These days modern technology gives us so many cool opportunities to literally travel from home without actually going anywhere!

Whatever keeps you from traveling, whether it’s a dreadful virus outbreak or a bit less frightening boss with strict vacation rules, forget about it! You can still have memorable travel experiences from the comfort of your own home. And no need to request any day-offs!

Thanks to online experiences feature that Airbnb rolled out for people in isolation, we can now attend various cultural activities whenever we want and make the most of it for only a few bucks.

Just think about all the perks!

• No expensive flights
• No long hours in the airport
• No need to look and pay for accommodation
• No worrying about how to get to the right place
• No crowds and close interactions with strangers
• Absolute safety as you stay on your couch

Cool, huh? You basically skip all the hassle and enjoy the pure concentrated local experience!

How To Attend Online Experiences?

All the online cultural activities I mention in this post are hosted by Airbnb, and the only thing you need to attend any of them is Zoom. I assume that you already have an Internet connection if you are reading this right now.

If you haven’t used Airbnb yet, it’s a well-known platform to find accommodation anywhere in the world. I use it a lot in my travels for both weekend getaways and month-long journeys and feel very safe staying in any country thanks to how it works. You can find the best places to stay according to the real travelers’ reviews, images, location, and price.

Another cool thing is that some hosts offer crazy discounts if you book two weeks or a month in a row. 60-70 percent off is not a rare thing, and I make a good use of it as I prefer longer trips.

But enough about accommodations, let’s talk cultural activities!

Anyways, I suggest you use my link to sign up if you don’t have an account yet! It’s free and you’ll get $41 off your first stay and $15 off your first experience. It sounds like a great deal to me.

As I said, to attend any online experience you need Zoom. It’s a free (to some extent) tool for online conferencing that is used by Airbnb to host all the events. You only need to register and then the host gives you the link to the conference room. For a better experience, you might need a web-camera, which I believe any device has these days, and any headphones with a microphone, which you probably also own already.

And that’s all you need guys! Spare an hour or two from your day and go choose your first cultural activity to attend!

Here they are, 50 Online Cultural Activities To Explore The World From Home!

Best Local Stories And Cultural Walks Online

Wandering around the city is the most common way to see and feel the local lifestyle. However, you get a much more insightful experience when you walk with a local!

I always look for interesting guided tours when I travel and it’s always worth it! Most of the time I either look for free walking tours or explore the local opportunities at GetYourGuide. The knowledgeable local guide takes your journey to another level and takes you to places you would never discover by yourself.

Here I hand-picked the best online cultural activities where you’ll learn through either historical walks or by listening to interesting stories and legends. You won’t find two similar things here as each one has its own twist and unique perspective!

1. Caravaggio in Rome, A Virtual Tour

Walk around Rome using Google Earth with a professional, passionate, and knowledgeable Italian guide. Together you’ll follow the footsteps of a famous painter Caravaggio, see his best work, learn about his adventurous life, and explore the beautiful European capital.

Is there a better way to see Rome than by taking part in an interesting art walk? I doubt that!

2. Back in Time with My WW II Pen Pal

Join an online tea party in Berlin and go back in time to the 1930s. You’ll hear a real story of a Jewish boy who had a fascinating life full of unbelievable coincidences and happy escapes. It appears that he even met Hitler and later ended up being penpals with the host of this online experience.

She happens to live in his old house and now even rose bushes in her courtyard can tell a touching story! Guests call her a wonderful storyteller and claim to have had an engaging experience.

3. Meet the Dogs of Chernobyl

During this interactive experience, you’ll meet and ‘feed’ the lonely descendants of the dogs abandoned after the nuclear accident in Ukraine. You’ll walk around dangerous Chernobyl Exclusion Zone while staying safe on your own sofa!

The host will tell you about the mission behind his program The Dogs of Chernobyl while showing you the territory and reactor itself. You’ll learn the history of the place as well as the current situation there.

And all of this while meeting the cutest Ukrainian dogs on the way!

4. Barcelona Storytelling with Crafts

If you are looking for more creative family activities to do at home, this online experience with a Spanish guide is perfect for you! Listening to local stories from Barcelona countryside while working on fun art projects is definitely one of the engaging and fun things to do with kids!

You’ll listen to an old Spanish legend about an imprisoned bandit and make a fun craft project that is similar to one that helped him escape. This is a great way to engage your children in cultural activities while working on their creative development.

5. Lessons from Apartheid

Listen to an inspiring story behind the historical buildings in the Cape Town. A local guide from South Africa who were raised there will tell you all about apartheid. You get to know how it was from historical point of view as well as hear some personal stories from that time.

Join Rickie on this inspiring online experience and dive right into African culture through the eyes of a knowledgeable citizen!

6. Get Inside Tokyo Anime & Subcultures

If you call yourself otaku and are interested in Japanese subcultures, you’ll love this specific online experience!

Or maybe you have a friend who loves anime and manga, then this can be a special and unique gift idea! Cultural activities are much cooler and memorable presents than any physical products you might think of!

This Anime tour guide from Tokyo will share some of his hands-on knowledge of local subcultures. He’ll give you some tips on the subjects you are interested in, recommend different places for Anime oriented tourism, and tell you about the popular hanging spots for local otaku. Enjoy!

7. Follow a Plague Doctor Through Prague

This one is as cultural as it can get from home!

Not only you’ll have a walking tour around Prague, but you’ll follow a plague doctor from the 18th century who was fighting this deadly illness. This is one of those scary but fun cultural activities you’ll never forget!

Together you’ll wander the dark streets of Czech capital while visiting the famous Charles Bridge, Jewish Quarter, Old Square, old hospitals, and more. Don’t know what to do when stuck at home? Why not travel in time!

8. Cultural Journey Through London Chinatown

Another one of interactive and fun family activities to do at home! You’ll get to visit Chinatown district in London, uncover some hidden gems of the neighborhood, and learn a lot of insights about this community and their culture.

Every Wednesday there is a lower price spot available for those who can’t afford to travel much. You can also reserve a private session if you’d like to bring your family or friends and enjoy this local experience together without any interactions with strangers!

