While the pause button may have been pressed on globe-trotting for the moment, there are still a multitude of ways to experience the world and all its wonders from the comfort of home. From literature and music, to the latest ingenious technologies facilitating virtual and live remote experiences, the joy of travel is within reach, providing entertainment and inspiration for future adventures. Our selection of armchair travel experiences to satisfy the wanderlust include:
For thrill-seekers and party-goers, online parties from Ibiza’s top DJs, taking a spin on a virtual rollercoaster, and capturing the spirit of Latin America with online tango classes
Virtual tours of the world’s leading galleries and museums such as Madrid’s Museo del Prado and Mexico’s National Museum of Anthropology, providing a cultural fix
For nature-lovers, a Facebook Live ‘Shark Stream’ by Palma Aquarium for all the family, a Google Earth expedition through the Galapagos Islands, and a virtual walking tour in Guernsey
Fasten your seat belts – here goes…
Ushuaïa Ibiza Brings Ibiza’s Top Dj Performances To Your Home
The party never stops at Ushuaïa Ibiza. The iconic open-air club has launched #StayAtHomeSessions – a re-stream of some of 2019’s best DJ sets from Hï Ibiza and Ushuaïa Ibiza, to bring the party atmosphere of Ibiza to the homes of fans from all around the world. The first session was launched on 21st March and featured the likes of Solardo, Davide Squillace, Camelphat, Nic Fanciulli and Andrea Oliva. The streaming sessions allow users to invite friends and fellow ravers to join the party from their own home.
To support the #StayAtHome movement, The Night League – the company behind Hï Ibiza and Ushuaïa – is planning more virtual events, as well as other exclusive content to keep fans entertained during this time.
Read our review of the Ushuaïa Ibiza
Information
Follow The Night League on Facebook and Instagram for further information:
Facebook / The Night League / Instagram / The Night League
Streams of each performance are on the Ushuaïa Ibiza Beach Hotel Facebook page.
The Night League and all of the artists encourage viewers to donate towards the World Health Organisation’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund: covid19responsefund.org/
Palma Aquarium’s Live Shark Stream: Discover Mediterranean Marine Life
To help parents with the challenge of entertaining their little ones at home, Palma Aquarium in Mallorca is offering virtual visitors the chance to discover the Mediterranean’s marine life. The underwater world on show includes tropical reefs, exotic fish, and even the observation of sharks with Facebook Live streaming every Monday to Friday at 10:00am (UK time).
Palma Aquarium is located in the Balearic Island’s capital of Palma and recreates the habitats and ecosystems of the world’s seas and oceans with more than 8,000 specimens of almost 700 species.
Read our guide to the best luxury hotels in Palma
Infomation
For further information visit: palmaaquarium.com @PalmaAquarium
Feel The Thrill Of Efteling Theme Park, Holland
Thrill-seekers can still experience the adrenaline rush of riding a roller coaster thanks to a series of videos filmed from the front carriage of rides at Efteling – the fairytale theme park in the south of Holland.
The Efteling YouTube channel features a host of videos, allowing guests to experience the wide variety of attractions available at the park, from the water coaster De Vliegende Hollander (The Flying Dutchman) and a 360-degree view of double-track wooden racer coaster Joris en de Draak (George and the Dragon) to the jaw-dropping Baron 1898 dive coaster, which plunges 37.5m into a mineshaft at 90km/h.
For those looking for a more relaxing virtual visit to Efteling, the channel also has a walk-through of the recently-opened attraction, Fabula – the 4D film adventure that was created in collaboration with British studio animators, Aardman, and three different journeys through the magical Symbolica: Palace of Fantasy.
Alongside this, users can get tips for enjoying the theme park from Efteling employees, behind-the-scenes access, and sneak peaks of the new double family roller coaster, Max & Moritz.
Information
Visit Efteling’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/efteling/videos
For further information on Efteling visit: www.efteling.com/en
Delve Into The Music And Culture Of Guyana With Hip Hop Artist Loyle Carner
UK hip hop artist, Loyle Carner, travelled to Guyana to discover his cultural roots with legendary Guyanese flautist, Keith Waithe as part of a BBC Sounds Odyssey project. The programme, Loyle Carner in Guyana, explores Carner’s cultural heritage via the music and gastronomy of the country. The pair also worked with local musicians to produce a new track inspired by their travels. The podcast transports the listener to the deepest rainforests of Guyana on a cultural, gastronomical and musical voyage of one of South America’s most undiscovered nations. It is available on the BBC Sounds website (www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p07nscgd) or app.
Information
For further information on Guyana visit www.guyanatourism.com
Take A Virtual Walk In Guernsey And Learn About Its History
Local Guernsey tour guide Gill Girard is planning a series of virtual guided walking tours to explore the island’s varied routes through its coastal and rural inland landscapes. The walks will be hosted on Gill’s Facebook page.
