Although a lot of travel plans for 2020 have been postponed, there’s no reason to let the travel inspiration come to a halt! There are lots of awesome ways you can still virtually immerse yourself in all of the incredible destinations on your travel itinerary. Here are some of our favourite websites and apps to keep the travel addiction alive from at home:
As far as travel inspiration goes, Pinterest is where it’s at. It’s essentially a big old search engine, packed to the brim with awesome content, which you can then add to your very own mood boards. Not only are there beautiful images of every destination under the sun, but there’s also loads of travel hacks including packing tips, blogs about things to see, eat and do and written guides to cities all over the world. ‘Pin’ the content you like and create boards to inspire your next trip! Be warned – you’re likely to come out of Pinterest with a destination wish list much longer than the one you started with (trust us, we know!)
Google Arts and Culture App
Consider yourself a bit of an art and history buff? Then look no further than the Google Arts and Culture app. The app has collaborated with over 1,200 museums and galleries in 70 countries and allows you to get up close and personal with world-class masterpieces. Take virtual tours, learn more about your favourite artwork and see iconic landmarks. You can even take a selfie and find out which piece of art looks most like you! So, whether you’re vibing Monet or Matisse, Picasso or Pollock, this app is definitely worth checking out!
Virtual concerts
Although many music festivals and concerts have been postponed for 2020, you can still get your boogie on virtually! Loads of artists are hosting virtual concert sessions which are a great way to hear some of your favourite tunes from the comfort of your sofa or bed. Together at Home is a virtual concert series that is a partnership between Global Citizen and the World Health Organisation. Streaming live from the Global Citizen YouTube channel, the series has already had artists like Chris Martin, Common and John Legend, plus many more to come! If you’re looking for DJ sets, Diplo is going live with themed sets five nights a week which are then all uploaded to YouTube. What are you waiting for?! It’s time to cut some serious shapes!
If theatre is more your cup of tea, the National Theatre are showing some of their best British theatre at 7pm (GMT) every Thursday on YouTube.
Live destination webcams
Since it’s not possible to be at your dream destination in person right now, we’ve found the next best thing. Loads of travel hotspots around the world have live webcams set up so you can still get a glimpse of those postcard worthy views. Why not stop by the golden sandy shores of Koh Samui for soothing sounds of lapping waves? Or check in on the glorious whitewashed homes of Santorini, where it’s hard to tell where the blue ocean ends and the sky begins.
Duolingo
Now that you’ve got a bit of time up your sleeve, why not learn a new language that you’ll be able to use when your trip rolls around! Duolingo has a bunch of language options which you’ll learn in bite-sized lessons. Earn points for correct answers and unlock new levels – just wait, you’ll be a master in no time!
So there you have it – although it’s not physically possible to travel right now, don’t let that stop you from being inspired by your adventures that lie ahead. If anything, it’s the perfect time to brush up on the destinations you’ll be visiting, discover some of the masterpieces you’ll see and even learn some of the local language! When the doors of the world open up again, you’ll be fully prepared to hit the ground running and explore to your heart’s content!