9. The Medici Escape Room

I’m a big fan of quest rooms, are you? I must have visited dozens in my home country but haven’t got a chance yet to participate in any of such unique and immersive cultural activities while traveling because most of them are in the local language. Well, this is not the case here!

You might think that to take part in something like this you need to actually be in a room. Although it obviously helps to get the immersive experience, as you’ll see in this event it’s not mandatory! Apparently, you can not only travel to Florence but also go on a city quest with riddles and tricky questions that will help you learn the local culture in a fun imaginative way. And all of this while staying at home and maybe even wearing your pajamas!

10. 7 Wonders of Lisbon

With a passionate tour guide and architect from Lisbon, you’ll discover the best of what this sunny capital has to offer. He’ll walk you through picturesque districts and Sardines festival, introduce you to traditional Portugal food, sweets, and wine and tell some stories about unique local cultural differences.

Virtually leave your home for an hour or two and immerse into this authentic local experience in Portugal!

Wonderful Spiritual Cultural Activities For Your Soul

To feel the country you don’t necessarily need to wander around with a guide or listen to scary legends. Sometimes you can get much deeper connection to some nation by taking part in spiritual sessions.

This is a whole other level of experiencing the culture! Some of these are just unique and fun things to do at home, others are more serious and inspirational. Many may give you some insights on your future or help better understand yourself.

In any case, all of these cultural activities are somewhat alternative to the usual travel things to do and you’ll probably never forget the unique experience you get while mindfully connecting on the spiritual level.

11. Turkish Fortune Coffee Reading

Such a fun and interesting way to spruce up your identical days at home!

The host’s name is Uluç and in recent years he had over two thousand guests visiting his home for a cup of coffee and a personalized reading afterward. He knows all about Turkish coffee and will tell you your fortune when you finish a nice cup of this rich drink.

This online experience is one of those fun activities for adults that help you connect with your family and friends or have some light-hearted fun time with your colleagues, so consider taking someone else with you!

Guests claim they had an insightful and entertaining time bonding with friends as Uluç was reading their coffee remainings. Charming and fragrant, as Turkey is.

12. Guided Meditation with Sleepy Sheep

Well, this is something I’m sure you never experienced before!

You get to meet the playful British sheep in their home barn, watch them eat, sleep and interact as much as technology allows you. Bring a snack along as you might get hungry while closely observing them having their lunch!

During this unique rural cultural activity you’ll listen to stories and fun facts about sheep and then learn to deeply relax and unwind with some breathing exercises. In the end you are up for a soothing experience of guided meditation to calm your mind and connect with your soul.

13. Personal Astrology Workshop

Have you ever been curious about astrology? At least you don’t mix it with astronomy, right?

This online workshop will help you understand the planet situation that was happening on your birth date and how it might affect your whole life. You’ll draw your own personalized natal chart and get to know how to connect with your astrological energies.

Another insightful cultural activity, this time from the heart of Portugal!

14. Meditative Yoga and Slow Life Coaching

Participating in a meditative yoga session is a great way to escape your boring day-to-day routine, calm down during a stressful time, and release the tension in your body and mind.

You don’t need any kind of previous experience for this class! It’s supposed to teach you some effective techniques to take care of your soul as well as give you some introduction into a Slow Life concept.

Relax and enjoy this spiritual class from Italy given by a certified yoga instructor and slow life coach!

Also, make sure to check out another cool online yoga class that includes a lecture on yoga philosophy!

15. Remote Rescue Goats

We already meditated with sheep above, why not go to see goats now?

Visit an animal sanctuary and get close to the lovely rescued goats! You’ll hear the background story for each of them, how they were rescued, and discover some of their preferences and different personalities.

Not one of your usual home activities, for sure! Come and share some love!

16. Meditation with a Japanese Buddhist Monk

How about a meditation session together with a real Buddhist monk?

This event is hosted by a Japanese guy who will share how he became a Buddhist monk and his ‘why’ behind this life changing decision. He’ll teach you two common meditation techniques he incorporates in his daily life. You’ll practice chanting mantras and learn some breathing meditations.

If you were always curious about meditation, now you can gain a further understanding of it from someone who has truly mastered this skill.

17. Tarot Reading with Mak Jagger

Get a personalized tarot reading from an experienced professional!

With a passionate and intuitive host who practices this her whole life, you’ll be able to relax and further connect with your inner self. Yet another unusual idea of fun stuff to do at home to your collection!

During two hours in this magical setting, you’ll learn some history and interesting details about tarot purpose and then pick the cards that will tell your personal story. Such a therapeutic and insightful spiritual activity to attend!

18. Goal Setting with Olympic Gold Medalist

When it comes to planning your future, you have to take it in your own hands. And who can give you a better guidance than someone who has already achieved plenty?

This online experience is hosted by a professional swimmer who competed against the best athletes of the world and has already won an Olympic Gold Metal!

During an hour-long session she will share her journey and some real-life inspirational stories. Then she’ll teach you how to build a winner mindset so you can achieve all your goals and how to train your mind to believe in yourself no matter what!

19. Write Inspired by Intuition

Ready to get some inspiration from a professional Emmy-nominated screenwriter?

At this short one-hour session you’ll discuss the idea of intuitive writing, get some time frames to write about specific topic, and then receive some feedback and professional guidance when you share what you came up with. And who doesn’t love an honest feedback?

Many attendees of this online activity were surprised by the amount of inspiration, insights, and creative vibes they got from it. Check it out yourself!

20. Cello Meditation Concert

Travel to Amsterdam to attend a private cello meditation concert!

Beautiful live instrumental music will be an amazing spiritual background for a meditation session. Each piece of this practice incorporates various tunes that represent different emotions you might experience while listening. You’ll learn to connect to yourself through meditation guided by music and deeply understand your personal feelings.

Top Mouthwatering Cooking Classes Online

After dealing with your soul and emotions, now it’s time to please your belly! Choose from the variety of online cooking classes from different countries that you can attend from your own kitchen!

Cooking master classes are at the top of my list of cultural activities I aim for experiencing in every country I visit. During my last trip, I learned a lot about Sri Lankan food thanks to an amazing cooking class I found in Kandy.

Today we are blessed with all of these opportunities to learn the best foreign recipes from the locals without the need to travel. It’s truly wonderful how unique cultural activities are easy and available for everyone these days!

