This article was updated by the Great British Mag content team on 3 January 2022
Don’t let Covid stop you from visiting some of the UK’s famous attractions and legendary landmarks! Here are our recommendations on the best virtual tours available. While they might not be as good as the real thing, they are completely free – so that’s something, right!
Buckingham Palace
Royal fans will know that Buckingham Palace is normally open to the public for just a few months of the year, but now you can have a nosey around three of the most iconic rooms whenever you want, including the Throne Room which includes a portrait of Her Majesty the Queen surrounded by her beloved dogs, Willow, Vulcan, Candy and Holly. And given Buckingham Palace attracts many thousands of visitors (15 million to be precise) we think the private, virtual tour is quite a nice way of visiting.
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle dominates the skyline of Edinburgh and attracts over 2.2 million visitors. It is a castle with a long, colourful and gruesome history. See the beauty of Edinburgh by taking a virtual tour of the Castle and the City.
Snowdonia National Park
Snowdonia National Park, in Wales, is the UK’s third-largest national park and a magnet for hikers and mountaineers. So, if you love the outdoors and fancy taking a virtual hike or at the least planning your route ahead of the summer months then spend some time escaping into the wilderness of Snowdonia and planning your next adventure.
The National Gallery
Whether you are an art lover or not, The National Gallery is worth a visit. It is a breathtakingly beautiful building and home to some of the best pieces of European artwork in the world, including Vincent van Gogh’s famous painting of sunflowers.
Click here to see the artwork at The National Gallery or just wander around and admire the building.
Lake District National Park
The Lake District National Park which – you guessed it – is home to some of the most stunning lakes in the UK, is an absolute must-visit destination. It normally gets around 19 million visitors a year, but during lockdown you can get a good dose of its natural beauty and tranquillity by logging onto the live webcams to see Lake Windermere, Conniston Water and many more pretty locations within the Lake District.
10 Downing Street
Normally, 10 Downing Street, the place where the big political decisions are made and the official home of the Prime Minister, is off-limits to the public. Not anymore, though: now you can take a snoop around the cabinet room and the Prime Minister’s office, among other rooms.
Stonehenge
If you have always wanted to visit this famous neolithic stone circle to ponder who built them and why, take an interactive tour of Stonehenge.
Edinburgh Zoo
Visiting a zoo makes a perfect day out at any age, so if you’re missing seeing the shenanigans of the natural world or marvelling at its magnificence then log in to the Edinburgh Zoo webcam to see what some of their residents including pandas, penguins, tigers and koalas are up to during lockdown.
Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland
The rugged landscape of the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland is a sight to behold – in real life and online. You can take a virtual tour of the landmark from four different angles, including the Grand Causeway, Aird Snout, Giant’s Port and Port Noffer.
St Ives Beach, Cornwall
We all dream of leisurely walks on a sandy beach and it really is the tonic for good health and de-stressing. That’s why this virtual tour of the beach in St. Ives is just what the doctor ordered.
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