Campidoglio in Rome, Michelangelo's Staircase
Read About Can't Miss Places

Travel Guides and Tips

Amy French the Roaming Historian

**List continually updated 2026

Welcome to my collection of travel guides, itineraries, and practical travel tips! I’m Amy French, Ph.D., a history professor and travel writer. My husband, Jon, and I spend several months each year traveling throughout Europe and the Americas, exploring historic sites, museums, cities, and cultural landmarks.

Our travels inform the guides I create, which combine firsthand experience, historical context, and practical advice to help you plan your own trips. Whether you’re deciding which attractions to visit, figuring out transportation, choosing a tour, or preparing for a cruise port, you’ll find resources here to help you make informed decisions and get more out of your travels. Browse the guides below by destination or topic, or visit my dedicated travel-planning pages to get started with your next adventure.

I love hearing about my readers’ travels, too! Sharing our experiences is part of what makes roaming so rewarding. Leave a comment, follow Roaming Historian on Facebook, or join my Italy Travel Tips, Planning, and Inspiration Facebook group to keep in touch and connect with fellow travelers. Happy travels! —Amy

On this page

Travel Planning Resources

Whether you want to explore the world’s greatest museums or find ways to stretch your budget without sacrificing cultural experiences, these pages cover the essentials of smart, cultural travel.

Europe Travel Guides

Jon and I spend over two months exploring Europe every year. These guides blend my research and experience with the practical realities of navigating Europe’s most iconic cities.

England

France

Greece

Italy

Amalfi Coast

Florence

Florence Churches

Florence Landmarks & Palaces

Florence Museums

Florence Culture, Outdoors, Shopping

Florence Food

Milan

Tuscany—other than Florence

Rome

Rome Landmarks/Museums/Outdoors

Rome Churches/Vatican

Rome Things to Do

Rome Food/Other

Venice

Sicily

Spain

Turkey

The Americas Guides

From the Freedom Trail in Boston to the Mayan pyramids in Mexico, North and Central America are packed with fascinating historical sites. Here is how to explore the cultural heritage of the Americas with a historian’s eye.

Atlanta

Boston

Caribbean

Chicago

D.C.

Detroit

Hawaii

Honduras

Mexico

Michigan Locales

Montreal

New York

Philadelphia

San Francisco

Toronto

Cruising Travel Guides

Cruising offers a fantastic way to experience multiple historic ports in a single trip. From transatlantic crossings to the Caribbean, here are my some of my top recommendations for making the most of your time both on the ship and on shore. Please also see my port guides under their individual country or regional grouping.

Travel Tips

Travel is rarely effortless, but good preparation makes all the difference. From packing for two-and-a-half months in just a carry-on to avoiding common tourist scams, these are the strategies I use to keep our trips running smoothly.

Popular Travel Planning Guides

Tours, Tickets, and Experiences Tips

Tips for Booking Popular Tickets and Tours

Flying/Transportation Tips

Hotels, Short-Term Rentals, and Other Lodging Tips

General Tips, Food, & Culture

Money/Insurance Tips

Packing Tips

Technology and Travel App Tips

Accessible Travel/Mobility-Challenged Travel Tips

Italy Tips

Italy Planning

Top Tickets in Italy

Transportation in Italy

Italian Food/Culture

About the author: I’m Amy French, Ph.D., a history professor, seasoned traveler, and the voice behind Roaming Historian. My husband, Jon, and I spend several months each year traveling the Americas and Europe…exclusively with carry-on luggage. I share stories that blend history and travel to give my readers a deeper understanding of the places they explore.

Affiliate Disclosure

Roaming Historian may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through affiliate links. This comes at no additional cost to you (sometimes you may even find a savings promotional code) and helps support the research and storytelling that go into every article. All opinions are always my own. I sincerely appreciate you helping Roaming Historian out by using my affiliate links. Happy travels! Amy

Should I Get Travel Insurance?

Yes! It is a worthy expense to protect a much larger investment. We use Travel Insurance dot com to protect our vacations. This awesome travel site provides quotes from numerous travel insurance agencies and allows you to purchase them with no added increase to you: https://www.travelinsurance.com/?utm_source=pap&a_aid=65590b3a60c44

Travel Insurance dot com, affordable travel insurance

Looking for an Easy Way to Book Transportation in Europe?