21. Wine Class with a Cool Wine Expert

This class is obviously for wine lovers. If you don’t drink, skip right to the next one! In any case, cheese and wine always go well together, so I recommend checking them both.

During this one-hour wine tasting online session you’ll gain some knowledge about wine (well, duh), understand how to pair different kinds of it with food, and learn how to make better choices while shopping to make the best of your budget.

Personally, I would love to hear about the common mistakes and never buy a bottle of stuff that tastes like vinegar anymore. Have you ever bought some disgusting wine? Share your stories in the comments!

22. Ricotta Cheesemaking in Sonoma

Have you ever made your own cheese? I definitely haven’t (yet)!

This cheese making cooking class guides your through step-by-step process of making ricotta. You’ll get a shopping list in advance to get all the necessary ingredients and when the time comes, will dive right into the exciting cheese making process.

It might appear to be much easier than you expected as you’ll be taught by a professional cook with tons of experience in training others. She’ll even take you to her garden to show some edible flowers that go well with ricotta! You may bring some wine or tea as in the end you’ll eat these delicious homemade treats together and discuss the realities of life in a beautiful wine country.

23. GINspiration History & Cocktails at Home

Such a great way to reconnect and bond with friends that you haven’t seen for a while! An online cocktail party is among those fun activities for adults that you can enjoy and don’t have to organize yourself!

This host is not just your common bartender, he is a professional cocktail maker who takes part in national championships around the United Kingdom. Did you know there was such a thing?

You’ll learn some history about gin, try a few cocktail recipes, and have a lot of fun with the host and your friends! This is one of the perfect remote activities to unwind and have a great time at home during isolation.

24. Farm to Table from the Mediterranean

Go on a tour around the typical Croatian farm and learn all about the olive oil! It’s an integral part of Mediterranean cuisine and one of the most common ingredients you’ll find on a Croatian kitchen.

As you ‘walk’ around the olive oil orchard, you’ll learn about the production of top-quality olive oil, hear some agricultural secrets, and see plenty of old traditional tools that are or were used in the oil-making process.

Before attending this fragrant cultural activity, make sure you have some olive oil at home! This experience includes a tasting part where you’ll learn how to distinguish high-quality olive oil from the rest.

25. Comfort Foods with a Bestselling Author

Learn how to make some guilty-free sweets to treat yourself during stressful times!

During this class you’ll make two delicious desserts in one hour: gluten-free brownies and ice cream pops! Some guests claim them to be best brownies in their life!

As a bonus, you also get a copy of a host’s book with a hundred relatively easy recipes that let you cut the sugar while still satisfy your sweet tooth.

26. Coffee Masterclass with National Judge

Join this masterclass with a professional coffee taster and immerse into the world of coffee on a whole new level! Directly from Mexico your host Ricardo, who is a judge in a national coffee competitions, will teach you awareness in coffee tasting.

After this engaging event, you’ll know how to recognize a good coffee and learn some basic flavor concepts. Guided by someone who really understands the process, you’ll brew you own cup of great coffee and prepare for buying the right beans next time.

More practical and fun home activities for coffee lovers! Your friends will be soon fascinated by your coffee making skills after you attend a couple of events like this!

27. Pasta with the Grandmas

Who doesn’t love pasta? Definitely not Italians!

This cooking class is organized by a team of five Italian grandmothers! Along with their granddaughters and occasionally some other family members, they teach you to cook different kinds of pasta on different days of the week. How cool is that?

You can literally take this pasta making class every single day for a week – and it will never be the same! So you ‘come’ to one Italian house on Tuesday to make farfalle – and then get welcomed to another Italian house on Saturday to make green fettuccine. If you prefer lasagne, join on Friday! Make sure to check things before booking in case they change the schedule.

I would name this one of the most authentic cultural activities possible!

28. Sangria and Secrets with Drag Queens

Well, this one will not leave you bored at home!

Not only you get to make the best sangria in your life with your own hands, but as a backdrop for this experience you’ll watch an unforgettable cabaret-style live show!

Another cool and energizing online cocktail party to virtually connect with your friends or colleagues while learning something new!

29. Sweet Treats with a Mexico City Chef

Spend a couple of hours with a Mexican chef and culinary artist on these sweet local cooking classes! If you are bored at home and don’t know what to do, why not virtually change your environment and dive right in the Mexican cuisine!

You’ll learn how to make three traditional Mexican desserts, one of which is a hot chocolate soup! My mouth is watering already just by looking at pictures from this class. Such a wonderful way to end your day!

30. Eastern European Pastries from Grandma’s Recipes

Although the host is based in New York, the food is actually Slovakian.

You’ll learn how to make a traditional Slovakian sourdough pastry called koláč. During 2.5 hours of this baking class, you’ll make a dough, let it rest while making fillings, learn to beautifully shape your pastry, and finally bake until it’s ready to taste. The host will provide you with a list of ingredients and equipment beforehand and then send you a recipe afterward, so you won’t need to stop in the process to make any notes.

Imagine the amazing smell of freshly baked pastry in your kitchen and then go book a class to make it into reality!

Find even more cooking class ideas here: 7 International Cooking Classes You Can Attend From Home

Best Engaging Cultural Activities For Music Lovers

How much are you into music? Would you fly to a different country to attend the concert of your favorite singer? Or sit in a big opera hall to listen to high-pitched soprano? Or maybe a cool hardcore rock performance is your thing?

I always admired travelers who not only explore every country but dive deep into music or dancing-related cultural activities. If you just walk around and eat, at some point countries or cities might seem very similar, especially if you travel across Europe. But if you find something unique in every place you visit and practice it, you’ll never forget what was where.

[blockquote align=”none” author=”Tim Ferris in ‘The 4-hour workweek'”]…I could be racing motorcycles in Europe, scuba diving off a private island in Panama, resting under a palm tree between kickboxing sessions in Thailand, or dancing tango in Buenos Aires.[/blockquote]

When I read things like this in books, I see the author as a person who does something right. To my opinion, this is the best way to travel and obtain wonderful memories and maybe even new skills from each journey!

These next ten online cultural activities are all about music, dancing, and enjoying whatever the world has to offer – from the comfort of your own living room.

Whether you love jazz, tango, salsa or something else, I got you covered!

