The idea of virtual tourism gained popularity back in 2020, for obvious reasons. Constrained to their own neighbourhoods during lockdown, many people slaked their thirst for travel by watching YouTube videos, donning VR headsets or playing video games. Well, virtual tourism is back, and again for obvious reasons. Half the world seems to be on fire, and the very act of travelling contributes to the root cause of the flames. So whether you need a little break from the real world or just feel like a change of scene, pick up a controller and enjoy these eight modern video-game destinations that feel like a virtual holiday.Ancient GreeceAssassin’s Creed: Odyssey 2018, Ubisoft QuebecAssassin's Creed: Odyssey: Beautifully detailed classical cities and archaeological sites As one grows older, the idea of walking tours becomes ever more appealing. What better way to spend an afternoon than ambling around an unfamiliar place with a knowledgeable local? Now imagine that unfamiliar place was ancient Greece, and that knowledgeable local was Herodotus, or Socrates. That’s the basic idea behind the brilliantly realised Discovery Tour in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. All enemies are removed from the colossal world map, and you are free to fast-travel anywhere, from Corinth to Naxos. There are countless points of interest and more than 30 tour guides who will walk you around beautifully detailed classical cities and archaeological sites. Tour topics include daily life, politics and philosophy, and art, religion and myths. If you’ve recently seen The Odyssey on the big screen and have a hankering for more ancient Greece in your life, this is a trip well worth taking.SapienzaHitman 2016, IO InteractiveHitman: Set in Sapienza, a glorious and sunny fictional town on the Amalfi Coast Danish developer IO Interactive knows a thing or two about creating beautiful virtual worlds. Their most recent game, 007 First Light, has James Bond shoot and smarm his way through a whole host of stunningly rendered destinations, from Slovakia to Vietnam. Every entry on this list, in fact, could have been taken from their 2016 Hitman reboot trilogy. There are so many places to choose from. Who wouldn’t want to spend a weekend swanning around a fancy Argentinian vineyard? Or get pampered in a luxury spa for the super-rich on a Japanese mountainside? The pick of the bunch, though, is Sapienza. A fictional town on the Amalfi Coast, it is a glorious, sunny sandbox to get lost in. Hitman is a game about meticulously planned murders, but who has time for such nonsense when there’s so much sightseeing to do? Wander the winding cobbled streets, pop your head into the old church, stop off at a nice cafe, explore the castle ruins or dip your toes down by the beach. And if you insist on dumping rat poison in somebody’s Shirley Temple, at least be subtle about it. We don’t want Sapienza getting a bad name.Los SantosGrand Theft Auto V 2013, Rockstar NorthGrand Theft Auto V: Time to take one last spin around this big, beautiful island Grand Theft Auto VI is just around the corner and it will, without any shadow of a doubt, obliterate any and every entertainment sales metric known to man. And so, the sun finally sets on the city of Los Santos. There’s only one thing left to do. Pop a cold can, get behind the wheel of your favourite stolen car, and take one last spin around this big, beautiful island. Because let’s face it; unless you are a 13-year-old boy, driving and listening to music is by far the most appealing aspect of this game. [ Grand Theft Auto 6: Why all the fuss about a video game that hasn’t even been released yet?Opens in new window ]But what music to go for? There are a lot of radio stations to choose from, and music is a very subjective thing, but if you settle on anything other than Non-Stop-Pop FM, you have made a terrible mistake. Cruising down the coast road with the top down while Pure Shores by All Saints blasts out of the speakers feels like a fitting end to an unexpectedly long journey.JapanYakuza: Like a Dragon 2020, Ryu Ga Gotoku StudioYakuza: Like a Dragon: An insight into cultural quirks and differences is one of the things that makes it so great One of the more underappreciated aspects of exploring an unfamiliar town or city is spending time in different types of shops. Not necessarily to buy anything; just to see what locals are picking up in their day-to-day lives. Late night corner stores, fruit and veg shops, butchers’, pharmacies, second-hand clothes markets; they all offer an unsung insight into cultural quirks and differences. This is, somewhat unexpectedly, one of the things that makes Yakuza: Like a Dragon so great.Although the plot is an engrossing