About Roaming Historian

History + Travel=The Best Adventures

Travel for Curious Minds

Roaming Historian is a travel blog for curious explorers who want to experience the world through history, culture, and meaning experiences. If you love travel but also want to understand why a place matters, you’re in the right place.

Here you’ll find the stories behind the sites, destination guides, travel tips, and honest recommendations that blend history, culture, and practical advice—so you can plan trips that are both enriching and unforgettable.

Who Is Behind Roaming Historian?

Hi, I’m Amy, the historian and traveler behind Roaming Historian.

I’m a professionally trained historian (Ph.D.) with a lifelong passion for travel, museums, and historic places. Over the years, I’ve explored cities, archaeological sites, churches, museums, and cultural landmarks across Europe, the Americas, and beyond—always with one goal in mind: to understand the stories behind the places we visit. When I’m not roaming, I am a Professor of History and sharing my passion for history with college students.

Roaming Historian was created to bridge the gap between traditional travel blogs and academic history. You don’t need a degree to appreciate the past—you just need curiosity and the right guide.

What You’ll Find Here

Roaming Historian is designed to help you travel smarter and deeper. On the site, you’ll find:

• Destination guides rooted in history and culture
• Practical travel tips that save time, money, and stress
• Museum and monument guides so you know what to see (and what to skip)
• Honest tour and experience recommendations from providers I trust
• Historical context that brings places to life—not dry dates or textbooks

Everything is written for real travelers.

Why Travel With a Historian?

Seeing a place is one thing. Understanding it is another.

History adds depth to travel—it explains why cities look the way they do, why traditions exist, and why certain sites matter. My goal is to help you experience destinations with that extra layer of meaning, whether you’re walking through ancient ruins, visiting a cathedral, or exploring a modern city shaped by centuries of change.

You don’t need to rush. You don’t need to see everything. You just need to know what matters most to you.

How I Choose Recommendations & Affiliate Links

Some links on Roaming Historian are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you—if you book through them. In fact, you may earn a small discount on some of my links.

I only recommend:

• Tours I’ve taken myself or thoroughly researched
• Companies with strong reputations and clear value
• Experiences that genuinely enhance a trip

Affiliate links help support Roaming Historian and allow me to keep creating in-depth, independent content—while helping you book with confidence.

Who This Site Is For

Roaming Historian is for travelers who:

• Love culture, history, and storytelling
• Want thoughtful travel advice, not clickbait
• Prefer quality experiences over rushing through checklists
• Appreciate honest, experience-based recommendations

If that sounds like you, welcome—you’re among friends.

Start Exploring

Ready to plan your next trip?

• Explore destination guides (they’re divided by place under “must-visit destinations“
• Browse travel tips
• Discover recommended tours & experiences (you can find broad recommendations on the pages for each continent/area or specific recommendations under each blog; use the menu bar to navigate or the search feature on my home page)

And if you’re curious about the stories behind the places you visit, you’re already exactly where you should be.

Expertise

• Degrees: BA, MA, PhD (focused on history)
• Website Views: almost a million impressions monthly with thousands of unique views.
• Social Media Presence: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter (X), YouTube, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. Tens of thousands of followers across the platforms.
• Amy has won many awards for academic excellence over her career. She sits on numerous boards and committees related to history and, some, related to international travel. She’s given over 60 scholarly presentations around the United States and has appeared on television and radio over 60 times. Additionally, she has published and taught academic history for over 20 years.
• Amy loves sharing history stories in informal ways. YouTube gives her the opportunity to do so. Here is my channel: https://www.youtube.com/roaminghistorian
• A clip from a documentary, Settling In: Immigrants and Cultures that Built Mid-Michigan, where Amy was a guest scholar and consultant.
• Amy as a panelist on a television show where she was a frequent guest expert for years, Currently Speaking, where we interviewed Rolling Stone journalist and author, Matt Taibbi.
• Amy is the narrator and frequent content creator for, Historia, a program that airs twice weekly on a local Public Broadcasting/NPR affiliate radio station, FM 90.1, in Michigan. Here is one of her stories for Historia; this tale is about Edith Flagg, beloved fashion industry icon (she brought polyester to the US!) and member of the Dutch Resistance during WWII.

Elevate Your Hotel’s Narrative: Partner with Amy French, Ph.D. – Your Premier Historical Consultant

Roaming Historian also offers historical consulting services for hotels and historic tourist venues. See my page on “History Consulting” to learn more: https://roaminghistorian.com/history-consulting-hotels/

Amy French, Ph.D., is the voice behind Roaming Historian. A professional historian and seasoned traveler, she shares stories that blend history and travel to give readers a deeper understanding of the places they explore.

Email us at: roaminghistorian@gmail.com.

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