31. Tango Concert with Latin Grammy Nominee

To start our music journey across the world, I chose this tango online experience. It’s a live concert from a Grammy-nominated tango singer and her harmonica-playing friend, organized in the intimate home atmosphere.

They welcome you to their home to have a fun and light-hearted cocktail party together. Besides listening live to wonderful Latin music, you’ll hear some cultural stories from the history of tango, that will not leave you unimpressed!

Want even more tango? Consider taking a dancing class yourself!

32. Flamenco Dance with Cool Spanish Dancer

I watched a Flamenco show during my trip to Spain last year and couldn’t take my eyes off it. Fast steps and serious faces of dancers made it seem very hard and I was left with the impression that you need to be born with flamenco in your blood to be able to dance like that.

This activity tell us otherwise! It’s a flamenco dancing class given by a real Sevillian professional dancer (right, the one with flamenco in her blood!) who lives by this culture and loves to share her skills with anyone interested. She is a founder of a flamenco dancing school and has lots of experience in teaching first-timers.

Are you up for a cultural challenge?

33. Hidden Houseboat Concert

These guys invite you to their magical houseboat studio in the heart of the Netherlands for a nice hour-long live concert. You get to listen to popular local music, sing along, and maybe even get a short tour of a sustainable urban area in Amsterdam.

They also offer private concerts for a birthday, drink party with friends, or if you just want to cheer up someone during hard times. A perfect way to get rid of any sadness is to absorb some charming positive vibes from these talented European musicians!

34. New Orleans Bounce and Twerk with MoeJoe

Join this online twerk masterclass and learn a new energizing dance routine in a one short hour! You’ll combine different dancing techniques from Louisiana’s culture and then calm down with a session of candle lighting and meditation.

Moe Joe is the founder of a cool dancing and fitness studio that is aimed to connect people by sharing authentic cultural experiences!

35. Concert from Iceland

This girl has many talents. Not only she is an experienced guide, but also a creative songwriter and guitar player!

She’ll perform her own musical compositions for you and share stories about the life and culture in Iceland. Each month she’ll come up with a new programme so you are welcome to come back and spend more time with this talented musician.

36. Unleash the Inner Vixen

How about gaining some confidence while staying at home?

This highly engaging class from a passionate burlesque performer will help you open up more, feel confident inside your body, and maybe find new sides of yourself you never knew existed.

You’ll learn some concepts behind solo burlesque performing, find out how they are so captivating and pick up some fun moves. This unique cultural activity is designed for any age and physique. Less body shaming, more self-love!

37. Irish Dance Masterclass

Hop on a virtual flight to Ireland to learn some of their traditional dances!

During this online dancing class you’ll hear some history behind Irish dances, see a couple of different styles performed live by a professional dancer, and then practice some typical moves to start your personal Irish dancing journey. Another one of the fun home activities!

38. Puerto Rican Salsa Dance Party

Missing your friends? Why not invite them for a virtual dance party!

This rich cultural class from Puerto Rico will teach you some cocktail recipes as well as traditional ways of casual Latin “street dancing”. The host is a professional musician and experienced dancer from the Caribbean, so she definitely knows how to have fun at home!

39. Dance like a K-pop star for Beginners

Are you fond of Korean dancing styles? Then this master class is for you!

Brought to you directly from the capital of South Korea and hosted by a team of professional dancers, this master class will be your first step into Seoul’s modern dancing culture.

There is a daily schedule so you have some specific dancing style options to choose from. But don’t hesitate too long as some of their classes are already fully booked!

40. The Secret Jazz Club

Another talented band from Netherlands. Apparently, this country is full of gifted musicians that are open to share their love through technology!

These guys love jazz and will happily give you a wonderful performance from their houses. Grab someone you love and join this online experience to spend a memorable evening together with lovely music and vibes!

Unique Professional Experiences To Pick Up Some Cool Skills

For this category, I picked some alternative experiences that will give you a glimpse of ‘behind the scenes’ into some cool and unique professions.

To be honest, some of these are just random things that caught my attention. Not all of them are really deep cultural activities, but each has an interesting and unique skill to teach you!

41. Secrets of Magic

This online experience from the United Kingdom is one of the coolest family activities to do at home! You actually get to learn magic!

The host is not just any magician, he is a real Guinness World Record breaker in the magic field! He mastered his tricks to the extent that now he can do them blindfolded and still be the best in the world. Cool, huh?

Besides the magic show, you’ll get to know some professional secrets and hear heartwarming stories about the psychology behind this exciting profession.

So grab your kids or friends or just yourself and go participate, I’m sure it’s worth it!

42. Meet a Real Life Shark Scientist

Another one of great indoor family activities! Who on earth is not frightened by sharks… but fascinated at the same time?

You get to meet a professional marine biologist who actually practices his science by swimming with the biggest and scariest fish around the world! He’ll share with you some breathtaking stories from his sharks encounters, tell you what’s tricky about underwater filming, and show some real photos and videos from his trips.

You’ll learn how you can help to protect marine ecosystem and get to ask any questions about sharks. This guy probably knows all the answers!

Entertain yourself or use this class as a new idea for your stay at home kid activities! As soon as your child can talk, he or she will love it as much as you will… or more!

43. Skincare and Natural Cosmetics Workshop

A beautiful Italian girl will teach you some important ways to care about your skin. During this online masterclass, you’ll make two scrubs by yourself: one for the face and another one for your body. In the process, she’ll share some tips on self-care and how to stay naturally beautiful!

You may ask questions about your skin type as she is a knowledgeable expert. As a bonus, she only uses organic ingredients with the environment in mind!

44. What It’s Like to Be an Olympic Bobsledder

Have you ever talked to an Olympic champion?

This online activity gives you a full hour to connect with a world champion in the bobsled sport! There is plenty to learn from such person: from a workout routine and daily nutrition to obtaining a champion mindset. You get to see a real Olympic medal, hear about her personal journey, and most likely learn a lot about bobsled!

45. Propagating Plants with Hilton Carter

Well, this is one of the very practical home activities.

Home plants are widely used in every culture. You can rest assured that if you get invited to any home around the world, there most likely will be some plants inside. Even if it’s just cactuses or moss!