tale of loyalty, betrayal and revenge, it is the quieter moments between the outrageous street brawls that linger in the mind. The game features a remarkably faithful recreation of Yokohama, Japan’s second-largest city, and to explore its bustling streets on foot is a wholly transportive experience. You can visit countless restaurants and order any combination of gloriously rendered local food. There are arcades, nightclubs, bars, casinos, scuzzy soaplands and all manner of shops to browse at your leisure. Probably more than any other game on this list, Yakuza: Like a Dragon exists as a product of pure virtual tourism. StrawberryRed Dead Redemption 2 2018, Rockstar GamesRed Dead Redemption 2: Rooms in The Trackers Hotel are clean and comfortable In Michael Crichton’s Westworld (and the more recent HBO reboot) rich freaks pay a whole lot of money to kill (and/or have sex with) some very realistic-looking cowboys. It turns out you don’t need to be a millionaire or a complete psychopath to enjoy a highly immersive stay in the old wild west. Simply boot up Red Dead Redemption 2, hop on your horse, and make for the small town of Strawberry, located in the Big Valley region of West Elizabeth. Accommodation is limited, but rooms in The Trackers Hotel are clean and comfortable. Across the street from the hotel, you’ll find the General Store to be well stocked with provisions and clothing, making this idyllic logging town the perfect base to explore the surrounding countryside.Vatican CityIndiana Jones and the Great Circle 2024, MachineGamesIndiana Jones and the Great Circle: Vatican City is a delightful place to get lost in, despite the goons If you have ever been fortunate enough to visit the Sistine Chapel, you will have undoubtedly been swallowed up by that inevitable scourge of every popular tourist site: crowds. Where do they all come from? Does nobody work? Have they no homes to go to? Ah, but we are each of us but a single pleb, in an ocean of like-minded plebs. When Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was announced, many people had their doubts. It turns out, however, to be the best Indy story since the Last Crusade. It’s a rip-roaring, whip-cracking, globe-trotting adventure with levels set in Egypt, the Himalayas, Shanghai, and elsewhere. The highlight, though, has to be Vatican City. Despite being occupied by Mussolini’s fascist goons, it is a truly delightful place to get lost in for a few hours. Whatever artistic alchemy MachineGames have conjured here is remarkable because this genuinely feels like a real place. From sunny courtyards to dusty libraries, the level of detail is astonishing. And by the time you reach the Sistine Chapel and gaze up in wonder at Michelangelo’s gift from God, it feels like you have the whole place to yourself. That alone is worth the price of admission. Your Own Island ParadiseAnimal Crossing: New Horizons 2020, NintendoAnimal Crossing: New Horizons: Feel the stress melt away Unless you are on a post-Leaving Cert trip to Ayia Napa, most holidays will surely feature a strong emphasis on relaxation. Deep down we all yearn to escape the relentless trappings of modern life. What is this mad prison we’ve collectively checked into? The emails, the ultra-processed foods, the software updates, the subscription fees, the algorithms, the influencers. Nuts to all that. Spend a few days on your own private island and feel the stress melt away. Here, there’s no schedule. Tend to your garden. Go fishing. Shake fruit out of a tree. Donate some dinosaur fossils to the local museum. Chase a butterfly. Talk to your neighbours. Whatever, man. It’s all good. Providence OaksLake 2021, GamiousLake: An open world with no combat, violence or stress of any kind Lake is a game about slowing things down. Set in 1986, it follows 40-something Meredith Weiss who returns to her small hometown in Oregon after 20 years in the big smoke. She’s there to take over her dad’s postal route for two weeks, and as she goes about the quiet business of delivering parcels and letters, she makes new friends and reconnects with old ones. This is an open world with no combat, violence or stress of any kind. You drive your truck, deliver mail, and talk to people. That’s it. Maybe you’ll pop into the diner for a break. Or chat to Angie in the VHS rental store. Or check in on Kay, your old best friend from school. You (both Meredith and the player) quickly settle into the slower rhythm of life here. The game affords you time to think and let your imagination fill in the blanks. Considering the absolute state of world right now, it’s no wonder that “cosy” games are soaring in popularity. As rough around the edges as it is, Lake is one of the better ones.