10 Easy Ways to Make Your Home Feel Like a Far-Off Destination

Turn your vacation into a staycation by discovering your green thumb. The demand for online plant delivery is growing, and companies like Bloomscape and The Sill are making plant shopping quick and contact-free. Plants can boost oxygen levels, remove toxins from the air, and improve your overall mood, making them the perfect quarantine companions. From towering bamboo palms found in the forests of Mexico to the adorable bromeliad pineapple plant from South America, Bloomscape has a tropical collection that will reduce your stress and boost your mood.

Get inspired to start your own indoor jungle and follow our favorite “plant kween,” Christopher Griffin, on Instagram. To borrow a phrase from Griffin’s IGTV, you’ll be “bubbling with that good botanical energy, darling!”

It’s no secret that independently-owned restaurants are struggling during the COVID-19 crisis. Do your part to support local business while scratching your itch for foreign cuisine by ordering from a local restaurant that specializes in international dishes. Greek spanakopita, French ratatouille, or an evening topped off with some Italian gelato—create an internationally-inspired menu that represents the place you’re yearning to visit most. Trust us, we guarantee it will be more satisfying than your tired TV dinners.

Bring wine country to your front door with the help of an Italian vineyard. The enchanting region of Tuscany is home to some of the best wineries in the world. From charming villages to rolling hills, the region is magnificent down to every last vine. Bring a taste of Italy to your home by signing up for an authentic Tuscan wine delivery along with a virtual tour. When you book a tour package to Paradiso di Cacuci’s vineyard through the tour company Italy Unfiltered, you’re in for a vino vacation from home. You’ll earn bottles of the Paradiso di Cacuci’s robust wines while also gaining access to a virtual wine tour and tickets to visit in-person through Dec. 31, 2021.

For a variety of rare and unique wines, Italian Vini has an overwhelming amount of options to fill your social distancing needs. The online wine seller has more than 80 selections, with labels hailing from the Abruzzo and Chianti regions

It’s the changing of the guard, and we’re siding with the Brits. We know telling Americans to trade their daily coffee for tea may sound mad. (Call us delusional, but we’re five months into a cabin fever and the past need not apply.) Coffee may be your lifeline to get you through those Zoom meetings, but we can’t undercut the caffeine-rich tea leaves. Whip out your best kettle and spend your midday break with a sumptuous spot of tea. If you’re looking for an authentic English company, Good & Proper’s flavorful teas will add a dash of royalty into your daily routine.

Nothing says “whimsical” like an abounding garden. Take a note from Marie Antoinette and create a gorgeous garden in your own backyard. Score Château de Versailles-worthy blooms from an online flower delivery service like Burpee to take your budding hobby to a lush new level. Terrain: Ideas and Inspiration for Decorating the Home and Garden is the ideal book for beginners looking to incorporate nature through inspirational projects for every season. A floral coffee table book you can actually use? Groundbreaking.

One of Spain’s most singular traits is its commitment to relaxation. A siesta, the Spaniard’s revolutionary way of making naps matter, is expected when visiting the country. Shops and local businesses shut their doors, while the city embraces two to three hours of rest. For Americans who might have had their share of the sad desk salad, the siesta may sound impossible, but Spain is on to something. According to the National Sleep Foundation, a 20- or 30-minute nap can enhance your performance and mood. Make your snooze stylish with this silky out-of-office sleep mask from Slip.

From breakouts to aging, stress can wreak havoc on your skin. We’re well aware that a global pandemic can bring on a level of anxiety that feels near-apocalyptic. Thankfully, there are plenty of skin-saving products to restore your natural glow!

If you’re looking for a brand that is both impressive and affordable, Alchimie Forever is a Swiss skincare brand to add to your regimen. Dr. Luigi L. Polla, a well-known dermatologist in Switzerland, used decades of experience to create formulations to promote anti-aging properties and nourish all types of skin, especially sensitive. Co-created and led by his daughter and CEO, Ada Polla, Alchimie Forever is now carried in spas and Walgreens locations around the U.S. Try the Kantic Brightening Moisture Mask, made from ingredients like European blueberries and pansies, for an at-home glow.

If you had to say auf wiedersehen to your Austrian vacation, add a little Wolfgang Mozart to your daily playlist. Spotify’s “Classical Essentials” playlist is a great starting point for your auditory trip abroad and features classical tunes from musical virtuosos from around the globe. Studies show that classical music can exercise parts of your brain, alter emotions, and assist in relaxation. Whether you’re wishing you were in Salzburg or just wanting to improve your focus, a classical playlist could greatly impact your current routine.

As we ease into quotidian routines from home, it’s hard to not find yourself a little restless to get outside. Books are a fantastic way to recess from the present moment and find yourself in an entirely different world. Imagine your bookshelf is an airplane, and you’re just the reader along for the ride. Wanting to escape to a far-off island? We know the feeling. Scorpionfish, the latest release by award-winning author Natalie Bakapoulos, will transport readers to the stunning and historical city of Athens with a magnetizing story of love, loss, and self-identity. A literary escape to Greece sounds like one safe and serene rendezvous.

Europe may not be home, but you can dream, right? Homesick candles spark memories of your favorite sights through scent. Mexico, India, France, and the United Kingdom are a few of the many countries you can flee to by candlelight. Light a match and sniff as the scents of Parisian croissants and cafe au lait waft through your home with sweet notes of vanilla, butter, lavender, and musk.