Homebound but Want to Explore the Globe? Virtual Journeys Await You
Exploring Food, Wine, Culture, and Travel from Home: A Guide
In these unprecedented times, staying at home doesn't mean missing out on learning new skills, experiencing different cultures, or exploring the world. Here's a roundup of resources that cater to food, wine, and culture enthusiasts, offering interactive virtual experiences, formal online education, and accessible reading and viewing materials.
Exploring the Culinary World
- The Vatican Museum's virtual collection and the British Museum of London can be explored online, providing a glimpse into the rich history of art and culture 1, 2.
- Virtual cooking classes and wine tastings have gained popularity during the pandemic. Organizations such as those streaming cooking sessions with Italian grandmothers teaching pasta-making from Tuscany, paired with explanations by vintners from vineyards, offer family-style virtual gatherings that allow participants worldwide to cook and taste wine along from home [2].
- The Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science offers virtual tours and online programs related to wine and food sciences. Their website provides access to educational content on viticulture, enology, and food innovation, and you can explore state-of-the-art facilities and learn about research and trends in wine and food safely from home 3.
- Online culinary programs such as those offered by the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts provide 100% online culinary and pastry degrees and diplomas. They combine at-home hands-on cooking experience with professional instruction, culminating in industry externships 4.
- Small-group, in-person cooking classes with virtual follow-ups, like some Tuscan cooking classes in Florence, offer hands-on preparation of a 4-course meal paired with local Tuscan wines, with recipe booklets you can take home and continue practicing later. Post-pandemic, some of these options offer hybrid experiences blending on-site learning with at-home continuation [1].
- For wine culture enthusiasts, blogs such as The Wine Economist provide detailed explorations of wine regions, grape varieties, and pairing tips. These are excellent for learning about wine appreciation and culture from a knowledgeable perspective at home 5.
Travel and Literature
- For armchair travellers, there are virtual resources available to explore the ten best National Parks of the United States, live cams of safari park watering holes at Explore.Org, and resources to explore museums and exhibits all over Italy online [1].
- Literature enthusiasts can immerse themselves in novels like "A Year in Provence" by Peter Mayle, "The Enchanted April" by Elizabeth von Arnim, "Under the Tuscan Sun" about a woman who imagines leaving it all behind to buy a rural villa in Tuscany, "A Moveable Feast" by Ernest Hemingway, and "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert [6].
- For those interested in art, the Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon and the Capitoline Museum of Rome can be virtually toured online, while the Louvre in Paris, France, and Musee d'Orsay offer virtual tours as well 7, 89.
These resources combine interactive virtual experiences, formal online education, and accessible reading and viewing materials to keep people engaged with food, wine, culture, and travel while staying safely at home during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond.
- The Vatican Museum's virtual collection and the British Museum of London provide a glimpse into the rich history of art and culture, offering insights into various cultural aspects.
- Virtual cooking classes and wine tastings have become popular during the pandemic, allowing participants worldwide to learn cooking techniques from Italian grandmothers and gain wine knowledge from vintners.
- The Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science offers virtual tours and online programs related to wine and food sciences, providing educational content on viticulture, enology, and food innovation.
- Online culinary programs such as those offered by the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts provide 100% online culinary and pastry degrees and diplomas, combining at-home hands-on cooking experience with professional instruction.
- For wine culture enthusiasts, blogs like The Wine Economist offer detailed explorations of wine regions, grape varieties, and pairing tips, allowing one to learn about wine appreciation and culture from home.
- Novels like "A Year in Provence" by Peter Mayle, "The Enchanted April" by Elizabeth von Arnim, "Under the Tuscan Sun," "A Moveable Feast" by Ernest Hemingway, and "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert provide immersive literary experiences reflecting different aspects of travel and lifestyle.
- The Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon, the Capitoline Museum of Rome, the Louvre in Paris, and the Musee d'Orsay can be virtually toured online, offering art enthusiasts an opportunity to explore their collections from the comfort of home.
