Teleport to Italy: A Country Packed with Historic Treasures and Culture
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Welcome to Italy!
Home to the famous Colosseum, Italy is located in the southern part of Europe. Also known as ‘The Boot’ because of the country’s shape on the world map, Italy is also one of the countries that has the highest number of World Heritage Sites!
Other than being the fifth most visited country in the world, Italy is also famously known for its tasty cuisine as well as its spectacular alpine lakes and mountain ranges - which is why it is also nicknamed “Bel Paese” which translates to “the Beautiful Country”.
Virtual Vacations aren’t for everybody, but they are the perfect answer for hundreds of millions of people. Eat Wander Explore has crafted this Virtual Vacation in such a way to “teleport” you to Italy.
Our goal is to help you feel, see, taste, smell and hear what Italy is really like - drawing from your senses to give you the most real experience you can have without actually being there in person. You might say we are recreating Italy in your house, in much the same way that Disney recreated Italy at Epcot. You’ll be talking with actual Italians who are in Italy.
Take advantage of each of the “Teleport Here” recommendations to experience your personal teleportation to Italy today. They set the mood and make the experience more authentic.
Combine these amazing experiences with the Ultimate Italian Staycation to have a truly immersive experience! Prepare to meet your Italian hosts in advance by picking up your pocket-sized customs & cultural guide. This will give you the mindset that you’ll need to truly understand your Italian guides, the way that they - and other Italians - talk and think, to enjoy your experience in Italy in the best way possible - from a fresh cultural perspective.
“Short, sharp and humorous, they deal with the richly rewarding human dimension of foreign travel by telling you about the beliefs and attitudes of the people you will meet and about situations you may encounter. Each guide includes concise chapters on the local customs, traditions and values of the country's inhabitants, and crucially, the key historical and cultural events that have shaped them. ‘The true voyage of discovery lies not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.’”
The Best Virtual Experiences from Italy
Virtual Tour of Rome
The most populous metropolitan city in Italy, Rome was actually founded as early as 753 BC! Legends said that it was originally founded by Romulus and Remus, the twin sons of the god of war, Mars. Being the most popular tourist destination in Italy, Roma is the home to various world-famous structures and buildings such as the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and the Trevi Fountain.
In this virtual tour of Rome, you’ll be joining a small group of travelers from all over the world using Zoom. Your friendly Italian tour guide will explain Roman history in a very fun way - typically using maps, interesting photos, and a few videos to tell you all about Rome.
Starting with the Colosseum virtual tour, the guide will narrate the history of the iconic building with a few humorous stories. You’ll then continue the tour by virtually visiting the Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele II, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and a few more iconic locations. Feel free to ask the guide anything about the beautiful city - there is no better source of Roman information than a Roman who is in Rome - he has a whole encyclopedia about Rome in his head! [Reserve your spot on a tour here]
TELEPORT HERE: To fully immerse and teleport yourself to Rome:
SOUND: Traditional Music from Italy
SIGHT: Decorate your room with Authentic Italian Decorations
SMELL: An Italian Dream candle
TASTE: Pair it with some Ravioli with ricotta and spinach or Lasagna - authentically created with “Pasta from the Grandmas” below - to truly give you the full taste experience as well!
#FunFact: Tourists throw almost 3,000 Euros into the Trevi Fountain every day!
Naples Virtual Tour
The third-largest city in Italy, Naples is located on the western coast of Italy that is facing the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is said that this city has been inhabited ever since the Neolithic period! The beautiful city has gone through a number of major events throughout its history – which is why it is now filled with historical monuments, squares, and churches.
With this Naples tour, the local guide will take approximately one and a half hours of your time to help you discover the beauty of the city.
You’ll get a chance to:
learn all about the city’s interesting history that dates back to two thousand years ago
virtually wander around the lively cobbled streets
spot unique churches found in the city
visit beautiful palaces and castles that stand proudly in Naples
TELEPORT HERE: To fully immerse and teleport yourself to Naples:
SOUND: Music from Naples
SIGHT: Italian decor
SMELL: This amazing Lemon candle
TASTE: Authentic Pizza Napoli
Even though this city is packed with historical buildings and facts, you’ll also get to learn their delicious food culture and obtain other useful tips that you can use once you get to travel to Naples. [Book your spot here]
Jewish Ghetto of Venice, the History
One of the more interesting spots in Venice that you can visit is the Jewish ghetto which also happens to be the oldest Ghetto in the world that dates back to the 16th century! It is said the Jewish people had been traveling to Venice for work purposes since the 10th century, however, they were not allowed to stay anywhere else but the ghetto.
