With google maps/google earth moving into 'street view' in Italy, you may like to see what the tourists are wearing, the points of interest etc. Or in my case, that there are two bars, a frutta e vedura, a trattoria and a macelleria, all within a few metres of next years' appartment in Rome.
Posted by
Ohio Valley, USA
123 posts
This is the coolest thing ever:)
Posted by
omaha, ne, usa
35 posts
I have missed how to get on or go to this site. It sounds great. How do I get there?
Posted by
OP
Wodonga, Australia
440 posts
Sue, just use Google maps and zoom to Roma, or similarly with Google Earth. Click on Street View on maps and on Earth, the tab on the menu on the left of the page. Happy viewing.
Posted by
Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA
606 posts
Yes, it's rather amazing to be able to zoom in on your upcoming hotel and read the sign on the door, see what businesses are next door, "stroll" around the neighborhood and get used to things there, months before you're actually going.
But they can't drive their cameras around in pedestrian areas (making most of the good stuff in Italy off-limits to Street View), and I wonder how often they will update it. In a couple of years we may be looking at 3-year-old photos. Since they're still working to get new places online, it may be years before they update the photos of things already made available.
Oh well, I'm already complaining that it's not good enough. Typical of me!
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
7737 posts
That really is amazing, isn't it? I see that they even went down the little side streets in Rome that are more like alleys. It was fun to look around some of the places that we visited last May. I see that they've only done a few of the larger cities in Italy. I wonder if they plan to do everyplace eventually. And what will they do with Venice? Take the cameras around on a gondola? :-)
Posted by
OP
Wodonga, Australia
440 posts
Michael, I can only presume that since even the tiny towns in Australia have been 'done', More Italian cities will be added. The Florentine piazzas were interesting. Read also what Mr Google is doing to re-create ancient Rome on google earth. Clever boffins are slaving away in their attics.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
7737 posts
The more I think about this, and considering that I've seen the setup they use (a pole mounted on a car with 360 degree cameras mounted on it about 12 feet high), I don't think there's any way they'll be able to do Venice other than the Grand Canal. No cars allowed in Venice and the side canals have bridges that are much too low for the cameras.
Still, a virtual tour down the GC would be awesome.
Posted by
OP
Wodonga, Australia
440 posts
Michael, if birds were trained to 'work' during WW1 (and did you know that some even received bravery medals?), perhaps they can do Venice for you. Little hill towns would be interesting too...all of those stairs. Don't forget to check out the new Virtual Rome tool on Google Earth.