Tuscany Dive is a free virtual reality demo mobile app that allows you to explore the beauty of Tuscany, Italy. Developed by FabulousPixel, this VR utility program offers a 3D rendition of the lush landscapes of the Italian region. Fully explorable with a supported controller, you can use Durovis Dive VR cardboard set or VR glasses set to start your tour. Take note, however, that the whole demo was designed for the Oculus SDK and is originally meant to use more computing power than what the average smartphone can handle. You should expect some framerate dropping at times, especially during animations.

A day in Tuscany

Virtual spaces are pretty commonplace with the popularity of VR headsets and cheap cardboard glasses that can be used for simple VR libraries. Unlike VR games, wherein you’ll be needing more high-end gear to play properly, there exist various VR tour programs that don’t need expensive gadgets. Whether they’re for educational purposes or simply a fun and relaxing place to be at, virtual reality spaces are meant to immerse you in its content. In Tuscany Dive, you can easily look around in full 360° with its head-tracking feature. 

The demo is optimized for the OpenDive or Dive glasses from Durovis and you can use both a controller of your choice and headphones in order to get the full experience—hand controllers allowing you to interact with objects. If you don’t have a Durovis Dive headset, however, the demo still works for Google Cardboard. Plus, there’s a built-in control for auto-walking: just look on the ground where a symbol of footprints are at to activate the auto-walk and then look at it again to deactivate. 

Provided by Oculus, you can expect a realistic 3D environment that depicts the beauty of Tuscany. From the lavish brick houses with gorgeous views of the provincial landscape to the homey gardens with sunflowers and a trickling fountain, Tuscany Dive induces a relaxing atmosphere with its ambient sound and lighting effects. Since it’s just a demo, though, the explorable space is restricted to one residential lot. Nevertheless, it’s a great place to relax in.