Take a virtual tour of London’s Buckingham Palace, Edinburgh’s Holyroodhouse or more regal UK tourist attractions from the comfort of home
You are unlikely to catch Queen Elizabeth on the webcam, but these tours offer a glimpse at the birthplace of Winston Churchill and gifts received by Queen Victoria from the Emperor of China
It’s that time of year – or at least, it’s that time of the pandemic – when photos of Europeans going on holiday to Italy or the south of France take over social media.
It hurts only a little, especially as the borders to the EU remain closed to tourists from the US and elsewhere, and a 14-day quarantine is mandated for those travelling to the UK. Many countries are keeping American travellers out because the outbreak is not considered contained in the US, with total reported cases of 5.7 million at last count – far more than any other country’s reported case total.
Luckily, a few English and Scottish castles were nice enough to “open” their doors so anyone (including US citizens) can virtually take the holiday we all very much need. And though we can’t actually sit in the gardens at Scotland’s Blair Castle or walk the rooms of the queen’s Palace of Holyroodhouse, with a good internet connection, we can pretend that we’re right there.
Here’s how to access the online tour offerings of five stunning British castles – too bad no one has recreated this virtual experience for the beaches in Portofino (not yet, anyway).
The Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, Scotland
By touring the place and clicking the “I” icon that hovers over some objects in the rooms, people can learn more about this famous Edinburgh palace and its history.
