There’s a really nice selection of virtual tours in Italy available online these days. In this post I’ve curated the top-rated tours, with details on what you can expect from the online experience and what reviewers have said about them.
Why take a virtual tour in Italy?
- Virtual tours let you travel from home and at a fraction of the price of a real-life tour with a guide.
- It’s a good idea to use them for entertainment and education, but also to help you plan future trips to Rome, Milan, Venice or elsewhere in Italy.
- The best thing about taking a virtual tour, rather than just watching videos online, is of course the interaction with a live guide. Guides can answer questions, give local tips and share specialised knowledge.
You can join these tours from your phone, computer or tablet, either on your own or with others in the room. Just check that audio and video work on your device before the online experience starts.
Some online experiences use Zoom, in which case you’ll be sent a zoom link when you register. Others have their own interface and you’ll be given login details to join the tour.
TIP: You can gift one of these online tours to a friend 🙂
Rome virtual tours
There are many virtual tours of Rome online, so I’ve selected the ones with the best ratings and reviews.
Colosseum & Gladiators virtual tour in Rome
This online tour via Zoom takes you to ancient Rome and to one of its greatest historical monuments, the Colosseum. Guided by a history expert, this tour is rich in information and stories, plus you get a chance to ask the guide questions.
Duration: 1 hour
Vatican & Sistine Chapel virtual tour
For art and history lovers, this virtual tour of the Vatican Museums, the gorgeous Sistine Chapel with its famous artworks and St. Peter’s Basilica is a chance to explore all that beauty with a professional guide. This is an interactive online learning experience with live Q&A.
Duration: 1 hour
Virtual tour of ancient Rome
An interactive online tour using photos, videos, polls and chat to introduce you to ancient Rome. The tour covers historical highlights with a chance to ask the guide questions.
Duration: 1 hour
Wonders of Rome with a theologian
A virtual tour of some of Rome’s best highlights. It’s based on photos and videos, storytelling and humour, and you’ll get some tips to help you plan a trip to Rome and a chance to ask the guide questions.
Duration: 75 mins
Venice virtual tours
Secrets of Venice with a born Venetian
This top-rated tour isn’t just about the beauty of Venice, but also about its cultural curiosities and traditional crafts, like the famous Carnival masks. It’s led by an experienced local guide who will make you feel like you’re actually there 🙂
Duration: 60 mins
Venice highlights virtual tour
An interactive online experience with an expert guide, including a live Q&A, focusing on the popular tourist attractions in Venice.
Duration: 1 hour
Jewish Ghetto of Venice
For history buffs, this educational online tour tells the story of the first ghetto in the world in an informative and engaging way, led by a local guide.
Duration: 90 mins
Virtual tours of major cities in Italy
Milan Virtual Tour
This tour uses videos, 360 degree images and local knowledge to let you discover Italy’s second largest city and its main attractions , like the Teatro alla Scala and Milan Cathedral. This online tour is led by a local guide who is happy to customize it for you if you have special requests.
Duration: 90 mins
Florence highlights virtual guided tour
Florence is a truly beautiful place to escape to for an hour with this virtual tour. The tour covers the main highlights, like the Uffizi Gallery and Ponte Vecchio, and also includes a live Q&A with the guide.
Duration: 1 hour
Explore regions of Italy with online tours
Amalfi coast virtual tour
This tour offers a virtual hike of one of Italy’s most popular regions: Amalfi coast. It uses video to show you the beautiful scenery and includes interactive parts and quizzes. The guide shares hiking tips and details on hiking trails, so you can use it to prepare for a real-life visit to Amalfi coast in future.
Duration: 75 mins
Northern Italy virtual tour
This popular tour uses a Zoom video session to explore Northern Italy, its landscapes, main destinations and hidden gems. This is another online tour that includes the travel tips you need to plan a real trip in future.
Duration: 75 mins
Italian culture online experiences
Online Italian cooking class
Learn how to make authentic Italian dishes from 5 different grandmas teaching different recipes each day of the week (including vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options). This is a live stream experience using Zoom and you’ll get the list of ingredients in advance and be cooking in your own kitchen.
Duration: 90 mins
Italian spiced wines
This unique online experience is a history lesson mixed with wine tasting…
Learn about Italian spiced wine from the Roman times, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The recipes for red and white wine will be provided and while drinking, your guide will tell you the historical stories of these recipes.
Duration: 60 mins
Italian language and hand gestures
An online Italian lesson with a Toscan teacher via Zoom. You’ll learn essential phrases for a trip to Italy, as well as those typical Italian hand gestures.
Duration: 1 hour
Italian folk songs
Travel through Italy with regional songs 🙂 An Italian musician will teach you popular folk songs from different parts of the country. It’s the kind of virtual experience that combines culture, tradition and entertainment.
Duration: 1 hour
Italy has always been one of my favourite travel destinations. It’s the kind of place I can visit again and again and never tire of its beauty. I hope you enjoy these virtual tours and experiences in one of the best places to visit in the world.
For more virtual tours in Europe, including Italy, France, Portugal and other places, check out this curated selection.