Gill organises and leads walking tours on the Islands of Guernsey year-round and her expert knowledge of Guernsey’s history brings all her walks to life. gillgirardtourguide.com
Read and watch The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society
As Guernsey celebrates 75 years of liberation in 2020, The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society novel by Mary Ann Schafer and Annie Barrows uncovers the island’s fascinating history during its occupation in the Second World War. Set in 1946, the story follows a free-spirited journalist who travels to Guernsey to find out more about the curiously named book club. In 2018, the novel was adapted into an acclaimed film starring Lily James.
Buy the book on Amazon and watch the film on Sky or Amazon Prime.
Read The Toilers of the Sea by Victor Hugo – the French author’s dedication to the island
Acclaimed French poet and author Victor Hugo spent 15 years in Guernsey while in exile from France from 1855. Declaring Guernsey “the rock of hospitality and freedom” in Toilers of the Sea, many consider his time in the Bailiwick to be his most productive writing period. The Toilers of the Sea is Hugo’s dedication to the island, set in and inspired by Guernsey’s landscapes and its inhabitants.
Literary fans can also find out more about Victor Hugo’s time living on Guernsey and how the island inspired some of his most famous works via VisitGuernsey’s microsite: victorhugo.visitguernsey.com
Escape To Mallorca With Agatha Christie During 100th Anniversary
As 2020 marks 100 years since the publication of Agatha Christie’s first novel, literary lovers can be transported to the sunny island of Mallorca by her collection of short stories, Problem at Pollensa Bay, published in 1935.
Christie first visited Mallorca in 1932 and holidayed there many times. She particularly loved the charming resort town of Port de Pollença, situated on the island’s northern coast. Problem at Pollensa Baysees her popular detective character, Parker Pyne, become embroiled in a problem while on holiday in Mallorca. Christie wrote the book while staying at the beachfront Hotel Illa d’Or and reputedly enjoyed going for long walks from the hotel to the lighthouse at Port de Pollença, stopping occasionally at Hotel Mar I Cel for tea.
Besides picturesque beaches, crystal-clear waters, and local restaurants, Port de Pollença has also been known for being the ornithological centre of Mallorca. With the easily accessible Serra de Tramuntana mountain range, the town is a go-to destination for families, sun lovers and adventure seekers alike.
Read our guide to the best luxury hotels in Mallorca
Information
Problem at Pollensa Bay is available as an audiobook on Audible
For further information on Mallorca visit www.illesbalears.travel/en/mallorca
A Virtual Visit To Madrid’s Prado With Bless Hotel Madrid
Luxury boutique hotel, BLESS Hotel Madrid, is situated close to Madrid’s celebrated Museo del Prado and organises tours of the museum for its guests. The Prado’s walls are lined with masterpieces from the Spanish, Italian and Flemish schools, including works by Velázquez, Goya and Bosch. Its collection comprises 8,600 paintings and over 700 sculptures.
While the museum is closed to visitors, BLESS Hotel Madrid recommends gaining an insight into its masterpieces via the museum’s live shows which are being hosted on Instagram and Facebook every morning at 11:00 (GMT). The Prado has also added a timeline on its website which uses augmented reality to bring its collections to life.
Read our guide to the best luxury hotels in Madrid
Information
For further information on the Museo del Prado visit: museodelprado.es
For further information on BLESS Hotel Madrid visit:
blesscollectionhotels.com/en/madrid/bless-hotel-madrid
Lata’s Armchair Guide To Latin America
The Latin American Travel Association (LATA) has compiled a selection of remote ways to experience the wealth of experiences in Latin American countries:
Join a modern-day mapping expedition to the Galapagos Islands
Google Earth has teamed up with the Charles Darwin Foundation and the Galapagos National Park to produce an amazing virtual expedition through Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands. The online platform allows users to ‘trek’ the Galapagos, learning about its endemic wildlife, volcanic activity and Darwin’s work here via stunning 360-degree panoramic images and the first-person street view mode which even allows users to dive down underwater to discover the islands’ bountiful marine life.
google.com/maps/about/behind-the-scenes/streetview/treks/galapagos-islands/
Take a tango class online
London tango school, Tanguito, is taking its classes to the web while its students are unable to attend in person. Every Wednesday and Sunday, Strictly-wannabes can join a live streaming e-lesson designed for both solo dancers and couples. Tanguito is providing online classes for all levels and offers an innovative way for travellers to stay active while at home.
Virtually visit Mexico’s National Museum of Anthropology
The National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City is home to the world’s largest ancient Mexican art collection that preserves the country’s indigenous legacy left by the Aztec and Mayan civilisations that once ruled over this part of Central America. In collaboration with Google Arts and Culture, the museum has made some 140 items available for online visitors to explore from their homes. Among the objects available for viewing are the famous Aztec calendar sun stone and the striking jade death mask of ancient Mayan king Pakal the Great.
artsandculture.google.com/partner/museo-nacional-de-antropologia-mexico