Propagation is a great way to make your home greener without wasting any money on buying new plants. The coolest part is to watch them grow from the tiny little pieces into a beautiful garden! This workshop teaches you a good useful skill and helps you care more about your home plant.

Just bring your plant and start propagating already!

46. The Art of Mime with a Parisian Master

If you think mime’s job is simple, go to this workshop and try it yourself! You’ll be blown away by how hard this skill is and how much you can learn before becoming decent in this field.

This lesson is given by a professional mime from Paris who mastered this art and then spent dozens of years teaching it to others. He even has his own international school for future mimes!

You’ll learn some seemingly simple basic gestures and theatrical techniques. Such a fun home activity for basically anybody!

47. Secrets of Hollywood Sound FX

Did you know how much sound effects alone can change the mood of a whole scene? Try to watch some full of action movie episode on mute. If you did, you probably appreciate a lot the hard work of creative sound effect artists.

Whether you heard the term Foley before or not (I haven’t!), you’ll definitely learn tons from someone who has experience creating sound effects for the major movie studios like Warner Bros or Disney.

This one if one of those coolest professional cultural activities you’ll hardly find anywhere else!

48. Backstage with a Magician

Yes, we already covered magic, but this one is different. You don’t get to learn any tricks this time unless you are highly attentive.

Instead, you’ll be taken on a behind the scenes tour of a professional magician’s life. It starts with engaging tricks and storytelling, and ends with a spectacular interactive performance where you’ll pick cards and feel amazed every minute.

Hey, are you still looking for fun stuff to do at home? Stop looking already and go participate in something wonderful!

49. Personalized Interior Design Workshop

Even if you are a full-time traveler, you probably have a place you call home. This class will teach you how to make it the coziest, personal, and inspiring space where you’ll feel excited to live and welcome your guests.

It’s not about crushing the walls, but the little things you can do here and there that make a big difference! You’ll be guided into your own journey of finding your personal style and rearranging your space to make the most of it.

50. Drawn from Within with a New York Artist

My final workshop is given by an educated artist from New York City who had his own exhibitions in the Big Apple and worked on projects for huge corporations around the world.

No doubt this guy can sketch! He’ll teach you how to find your creative flow and will lead you and others into the process of connecting with your inner selves through the art of sketching.

Final Thoughts About Online Cultural Activities For Travelers

Well, these were some fun ideas for things to do at home! I hope you found something you’d like to spruce up you days with.

Tell me in the comments which cultural experiences from this list you want to attend! I’d probably participate in every single one of them if I could! Or maybe you’ve already tried something? Share your impressions too!

You can’t travel without embracing the local culture, but you absolutely can engage in cultural activities without the actual traveling!

Each country is unique and has something to offer for curious tourists, this is why it’s so amazing to have such opportunities to “travel” and do all these cool things from home.

Enjoy the cultural diversity of the whole world!

And don’t forget to pin this for when you have another boring day at home. These experiences would also make a great gift for anyone!

The post 50 Cultural Activities For Travelers Online appeared first on Live Your Dream TODAY.

This is one of my favorite ways to get to know a country from inside!

If you love food as much as I do, you’ll be blown away by how amazing such experiences are.

Usually, you get to spend time with a local family on their kitchen learning how to cook traditional recipes. You engage in all the processes, understand the ins and outs of how exactly they do everything, and sometimes get to know some family cooking secrets followed for generations!

During our last trip to Sri Lanka, I made sure to spare some time and attend a local cooking class – and it turned out to be one of the highlights of that journey! Even though the food is different and everything seems foreign, a few hours of cooking as a part of the local family truly make you feel at home.

For some reason, the result is never the same if you just follow a written recipe for the first time. It’s how they put everything together what makes it so special, not the ingredients themselves. And some little tricks here and there!

How To Attend International Cooking Classes Without Leaving The Comfort Of Your Own Kitchen

These days every company is trying to adapt their business model to the quarantined world so people can make the most of their services while staying safe at home. Booking portals are no exception!

As people haven’t been physically traveling for a while now, a popular booking portal Airbnb found another cool way to let the customers experience new things. They recently introduced online experiences, the number of which is growing every day.

Whether you’ve always wanted to make your own Italian pasta or are just curious about Portugal tapas, you’ll definitely find something interesting among those experiences!

In a way, it’s even better than offline classes. You don’t need to spend a ton of money on tickets, accommodations, and other unavoidable travel things. No need to meet anyone in person and look for a way to get to their house. You actually don’t waste time at all! Just connect to your host through an online meeting room and enjoy your class right away.

18 Isolation Activities That Improve Your Next Travel Experience

Staying at home during these frightening times is essential not only for your own sake but also to protect the people you love who might be at risk. But instead…

In case you don’t know what Airbnb is, it’s originally a great safe place to book apartments all over the world. A couple of years ago they added travel experiences to complement accommodations, and now they brought it to a whole other level by introducing experiences online.

If you are not on Airbnb yet, signing up through my link gives you a discount for both the first accommodation and experience!

Now that we’ve cleared this up, let’s check out those cooking classes!

1. Make Swedish Pastries With A Professional Baker

Imagine the whole house smelling like cinnamon, soft fluffy buns immediately attracting your attention when you enter the kitchen and with the first bite life gets a tiny bit better… If this is how they see it, I can easily relate to all this Scandinavian hygge idea!

Learn the concept of traditional Swedish Fika with a professional event caterer. Immerse yourself into Swedish culture and you’ll end up not only with a bunch of freshly-made fragrant pastries but also with a tiny positive shift in your state of mind.

2. Learn Most Popular Portuguese Tapas Recipes

When it comes to making tapas, who can be a better person to learn from than someone who owns a tapas restaurant?

This masterclass is brought to you by a woman who has opened a Portuguese tapas restaurant in Lisbon. I’m sure she knows all about different kinds of tapas and can teach you as if you were one of the new cooks in her restaurant!

During these 1.5 hours you get to know a couple of the favorite tapas recipes as well as some secrets of professional Portuguese cook. This is not just some housewife calling you from the kitchen, this is a whole new level!

3. Cook Local Dishes With A Morrocan Family

How much do you know about Morocco?

