YouTube: City Walks
My first encounter with YouTube city walk videos was when I set up a small TV for my mum to watch in her bedroom. She suffers from dementia, so I wondered what might keep her mind ticking over. YouTube videos seemed like a good idea, but what kind? My first thought, of course, was travel: destinations with colourful sights, landscapes, and people. At least this way, she gets to see real places and people at the same time—something stimulating rather than just looking at the walls around her.
The first videos we watched were of Italy, where Mum came from. They weren’t specifically of the region where she grew up, but rather places like Positano and Amalfi. From there, we moved on to others showcasing Italy’s major tourist destinations: Venice, Tuscany, Rome, Bologna, and Verona, as well as compilations of the prettiest towns. Some were ground-based walking tours, others were aerial drone footage, and some were shot documentary-style from all angles. Later, we moved on from Italy to other parts of Europe—Amsterdam, London, and Lisbon—and beyond, to Singapore and Hong Kong.
While I was feeding her, I also enjoyed watching these videos. I recognised some places I had visited in the past, but I also saw new places that I hoped to visit in the future; I was laying the groundwork. In fact, one video of London was perfect for wayfinding. I’m pretty good with orientation and have a keen sense of direction—you could drop me anywhere and I wouldn’t lose my bearings—but seeing the streets, buildings, shops, and other localities beforehand helped me plan an itinerary when my wife and I visited in 2024. One place I probably would have missed otherwise was Burlington Arcade.
I think city walk videos are a great way to discover places and gain a bit of extra knowledge before actually going there. I would recommend this to anyone who travels: watch and remember what you see. Some shops or buildings may change, but if the videos are current—and some are updated regularly—you’ll have a good indication of what is there. All in all, it is a fantastic way to experience destinations before arriving physically.
Cheers
Note: I’ve added a list of travel YouTubers to the Links page. A few of them do walking tours, while most of the others are travellers showcasing where they’ve been and sharing their knowledge and opinions.