Even though the concept of the ghetto was completely removed over the years, the small area still remains accessible and acts as a historical site of Venice. In this virtual tour, you’ll be joining 7 other travelers to discover the secrets and legends of the Jewish Ghetto.
The experienced tour guide will take you back in time where you’ll get to know why Jews were locked in the ghetto at night and take a look at the unique synagogues that were built by the Jews in the 15th century!
TELEPORT HERE: To fully immerse and teleport yourself to the Jewish Ghetto of Venice:
SIGHT: Venetian Masquerade Masks or some Milano Glass Decor
SMELL: A Venetian Nights or Venetian Garden candle
TASTE: Authentic "di Nero" Pasta or some Roman-Jewish Fried Artichokes
The Venice Jewish Ghetto Tour will be done through Zoom and the guide will tell you all the stories about the area using a collection of interesting photos while you sit back and relax on your couch!
Uncover Pompeii with an Archaeologist
The ancient Roman city of Pompeii is located about 23 kilometers southeast of Naples. Back then, the city was known to be very wealthy where a lot of lavish buildings and luxurious private houses could be found. Sadly, the whole city was destroyed in 79 CE due to the huge eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
By joining this virtual tour by Roberto, who is also an experienced archaeologist, you can get a chance to learn the history of Pompeii from the beginning until the eruption happened!
Other than getting to know how the citizens of Pompeii lived their life 2,000 years ago, the enthusiastic guide will also transport you to Pompeii where you’ll visit some of the famous tourist attractions there such as the Amphitheatre of Pompeii and the Thermopolium.
TELEPORT HERE: To fully immerse and teleport yourself to Pompeii:
SOUND: Music from Naples
SIGHT: Pompeii Canvas Wall Art or the Dancing Faunus of Pompeii
SMELL: An Italian Fig & Orange Blossom candle
TASTE: Authentic Pizza Napoli
Using maps and photos, this virtual tour will definitely make you feel as if you are really there! Roberto will also share with you the specific techniques that archaeologists use to create plaster casts of the victims of the volcano eruption. Plus, he’ll also answer each one of your questions about Pompeii!
Secrets of Venice with a Born Venetian
Venice or Venezia is a small and beautiful city located in the northeastern part of Italy. Having been built on water, parts of the city are separated by canals and linked by 400 bridges. Venice is also known by the nicknames “City of Water” and “La Serenissima.” Being one of Europe’s most romantic cities and home to a major cultural center, Venice has always been a popular destination for tourists.
During this Venice virtual tour, you’ll be spending about one hour with the guide, who was born and raised in Venice!
Even though you are only joining this virtual tour of Italy from the comfort of your living room, the guide will make sure you feel as if you’re being transported to the City of Water by showing you the city’s landmarks while telling you its secrets!
The guide, Luca, will virtually take you to Rialto Bridge which is the oldest bridge in the Grand Canal, and talk to you about the mysteries and legends behind the first city built on the water.
You’ll also:
learn the lifestyle of the Venetian
learn techniques in creating traditional crafts like the Carnival masks and Murano glass
TELEPORT HERE: To fully immerse and teleport yourself to the Jewish Ghetto of Venice:
SIGHT: Venetian Masquerade Masks or some Milano Glass Decor
SMELL: A Venetian Nights or Venetian Garden candle
TASTE: Authentic "di Nero" Pasta
Since Luca is living on the Grand Canal, he will be giving you a live tour where you’ll get to see the streets and plaza in real-time!
Tasting Florence with a Culinary Expert
Florence, pronounced as “Firenze” by Italians, is the capital city of the Tuscany region. Located northwest of Rome, Florence is a beautiful city filled with villas, farms, vineyards, and orchards. Also called the “Athens of the Middle Ages,” it is believed that the city is where Renaissance was born.