This class lets you inside a Morrocan house where you’ll prepare some local dishes together with a family. They’ll show you step-by-step process and exactly how they cook food for themselves at home every day.

Get a taste of this unique culture… literally!

This cooking class is also suitable for children. Show them some foreign culture while preparing new dishes together! Such a great way to take them abroad without all the hassle!

4. Make Your Own Authentic Pasta On This Italian Cooking Class

Have you ever tried to make your own pasta from scratch?

Even if you did, I’m sure it was nothing like the one these two charming Italian guys can teach you to make! They are obviously in love with their local cuisine and will help you become a more confident cook in your own kitchen.

They also got a reward as the “most loved Airbnb experience” and claim to have learned all the knowledge from their grandmas. To me, this sounds like a promise of engaging in a real authentic Italian cooking process!

If you also enjoy opera, consider this pasta making experience instead (or both)!

5. Teach Your Children How To Bake Cookies

Out of ideas for indoor activities for kids at home? Consider baking!

This cooking master class specifically aimed at parents with 2-7 years old children. It’s only an hour, so the process won’t get long and boring for your little ones.

You start from scratch, engaging your children in each phase, and end up with delicious cookies to eat together as well as some advice on storage and modifications.

Maybe it’s time for kids to stop watching cartoons all day and learn a new useful skill! This cooking class might even teach them some teamwork in the background. With that said, if you were looking for fun activities for kids, you’ve just found one!

6. Take A Mexican Cooking Class And Learn To Cook Salsas

Everyone loves Mexican food, I’m sure you are not an exception!

Why not spare an hour on one of the most boring quarantined days and attend some local cooking classes in Mexico? Thanks to Airbnb you don’t need to leave your home to do that these days!

At this highly engaging event, an educated Mexican cook will teach you how to make delicious Mexican salsas. She makes this process easy, fun and quick and even sends you the recipes afterward.

You’ll learn three ways of preparing salsas on this cooking class and end up with a lot of new ideas to diversify your daily ration!

7. Make The Perfect Chinese Steamed Bun

Do you like Chinese food? If the answer is yes, you’ve just found your next international local experience!

When tired of the usual and sometimes boring home activities why not to do something completely different for once? Like making some Chinese buns, for example.

This cooking class will teach you to make authentic Asian food at your own kitchen no matter where you are in the world at the moment. After attending this event you’ll add a new dinner idea to your reserve as well as some soft and fluffy Chinese steamed buns to your table!

Which cooking classes you would like to attend? Tell me in the comments below!

Well, this was a lot of fun even writing about! My mouth watered many times while I was researching these events to pick the best cooking class ideas for you. I hope you found it useful and added something to your list of fun quarantine activities!

Let’s bring some unique foreign local traditions to our lives and make this hard stuck-at-home time a bit easier and more positive!

Pin this for times when you are bored at home and looking for cooking classes as a way to have some fun and learn a new skill.

The post 7 International Cooking Classes You Can Attend From Home appeared first on Live Your Dream TODAY.

But instead of hating this whole situation, think about all the opportunities it gives you and all the free time you now have at your fingertips!

Being positive and optimistic is super important when it comes to staying healthy and sane during social isolation, so make an effort to find something good in every day when you are stuck at home.

To make this easier, I’ve put together a list of 18 travel-related things to do at home during a lockdown. If you can’t decide what to do when bored, choose something from this list and make the most of your solitude time.

This too shall pass. (Persian saying)

All this craziness will go away eventually and we’ll be able to travel again and live our life to the fullest!

So why not use this time to prepare for your next trip, no matter if it’s a few months from now or next year? The more time you have to prepare, the better travel experience you will have in the end!

Without further ado, here is my answer to what to do at home to prepare for your future trip!

18 Things To Do At Home When Bored On Lockdown

1. Look for new destinations

Pinterest is a great place to inspire yourself for future traveling!

You probably already have some kind of list on your mind of places you’ve always wanted to visit. For some, it includes Paris and Rome, for others maybe Everest or Machu Picchu. Whatever is on yours, I can guarantee that there are many more amazing places in the world you may have never even heard of. This is a great time to explore your options and find some new inspiration!

It might be a good idea to create your own board and pin all your findings for future reference. So when the time comes to travel again, you will have all the info about your dream destinations in one place!

You can also check out my Pinterest boards where I save the most inspiring places to visit and beautiful imagery from different parts of the planet.

Of course, Pinterest is not the only place to look for inspiration – it’s just my favorite visual one. You can also read blog posts, watch youtube videos and travel TV shows, browse physical travel guides or simply google what the best destinations are. One way or another, you might find some new cities you’ve never considered before.

2. Shop online for travel essentials

When you are stuck at home and all the local malls are closed, online shopping comes to the rescue!

There are some things which are useful for every trip – you most likely know about them, but never have time to find and buy them until you’re already on the way and face some trouble that could have been avoided.

Well, now is a great time for these!

Here are some essentials that I find very useful in my travels:

• Universal travel adapter
• Fast dry microfiber towel
• Collapsible Water Bottle
• Powerbank (look for 20000 mAh or more if you have many devices)
• E-reader (I don’t go anywhere without my Kindle!)
• Dual-SIM smartphone (I’m a Samsung fan, but any dual-sim smartphone will work – very useful if you need to buy a local SIM and keep using your usual one)
• Luggage scale
• Airplane set (eye mask, earplugs, blanket, and pillow – makes a huge comfort difference!)
• Carry-on bottle set

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3. Research and plan your itinerary

When you got inspired enough and decided on your next destination, it’s time to plan the itinerary!

Now you can go back to your specific pins or bookmarks folder and start creating the plan for your journey. To make it easier try to search on Google or Pinterest something like ‘Denmark one week itinerary’, replacing the query with your preferred destination and trip length.

Many travel bloggers share their full well-researched and tested itineraries, so you can minimize your planning time and make a good use of someone else’s effort.

4. Learn a language

Of course, you don’t have to learn every language in the world just for the sake of traveling. But it’s always useful to know a handful of phrases like ‘Hello’, ‘Bye’, ‘Thank you’, ‘How are you?’ and other daily-used ones. Locals are usually more welcoming when you show some effort to speak their language! Even simple phrases may come in handy, open some new doors for you and/or enhance your overall travel experience.

