award-winning family travel blogger and mum to the mini traveller, aka Minnie. Together we've visited Europe, America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia, tried a cruise and a road trip, and survived countless long-haul trips. London (UK) based. Serious beach habit.

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