For the time being, travel has had to take a back seat – but there are still plenty of ways to recreate that holiday feeling from home.
Whether you’re a nature lover or an art enthusiast, these tips will help you get your travel fix from a distance.
For nature lovers
You don’t have to travel far to get your nature fix. There are so many stunning places to discover close to home. Ireland is blessed with magnificent national parks, wild coastline, and breathtaking scenery – from wildlife and mountain peaks to crystal-clear waters.
Start with places close to home – all those parks, forests, and beauty spots you’ve always meant to visit – then make a list of places a little further afield. For a night-time adventure, try camping in your garden and firing up the barbecue. Whatever activity you choose, make sure to follow government guidelines and maintain social distancing.
For art lovers
Fancy visiting the Louvre on your lunch break or the Van Gogh Museum after work? Now you can. Google Arts & Culture has partnered with thousands of museums and galleries around the world to offer virtual tours. The platform lets you walk through your favourite museum and browse entire exhibitions – all from the comfort of your sofa. There’s even a fun ‘Art Selfie’ feature that matches your face with a work of art.
If exploration is more your thing, Google Street View lets you visit some of the world’s wonders online – from the Taj Mahal and the Eiffel Tower to the Pyramids and beyond.
For food lovers
If we can’t eat our way around the world, there’s only one thing for it: bring the world to your kitchen. One of the best things about travelling is discovering new recipes to recreate at home – and now is the perfect time to get adventurous.
There’s loads of inspiration online, with top chefs hosting virtual classes to help you cook everything from tacos to tagines. And with outdoor markets reopening, you can get your fill of international street food without straying too far from home. Put on a summer dress and you’ll feel closer to your favourite destination than you’d think.
For language lovers
Have you ever dreamed of ordering a coffee and croissants in perfect French? What better way to start planning your next holiday than by learning the local language? And the good news is that you don’t need to sit in a classroom for hours to make progress.
There are plenty of apps – like Rosetta Stone, Duolingo, and Babbel – that make learning a language easier and more fun than ever.
However you choose to unwind this summer, it’s the perfect time to ditch the bulky glasses and enjoy the freedom and flexibility of contact lenses.