Even though Florence is known for its many Renaissance monuments and artwork, this beautiful city is also popular for its Tuscan food cuisine!
In this Florence food tour, you’ll be guided by Antoinette, who has been providing food tours in Florence for 12 years!
She will bring you to one of Florence’s most famous fresh market called the Mercato Centrale where you’ll get to see vendors selling a variety of primary ingredients of Tuscan cuisine.
You’ll also get a chance to:
see the surrounding area of San Lorenzo where the guide will be showing you the best bakeries
get a delicious Tuscan pastry recipe
visit the chocolatier in Santo Domingo who produces his own cacao!
Antoinette will also be sharing her gelato and sorbet recipes after a fun visit to the gelato shop.
TELEPORT HERE: To fully immerse and teleport yourself to Florence:
SOUND: Tuscany: A Romantic Journey
SIGHT: Some Beautiful Canvas Prints of Florence & Tuscany or some other Tuscan Decor
SMELL: A Tuscan Vineyard candle
TASTE: Enjoy the authentic recipes provided by your Tuscan host!
After virtually walking around the lively city of Florence, Antoinette will also share her knowledge of olive oil and balsamic vinegar - you’ll learn how they are produced and the right way of using them! [Reserve your spot now]
Learn Italian & The Art of Hand Gestures
If you’d like something different, this online experience hosted by Azzurra can never go wrong! This professional tour guide is an Italian who lives in the Tuscan countryside - one of the most beautiful places on earth.
During this online experience, the friendly host will be conducting a Zoom video call outdoors, so she will be showing you the breathtaking landscapes of the countryside and the olive trees growing there.
While doing so, she will also teach you the essential Italian phrases - you’ll learn how to order food in a restaurant and bars.
Italians are famously known for their hand gestures.
TELEPORT HERE: To fully immerse and teleport yourself to Tuscany:
SOUND: Tuscany: A Romantic Journey
SIGHT: Some Beautiful Canvas Prints of Florence & Tuscany or some other Tuscan Decor
SMELL: A Tuscan Vineyard candle
TASTE: Pairs well with “Tasting Florence with a Culinary Expert” above!
Through this Italian online class, the host will also teach you the meaning behind Italian hand gestures and how to use them. Plus, you’ll get to know more about their culture and history too! Feel free to ask her anything about Italy - she knows everything!
Pasta with the Grandmas
Pasta is the most crucial part of Italian culture. Your trip to Italy would never be complete without stopping by a restaurant to eat the creamy carbonara or the classic spaghetti bolognese. No one could prepare better pasta than Italians. But, what if you could learn from Italians how to cook it?
Pasta with the Grandmas is a pasta-making course where you’ll be taught step by step on how to prepare various kinds of pasta and simple Italian dishes like a true Italian.
The session will be hosted by Chiara and Nonna who are experts in making pasta! During the whole course, both of them will be guiding you and giving you useful tips to prepare the dishes. They’ll even help to check your pasta every once in a while to make sure you don’t miss anything!
However, the recipe that they will be sharing differs according to the days. For instance, on:
Mondays and Fridays, they will be teaching you how to make Lasagne
Wednesdays, they will be preparing Ravioli with ricotta and spinach.
So, make sure you check their schedule first so that you know what ingredients you need to prepare beforehand!
TELEPORT HERE: To fully immerse and teleport yourself so you feel like your in their Italian kitchen:
SOUND: Traditional Music from Italy
SIGHT: Decorate your room with Authentic Italian Decorations
SMELL: Enjoy the smells of your pasta creations!
TASTE: What could be better than the authentic Italian pasta that these grandmas teach you to create?
#FunFact: There is evidence that suggests Italians have been eating Pasta since the 4th century BC!
Coloured Pasta and Chocolate Volcano
Of course, more pasta! But this time you’ll learn how to make coloured pasta and a delicious dessert, Chocolate Volcano cake.
This online course is hosted by Debora and Fiamma, a mother and daughter who were born and raised in Rome, the capital city of Italy.
During the session, the two of them will be guiding you thoroughly on how to make coloured pasta from scratch using eggs and beetroots while interacting with you and telling the story of their culinary tradition and customs.
Besides that, you’ll also get a recipe of a super-rich molten lava cake that will simply leave you to drool.