In my opinion, learning a foreign language is one of the most fun activities at home if you do it right!

There are plenty of apps these days that help you learn a new language. I used to learn with Duolingo as it’s very popular and has a lot of languages for you to choose from. Currently, I’m learning Spanish and use Quizlet for vocabulary training, SpanishPod101 for podcasts and Babbel for lessons (you get a free month to your subscription if you sign up using this link!). I also had a good experience with Fluencia. If you prefer one-on-one online lessons with a real teacher, italki is a good place to find one.

Other than apps, Youtube has a lot of channels dedicated to one language or another – you can choose the teacher you like for the language you need! Another option is to enroll in some language course if you are serious about studying (more on course platforms below)!

Honestly, when it comes to learning a new language, opportunities are everywhere!

5. Buy some specific clothes

Depending on your potential destinations, you might need to purchase some clothing items that are not yet in your wardrobe.

Let’s say you want to go to some Asian countries. As most of them are very religious, it might be a good idea not to wear shorts and cropped tops all the time (or at all!), and also have something to cover your head if you plan on entering any temples. Consider getting a couple of flowy maxi dresses or coverall jumpsuits that cover your knees and shoulders and keep you cool no matter how hot it is. Jumpsuits are also great if you are planning to go on a safari!

Do your research first to learn about specific rules and advice on what to wear for countries on your list!

For less strict countries you might just want to find a new look to feel your best during the trip. Should you decide to escape to a beautiful tropical island, don’t forget to pack a nice swimsuit (or a couple!). A pair of cute leggings is absolutely essential for a yoga retreat.

Nordic countries like Norway or Sweden will require you to layer up a lot! Besides sweaters and comfy hoodies, a teddy jacket may come in handy to keep you warm at all times.

In any case, check the climate and the weather and make sure you pack the right things! Moreover, consider your potential luggage restrictions before buying too much stuff.

6. Improve your photography skills

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t take pictures nowadays. Except maybe my grandma who still uses an old mobile phone that doesn’t have a touchscreen. Or colors. But enough about that, I’m sure you’re not like her anyway.

The cool thing is that these days you don’t need to own an expensive DSLR anymore to make nice photos! There are lots of thorough guides and courses on mobile photography that will teach you how to make the most of your smartphone camera. Believe it or not, a lot of famous Instagrammers take most of their pictures on their iPhones! And in some cases, you’d never guess.

As for selfies and food photos, your smartphone is your friend. But don’t just use auto settings! Learn a bit about what you can achieve with your Pro mode – you’ll be surprised!

Whatever device you have, now is a great time to explore its abilities a little further!

7. Read a book about your dream destination

I’m not talking travel guides here.

No matter which country you might wanna visit, it most likely has a unique culture that is somewhat different from what you are used to.

For me, reading will always make the top of the list of fun things to do at home – quarantine or no quarantine.

When I dream about Nordic countries, I dive into Scandinavian crime fiction and read about the Hygge phenomenon that makes these nations the happiest in the world.

Whenever I’m thinking about Australia, I read Markus Zusak or listen to the real-life travel stories by Bill Bryson.

If Great Britain is on my mind… Well, British literature is quite rich in world-famous authors. From George Orwell and Jane Austen to Neil Gaiman and my favorite Jojo Moyes, when it comes to English writers you are never out of great things to read.

…Okay, okay, who am I kidding. If I need some England for my bedtime reading, I’ll probably just grab a Harry Potter book for the twentieth time.

But I think you get it, right? Try to immerse yourself into your dream destination, even if it’s only in your imagination for now. Fiction or not, snuggling up under a blanket with an interesting book is always a good idea.

8. Learn a recipe

This one is especially handy during the forced isolation.

When you can’t go to Spain, why not learn to make a paella? If you had to cancel your trip to Mexico, find a mouthwatering tacos recipe and make it at your own kitchen! Italian pizza, Indian rice and curry, Belgian waffles… you name it!

Gee, I’m already hungry just writing this. I hope you get the idea!

BTW, the best place for recipe inspiration is… you guessed it right, Pinterest! Search for your chosen country name + “traditional recipes”. Youtube has lots of options too if you prefer watching to reading.

Don’t forget to order the same dish when the traveling time comes and compare to how you made it!

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9. Research cool activities in the city of your dreams

For every country in the world, there are things you can’t miss. Whether it’s watching a Flamenco show in Barcelona, exploring the Grand Canyon or taking a gondola ride along the Venice canals, you have to make sure you know about these must-dos in advance and consider including them into your itinerary.

I always explore all the options when I plan my next journey! The first place I look at is GetYourGuide as it accumulates a lot of guided tours, interesting cultural activities and sometimes skip-the-line tickets to popular attractions.

Next, I search for Airbnb Experiences: on our latest trip to Sri Lanka we took a cooking class in Kandy which was provided by the local family – and it was one of the amazing highlights of our trip!

Lastly, I might take a glance at what Viator has to offer. Sometimes it might have more options than GetYourGuide and/or better prices for our specific dates.

Anyways, research is the king! Walking around the city is cool of course, but the emotions from unique local experiences are something that you remember years after.

10. Create a destination playlist

This one is simple. If you are into music, spend some time creating a playlist for your next journey! Whether it’s a local road trip or a long-distance flight, there is always a place for good music to define the mood. Don’t overthink what to do when bored anymore: listen to some good music and go with the flow!

11. Binge-watch Ted Talks for travelers

There is never too much travel inspiration!

On the Ted Talks website, there is a whole playlist created special for thoughtful travelers! I actually just found out about it and I’m excited to watch them all!

12. Listen to a travel podcast

Another way to inspire yourself, but a more habitual one. Podcasts are among the fun activities at home and you can also listen to them while doing other things like cooking, cleaning or relaxing on a couch.

Travel podcasts usually share a personal experience of professional travelers, tell some crazy road trip stories, give useful advice, and fill you with a strong desire to travel as much as possible.

Here are some of the travel podcasts to check out:

• The Thought Card
• JUMP with Traveling Jackie
• Chronicles Abroad
• The Globetrotter Lounge
• Betty in the Sky with a Suitcase

13. Shop cute suitcases online

So we’ve already covered all the essentials and the necessary clothes, now it’s time to decide on your luggage! Some short trips not very far away you might absolutely survive with a single hand-luggage backpack (although from my experience it might be sad sometimes when you can’t buy anything but a fridge magnet because of space shortage in your backpack).

