With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and winter fast approaching, many who traditionally would take a holiday vacation are stuck at home in an effort to curb the spread of the virus. That said, one can still enjoy a nontraditional vacation while following proper safety precautions. Here is our guide to taking an international “staycation” featuring two different destinations, as well as tips on how to design your own trip abroad from the comfort of your couch.

Explore the Sites and Bites of Mexico City

Mexico City is renowned for its vibrant culture, world-class cuisine, and easy access to some of the best museums on the planet. In planning a staycation to Mexico City, it is imperative to hit each of these qualities that make the city so unique.

You Visit, a virtual reality company, offers stunning photos of some of the most popular sites in the city, which can be viewed either on a computer or with virtual reality goggles for an up close and personal experience. Similarly for an immersive experience, 360Cities has a free database of panoramic images from throughout the city, featuring popular destinations such as the House of Tiles, El Caballito, and views from Chapultepec Lake.

Some of the best Mexican food that one can have can be made from the ingredients found at your local grocery store. Food magazine Saveur offers a list of 80 authentic Mexican recipes, with popular dishes including Mexican street corn soup, carne adobada and fish tacos. For those interested in investing in some quality cookbooks, “My Mexico City Kitchen: Recipes and Convictions” and “Eat Mexico: Recipes from Mexico City’s Streets, Markets and Fondas” both offer an extensive selection of recipes straight out of the heart of Mexico’s capital city.

No staycation to Mexico City would be complete without a virtual visit to one of the city’s countless museums. Art lovers should definitely check out virtual collections of the Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes and the Frida Kahlo Museum. For those interested in learning more about Indigenous Mexican culture and history, the National Museum of Anthropology offers 148 historical artifacts within its digital collection. Virtual Field Trips offers an immersive visit to Teotihuacan, one of the largest and most well-preserved pre-Columbian cities.

A Traditional Christkindlesmarkt from Home

One of the most iconic traditions of the German Christmas canon is the Christkindlesmarkt. The pop-up holiday market, which has inspired the creation of similar events in cities like Chicago, Shanghai and Vienna, sees one of the largest turnouts worldwide in the city of Nuremberg, drawing nearly 2 million visitors annually.

While the event has been canceled this year due to the pandemic, it still provides inspiration for a Bavarian themed staycation.

A Christkindlesmarkt at home would not be complete without the traditional German food that is often served at the market’s vendors. Spoon University provides a good starting point for finding recipes, offering details on foods like Wiener schnitzel with sauerkraut, currywurst and potato pancakes. Likewise, no Christkidlesmarkt would be complete without Gluhwein, the iconic German mulled wine which is often served in a mug shaped like a boot in some of the Christmas markets.

For cinephiles who either speak German or enjoy a good set of subtitles, no holiday-themed staycation in Bavaria would be complete without watching a Christmas film. The 1973 East German film Drei Haselnusse fur Aschenbrodel, or “Three Wishes for Cinderella” in English, remains one of the most popular holiday films in the country. For a more contemporary film, Alles ist Liebe, or “Everything is Love” in English, is a popular 2014 episodic movie which is similar to the American film “Love Actually.”

Germany’s vast history has produced a number of holiday traditions which can be practiced at home. Advent calendars, which serve as a physical countdown from Dec. 1 to Dec. 25, are widely popular in Germany and can be found in most stores, online, or can even be assembled at home. Culture Trip provides a comprehensive list of 15 German Christmas traditions for further inspiration.

Tips for Crafting Your Own International Staycation

While planning an international staycation may seem like a daunting task, with a little bit of patience and research, anyone can plan a memorable “trip” from the comfort of their home.

• Research, research, research. Especially if you are unfamiliar with the area you will be “traveling” to, it is important to do your homework on the culture, food and virtual attractions you are considering participating in to ensure that your staycation is as authentic as possible.

• Don’t be afraid to treat yourself. While being budget conscious is as important now as ever, considering that you will be forgoing traditional travel expenses such as flights and lodging, you most certainly can allow yourself to splurge on one ingredient which you will never use again or on a pay-per-view documentary.

• Get your friends involved. Travel is always more enjoyable with friends, and doing a staycation holds the same truth. While it is important to maintain social distance, consider inviting your friends to join you on a Zoom call as you explore virtual museums and cook from home, together.

• Travel around. There is no reason that your staycation has to be tied down to one spot. Consider allocating a day of the week to be reserved for a new destination. While this will require a bit more research than choosing one country, you will be able to maximize your staycation and fill up your “virtual passport” with new stamps.

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Jacob is a recent graduate from the University of California San Diego where he majored in Political Science and minored in Spanish Language Studies. He previously served as the News Editor for The UCSD Guardian, and hopes to shed light on social justice issues in his work.