Exploring cities with augmented reality technology. Photo: RSplaneta / Shutterstock Love it or hate it, technology has quietly worked its way into almost every nook and cranny of daily life. It shapes the way we work, learn, shop, train, date, cook, sleep, and even reminds us to drink enough water. These days, there really is an app for just about everything, all promising to make life easier, save time, and help us move through our routines with a little less effort.
When it comes to the field of traveling in particular, technology has so far proven to be an excellent aid for hunting the best room discounts and flight or train tickets. But there’s so much more to it than apps and online tools. A recent study found that nearly 50% of travelers prefer to explore a potential vacation destination using a Virtual Reality (VR) tour or Google Street View before deciding whether to book.
Virtual tours have become an easy and surprisingly engaging way to explore Europe and other parts of the world without leaving home.
Tourists on VR guided tour at the Royal Palace in Madrid. Photo: Laura Polo / ShutterstockWith the help of high-quality 4K video, street-level footage, and 360-degree views, these digital walks provide close-ups at some of the most famous cities and areas on the planet, including Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Bogota Bologna, Bordeaux, Boston, Busan (South Korea), Changsha (China), Chefchaouen (Morocco), Chiang Mai (Thailand), Dubai, El Nido (Philippines), Hanoi, Kobe (Japan), Larnaca, Lisbon, Montreal, New Delhi, Prague, Rio De Janeiro, and many others.
VR travel experience. Photo: Shyntartanya / Shutterstock Whether they are guided live by a local expert or followed at your own pace, virtual tours allow you to experience landmarks, neighborhoods, and cultural sites through specialized tour services or platforms like YouTube and even streaming services like Twitch or Kick.
Let’s look at a few examples. If you’re looking to revisit London or decide whether it's the best destination for a city break, a pristine-quality 4K walking tour will take you past landmarks such as the Globe Theatre and Buckingham Palace, and you'll enjoy both historic streets and everyday city life.
Paris offers similar experiences, with long walks along the Seine and through iconic neighborhoods that feel calm and immersive. Interested in a virtual tour of beautiful Rome? Get ready to explore the ancient heart of the city via historic centers and landmarks that span thousands of years.
Barcelona’s online tours highlight standout sites like the Sagrada Família and the Gothic Quarter, while Amsterdam’s walking videos showcase canals, narrow streets, and modern districts. Berlin rounds out the list with tours that move between modern architecture and areas shaped by the city’s complex history.
The formats of these virtual experiences vary, making them appealing to different types of travelers. Some offer a wide selection of 30- to 60-minute walking tours in places like Strasbourg, Colmar, and Basel, providing a relaxed way to absorb a city’s atmosphere. On YouTube, many channels focus on no-commentary 4K walking tours, letting viewers hear street sounds and get a realistic sense of daily life in cities such as Madrid, Hamburg, and Lisbon.
For those who would rather enjoy a more interactive experience, some services offer live guided tours that allow participants to ask questions in real time, turning the virtual walk into a shared conversation rather than a passive video.
Streaming services allow viewers to watch live streamers unlock new countries and cities in real time, with the option to interact, offer suggestions, ask questions, or simply get inspiration to decide on the next place to visit. Before my last visit to the beautiful island of Corfu in Greece, I watched a live streamer on Twitch visit Corfu Town and have lunch at a breathtaking restaurant perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking the turquoise sea.
Corfu Town, Greece. Photo: Alex IgnaI fell in love with what I was seeing in real time, and, the next day, I booked my flight to Corfu, and went to the exact same spot to have my first Greek salad with a side of tzatziki. I knew exactly what to expect, and I wasn’t disappointed!
VR travel inspiration. Photo: Shyntartanya / Shutterstock Finally, museums and historic sites have also joined in. Some of these virtual experiences include tours of places like the Acropolis in Athens, giving viewers access to cultural landmarks from anywhere in the world.
Recently, Qatar Airways unveiled QVerse Island, its first-ever digital destination in the iconic Fortnite game, offering a fully interactive experience showcasing the city of Doha while connecting users to the company's brand experience in an innovative way.
These virtual tours are excellent tools for planning before a trip, a way to revisit favorite destinations, or an alternative when travel is not possible. While they cannot replace being there in person, they offer a thoughtful and accessible way to explore the world, one street at a time.