Want to experience Rome as the ancient Romans did? Google Earth offers the closest possible thing - a virtual tour of ancient Rome.

With global environmental concerns at an all time high and a global economy in collapse, there are plenty of good reasons for the rise of virtual travel. It’s not the same as actually going somewhere new but armchair travellers can live vicariously by reading travel books and articles - and, of course, blogs - and watching good travel programming on TV.

Google Earth - which lets you see detailed maps of everywhere on the globe and actual street view of a surprising high number - has long been a friend to travellers. I’ve previously used the tool to take a look at places I’m planning to go and check out places I’ve been. I’ve found it can tell me interesting things about a city from the layout of an ancient fort in Tunisia to the extent of tree cover in my native Sydney versus my current home of London.

Yet virtual travel has always been second best to actual travel - until now. Google has made it possible to do something that you can’t do in real life - go back in time to ancient Rome. You can use Google Earth to see the Colosseum or Circus Maximus in their full glory - gazing on marble floors that no longer exist, and reading the inscriptions. You don’t need a passport or plane ticket or even a TARDIS.

Of course, modern Rome is absolutely a cool city that should rate high on the list of any traveller in real life. But I’m keen to try this too and I’ll report back when I do.

It’s also got me thinking - where and else should Google Earth replicate the Rome project? Perhaps medieval London or the Cambodia of the Khmer kingdoms?

Have you ever used Google Earth to enhance your travel? Have you tried the Google Earth tour of ancient Rome? What should Google do next?