MAGICAL HISTORY TOURS
Take a Virtual Trip around top British landmarks without leaving the sofa, suggests DAVID BENTLEY
CANCELLED flights, social distancing rules and self-isolation have caused mayhem, scrapping plans for sightseeing and days out. But as we are all staying home, there is still a way to experience the best of the UK from the comfort of our sofas. Parkdean Resorts has gathered together a list of the UK’s top landmarks which you can visit via a virtual tour, meaning you don’t have to pass up on the culture even when travel is impossible.
So sit back and scroll through the best the UK has to offer.
BUCKINGHAM PALACE
PERHAPS the most iconic home in Britain, Buckingham Palace is recognised around the world as Queen Elizabeth’s London pad. If you fancy a nosy round, it’s just a click away – and even includes a personal guide.
See: youtube.com/watch?v=gen0NgJjry4
STONEHENGE
PREHISTORIC landmark Stonehenge is believed to date back as far as 3,000BC. Named as a World Heritage Site the stone circle usually attracts huge crowds at the solstices and is a must-see.
See: youtube.com/watch?v=_RyqU1r1Fmk
EDINBURGH CASTLE
EDINBURGH Castle’s elevated position allows it to dominate the city’s skyline. Sitting on top of Castle Rock, a 360-degree aerial tour not only takes you around the castle but also offers views across the whole of the capital.
See: youtube.com/watch?v=Zu-KVWSqJlI
TOWER OF LONDON
KNOWN for being a prison, treasury and even a zoo, the Tower of London is synonymous with British history. Stories attached to the landmark can be heard through a 360-degree tour of the castle and its grounds.
See: youtube.com/watch?v=yeLQVare-3kfeatures/take-a-virtual-tour-of-the-giantscauseway
CHATSWORTH HOUSE
AN iconic stately home set in Derbyshire, Chatsworth House has been home to the Cavendish family since 1549 but opened its doors to the public in 1708.
This tour takes in the house and its beautiful gardens.
See: spinoo.uk/locations/bakewell/chatsworth-house360-virtual-tour/
YORK MINSTER
ONE of the world’s most beautiful cathedrals, York Minster is the largest of its kind in Northern Europe. See the unusual handcrafted stone and medieval stained glass on a virtual look around.
See: york360.co.uk/movies/york-minsterinterior.htm
ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS
TAKE a look inside the legendary studio that has been the go-to for the biggest artists of all time. It’s not just the zebra crossing made famous by the Beatles LP cover that has been a tourist hotspot since 1969.
See: abbeyroad.com/news/google-presentsinside-abbey-road-1003?
HADRIAN’S WALL
SERVING as a defence for the Roman Empire, the wall dates back to 128 AD.
Stretching 73 miles from coast to coast you can tackle it without leaving your lockdown armchair.
See: youtube.com/watch?v=kGcpiwL3CEg
ROMAN BATHS, BATH
THE Baths were redeveloped in the Middle Ages after being destroyed during the fall of the empire and now serve as a glimpse into hygiene habits of the past.
See: romanbaths.co.uk/walkthrough
ST PAUL’S CATHEDRAL
TAKE a look inside the Anglican cathedral which dominates London’s skyline and serves as one of the capital’s most recognisable landmarks, usually opening its doors to more than two million visitors every year.
See: 360cities.net/image/inside-stpauls-cathedral