Omio is a convenient option for travelers who want to compare and book trains, buses, and flights across Europe in one place. Instead of navigating multiple transportation websites, you can compare routes, schedules, prices, and travel options through one platform and book with a credit card in your own currency, including U.S. and Canadian dollars. Omio also has English customer support with 24/7 service, digital tickets, and real-time transit disruption alerts. Compare transportation options with Omio: https://omio.sjv.io/PzgOVY

Fabulous Tours, Tickets, and Experiences

I firmly believe that a knowledgeable guide is the best way to bring history to life. These are the trusted tour companies Jon and I personally use to get deeper context and skip the massive lines at major historic sites.

Tours, Tickets, & Experiences: Viator and GetYourGuide

If you’re planning tours, attraction tickets, or local experiences during your trip, Viator and Get Your Guide are two of the most widely used platforms for discovering and booking activities around the world. Both allow travelers to compare itineraries, prices, reviews, and ratings for thousands of experiences ranging from guided historical tours and museum tickets to day trips and unique local activities. Many listings on both platforms include free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance, which adds flexibility when travel plans change. Pro tip: because these platforms host experiences from many different tour operators, always check recent reviews and overall ratings before booking to ensure a high-quality experience.

Browse tours and experiences here:
Viator: https://www.viator.com/?pid=P00161535&mcid=42383&medium=link&medium_version=selector
GetYourGuide: https://www.getyourguide.com/?partner_id=CMSFGKK&utm_medium=online_publisher

A Favorite European Tour Partner: LivTours

LivTours is a boutique, family-owned company specializing in high-quality, semi-private (maximum 6 people) and private tours, primarily in Italy, as well as Spain, France, England, Austria, and other parts of Europe. They are highly regarded for skip-the-line access to major sites, expert, English-speaking local guides, and curated, immersive experiences designed to avoid “cookie-cutter” travel. And LivTours offers Roaming Historian readers 10% off two or more tours! Save on your next favorite European memory by using our coupon code “AMYRH10.” We highly recommend this company; they offer topnotch tours, tickets, and experiences and you can save money with Roaming Historian! Book with LivTours here: https://livtours.com?af_code=E1DDN61

Liv Tours Tours Save Money with Roaming Historian, Europe Tours, Italy Tours

Fabulous European Tours from The Tour Guy

The Tour Guy has been offering amazing small group tours in Italy and the rest of Europe for quite some time; in fact, we’ve been taking their tours for so long that they were just The Roman Guy when we started with them. They find the best local experiences and offer them in private or small groups (about 15 people or fewer). They are known for providing unique, behind-the-scenes access to major landmarks like the Vatican and Louvre, often including all entry fees, taxes, and expert guides, making them a reliable choice for curated, stress-free sightseeing. Book with The Tour Guy here: https://tidd.ly/3J78sNi

Going on a Cruise? Try Shore Excursions Group

If you’re visiting ports during a cruise, Shore Excursions Group is a reliable alternative to booking excursions through the cruise line. Their tours are often smaller, more affordable (sometimes up to 40% less than ship excursions), and led by knowledgeable local guides. They offer carefully designed shore excursions in ports around the world. Even better, they provide a guaranteed on-time return to the ship, giving cruisers peace of mind when exploring independently. Just plug in your cruise ship and sail date and your ports will automatically populate, so you can browse excursions for your cruise ports here:
https://www.shoreexcursionsgroup.com/?id=1634209&data=roaminghistorian@gmail.com

Cruise Better with Shore Excursions Group

Flights, Accommodations, Car Rentals, & More

Where you stay shapes your entire travel experience. For competitive pricing and flexible options, we recommend using Expedia, Hotels.com, and VRBO. Expedia makes it easy to bundle flights, hotels, and car rentals in one place. Hotels.com is ideal for comparing hotels, straightforward hotel bookings, and rewarding frequent travelers with free nights. VRBO is perfect for families, longer stays, or travelers who prefer private homes and unique accommodations over traditional hotels. Start comparing options here:

Expedia (flights, hotels, car rentals, and vacation packages): https://expedia.com/affiliate/p7ZcFsz
Hotels.com (book hotels globally and earn free nights through their rewards program): https://www.hotels.com/affiliate/rdDAFaG
VRBO (private homes and unique stays ideal for families and longer trips): https://vrbo.com/affiliate/KvF3nms

Traveling Soon? Trusted Tour & Travel Partners

Planning your trip? Here are our trusted travel partners — thoughtfully chosen for quality, reliability, and exceptional experiences.

Follow me on my social media channels

Leave a Reply