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.
Most 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.
There are virtual tours that are available only upon request, while others have a set schedule. Click the “check availability” button under each of the tours below to see more details on how you can book it.
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
Virtual tours of famous places in Italy
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
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
Pompeii virtual tour
A guided and interactive online tour covering the tragedy of Pompeii with an expert guide. The tour is based on videos and photos and ends with a Q&A session.
Duration: 60 mins
Via Matilda virtual tour
This is a popular and highly rated online tour and a chance to learn about the beautiful Via Matilda hiking trail with an expert on Italian cultural history. It includes a Q&A session with the tour guide.
Duration: 90 minutes.
Virtual cultural experiences in Italy
Italy’s culture is so rich that you can spend years learning about it.
Here’s a collection of some of the most unique cultural experience I found online, all relating to different aspects of Italian culture, like fashion, cars, food and crafts.
A Ceramic Lover’s Journey Through Italy
This online experience is led by a decorative arts expert and focuses on Italy’s famous traditional craft: hand-painted ceramic.
Duration: 90 minutes
Fast Cars, Slow Food
Luxury sports cars and regional Italian foods are the stars of this online cultural talk, focusing on the Emilia Romagna in Italy. It is led by a food historian and includes a Q&A session.
Duration: 90 minutes.
Mardi Gras Traditions in Italy
Carnival, at the beginning of the Lent season, is an Italian tradition fmous for its costumes and masks. It is explored and explained in this talk, led by an Italian cultural expert.
Duration: 90 minutes.
Fashion and Art in Renaissance Northern Italy
Ever wondered about the symbolic meanings of the outfits you see in Renaissance paintings? Learn about them from an art historian in this interactive talk.
Duration: 90 minutes.
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.