TELEPORT HERE: To fully immerse and teleport yourself to their Italian kitchen:
SOUND: Traditional Music from Italy
SIGHT: Decorate your room with Authentic Italian Decorations
SMELL: An Italian Dream candle
TASTE: Enjoy the flavors from your coloured pasta and bake an Italian molten lava cake for dessert
Plus, the hosts are extremely friendly and will walk you through each step until you can cook it like an authentic Roman!
Italian Aperitivo Spritz Bellini & Hugo
The current situation of the pandemic might have stopped you from going out and spending a few quality hours with your group of friends. However, by signing up for this online experience, you can get a chance to have a good time with your friends while learning how to prepare delicious Italian cocktails!
Hosted by Carlo, who is an amateur chef as well as a brilliant Italian wine connoisseur, this session will offer you a vast knowledge of Prosecco wine - which is a type of sparkling white wine that originates from Italy.
TELEPORT HERE: To fully immerse and teleport yourself to Carlo’s cocktail bar:
SIGHT: Decorate your room with Authentic Italian Decorations
SMELL: A Tuscan Vineyard candle
TASTE: Pairs great with a piece of the “World Champion Tiramisu” below!
During this one hour session, the host will be teaching you how to prepare the famous Venetian aperitif, Spritz, as well as Bellini and Hugo while sharing with you the history of the Prosecco wine and all of its secrets!
The Secret of World Champion Tiramisu
Tiramisu is one of the most famous desserts that originated in Italy. This coffee-flavored dessert is said to be invented in the 1960s in the region of Veneto, Italy.
Typically, the traditional tiramisu is only made of a short list of ingredients - ladyfingers biscuits, egg yolks, sugar, coffee, mascarpone cheese, and cocoa powder.
Despite the simple ingredients, the taste of the delicious dessert will definitely leave you speechless!
If you wish to make this dessert in your own kitchen, this online course is perfect for you. Hosted by Silvia, a young Italian woman who competed in a Tiramisu World Cup in 2019, you’ll be learning how to prepare this tasty dessert from scratch.
TELEPORT HERE: To fully immerse and teleport yourself to Silvia’s world champion kitchen:
SIGHT: Decorate your room with Authentic Italian Decorations
SMELL: A Tuscan Vineyard candle
TASTE: Enjoy a piece or two of your “World Champion Tiramisu”!
While making it, she will also provide you with useful tips to make sure your Tiramisu is worth winning the championship! With a sprinkle of humor along the way, this Tiramisu cooking class will surely lighten your mood.
Make Cannoli with Sicilian Home Chef
In the past, cannoli - a mouth-watering Italian dessert - was prepared only during the Carnival in Sicily. However, today, these crispy tubes of golden-brown fried dough filled with creamy ricotta have grown so popular that they are now made throughout the year!
By signing up for this online experience, you’ll get an opportunity to learn how to make the most delicious cannoli ever!
The online class is hosted by a friendly Sicilian home chef named Gianfranco. While making cannoli together in the kitchen, the host will share with you all of the important tips and techniques that will help you make the best cannoli in the whole wide world.
TELEPORT HERE: To fully immerse and teleport yourself to Sicily:
SOUND: Sicilian Guitar Music
SIGHT: Authentic Sicilian Canvas Art or other Sicilian Room Decor
SMELL: A Sicilian Citrus candle
TASTE: Enjoy your amazing and authentic Cannoli’s!
Not only will you get to make the scrumptious cannoli, but you’ll also get to learn the history behind it - which makes this online experience even more fun!
Must Try Virtual Experiences
Italy is a country packed with numerous interesting tourist attractions - from historical monuments to art galleries that display artwork from the Renaissance era. The country even has a total of 55 UNESCO World Heritage sites!
Even if you are unable to visit Italy, for the time being, you can still have fun learning more about the country by joining those virtual tours. Not only will you learn its history and get great recipes, but you’ll also have a chance to make new friends from different countries!
If you can’t do them all, our top recommendations to travel to Italy virtually would be to “Teleport to Italy” with these amazing experiences:
Experience history on the Pompeii tour,
Learn some Italian and cultural mannerisms,
and definitely make Italian pasta with the Grandmas!
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