But for longer trips, you will probably need a nice suitcase. I recommend choosing the one from a durable material and with a nice unique appearance that will serve you for years and will never be mistaken for someone else’s.

Just take a look at these cute designs! London style, Venice canals, tropical toucan, night city view, pink flamingos, turquoise patterns or vintage floral. So much cooler than those plain single-colored suitcases everyone else has!

Another option is to buy a plain one and a colorful cover to protect it. This also works if you already have a suitcase and don’t necessarily need another one – but want to make it easier to recognize your luggage on a belt. This option is cheaper and you can even create your own custom design that will be 100% unique!

14. Engage in local communities online

Don’t underestimate social networks! They can be a great source of new acquaintances and local events and can totally change your potential experience in the new place.

I find Facebook especially good for this as there are tons of groups dedicated to any country, city, or interest. It can be as simple as finding some active local group and leaving a quick message on the wall about your dates and intentions. You might be surprised to see that there are friendly people happy to get to know you and show you around!

Thanks to Facebook I was able to find an amazing language exchange community in Malaga (Spain) where we then spent a few evenings every week talking to locals and other travelers! And it was one of the most memorable experiences of our Spain trip.

Another similar place for communication with locals is Meetup.com. This portal is specifically created to unite people! You can find all kinds of local events and activities in probably any big city in the world. From yoga classes and marathon preparations to practicing languages and technical gatherings, everything people can possibly get together for can be found here.

BTW, check out your own city, you might find something interesting too!

15. Create a vision board with all your dream destinations

If you somehow don’t know about the law of attraction yet, please go read about it! There are tons of information online including videos, books, blog posts and even podcasts.

Creating a vision board is one of the most common ways to tell the universe what it is that you want exactly. And maybe to get some clarity for yourself too on the subject of your personal dreams and goals.

I won’t describe you right now how cool is this thing and how powerful it may be, but you can read this post for further explanation and inspiring real-life examples of how it works wonders in people’s lives. And then this post for some advice on how to actually create a vision board.

In terms of this article on isolation activities for travel preparation what I mean by this is that you need to add all your dream destinations to your board. It doesn’t have to be only about travel, but travel should definitely be a part of it!

Anyways, now is a good time to reflect on your life direction and define some goals to improve it. Creating a vision board is another cool idea for what to do at home during the quarantine! In any case, stay optimistic.

16. Open a new savings account

Create a savings account to get some money for your next trip!

With all the social activities being banned and restaurants being closed, now is the best time to save some money for your future travels!

Every time you would otherwise go out with your friends but can’t, put aside some money. Let it be the average amount you usually spend at your favorite restaurant. If you are used to going to the movies on Saturdays and can’t, next time put the average price of a ticket (plus popcorn and stuff that you usually spend money on at the cinema) to your savings account. And so on…

You might not see how much you don’t spend right now thanks to the lockdown. Try to do this every time you don’t go somewhere and see how much you can save! You’ll be surprised when it all passes and you end up with a good amount of money to cover your next trip (that you would’ve spent on going out otherwise).

17. Learn a new skill

These days you don’t need to apply to college to learn a new skill or profession. Amazing huge online course platforms got you covered. From small hour-long courses to full academic degrees, you can basically study whatever you want, whenever you want and however much you want.

My two favorite platforms for online studying are Coursera and edX. They both have thorough courses on a variety of subjects from business and computer science to art, health, and personal development. You can learn from professors from leading universities like Stanford, Harvard, and Berkeley as well as directly from top companies like Google, Yandex or Amazon.

The coolest thing is that those courses aren’t nearly as expensive as the conventional education. A lot of them even let you enroll for free and get access to all the material if you only need the information and don’t care about certificates. This is the whole world of opportunities comparing to even 20 years ago!

Learning a new skill will not only broaden your horizons but also provide another potentially monetizable skills for you. Especially now, when a lot of professionals are getting replaced by the machines and a lot of offline workers are losing their jobs because of the lockdown, it’s never been more important to make sure you have a backup plan.

Another platform I love and use a lot is Skillshare. It is somewhat different from the previous two, cause you only pay monthly (or in my case yearly) for your membership and gain access to all of the courses. Check it out and use my link if you want to get the first two months of Premium membership for free. Believe me, it’s absolutely worth the money.

Skillshare is more on the creative side of things. Most of the courses are made not by professors but by practitioners. So if you are interested in photography, you get to learn from a professional photographer who actually shoots every day instead of just teaching. You can learn things like graphic design, illustration, animation, creative writing, web development, filmmaking and storytelling. You can also dive into business, management, marketing or entrepreneurship. There are even less technical courses on self-development and productivity. So many interesting subjects that you’ll struggle to choose one.

I personally have around a hundred classes saved in my account. I wish I had enough time to learn everything I wanted! Unfortunately, there are only so many hours in a day. Choose wisely!

18. Improve your health

On a final note, I wanted to mention taking care of your health.

Let’s be honest, healthcare in many countries is not nearly good enough. This is particularly true in Asia and Africa. I’m sure you don’t wanna check it by yourself.

That’s why it is extremely important to keep yourself in good shape both mentally and physically.

Drink enough water, exercise, eat the healthiest you can, sleep enough, and incorporate some good habits and a positive mindset into your daily routine. Let yourself be able to engage in any adventure and never skip a hike because you don’t have stamina!

Conclusion

I hope you found some new fun things to do at home during the lockdown!

When we face things that are out of our control, let’s focus on those that are in it. Choose some things from my list to keep yourself busy and not bored at home and learn something new instead of panicking and worrying.

Imagine how cool it will be when the time comes to travel again and you already have everything planned. More than that, you’ve picked up some new skills, learned a new language and found some new friends!

Do you like the sound of it? Then you have some work to do.

Stay healthy, stay at home and try to have some fun even when the whole world seems to go crazy! Remember, this too shall pass.

Pin this for times when you are out of things to do at home!

The post 18 Isolation Activities That Improve Your Next Travel Experience appeared first on Live Your Dream TODAY.