With an easy 35-minute drive to and from Salt Lake International Airport, skiers, boarders, and outdoor enthusiasts select Park City for their year-round destination. I considered this convenience when I contemplated where to ski in January 2020. Like many other ski areas in the western part of the United States, mining is part of the area’s history. Gold, silver, and other precious metals lured people to seek their fortune. A select few, like William Randolph Hearst, became millionaires.

To get acquainted with Tokyo’s history, with which I am unfamiliar, I started my journey at the city’s history museum, the Edo-Tokyo Museum. From the early 17th century until the mid 19th century, the Tokugawa shogunate ruled Japan from this city. By touring the permanent exhibit filled with artifacts and replicas, we learned about the 400 years of history from the Edo period to the present. 

Where in the United States can you visit the oldest continuously inhabited Native American community, a town square dating to the end of the 18th century, a world-renowned art community, and a world-class ski resort? Taos, New Mexico is the correct answer. While many people visit Northern New Mexico for its moderate climate and Rio Grande Valley scenery, history comes alive in Taos.

Did you know that there are sand dunes in the southern part of Colorado near the New Mexico border? This unique national park may be a bit off the beaten track, but it is definitely worth the drive.

When you only have time to visit one museum at a destination, how do you narrow down your choices to just one? Most major cities have a plethora of options. Sometimes, selecting an attraction ends up being decided by logistics. Zurich's National Museum satisfied both my interest in history and was conveniently located near the Zurich central train station. I continued with my history theme when I perused my options for dinner. I was able to find a restaurant with a notable history offering healthy food choices.

The capital of Bavaria, Munich, has a plethora of historical sites. However, time was not in our favor. Our first trip was limited to just a couple of days of touring. To sample Munich’s history, we relied on a friend and our private guide, Chaim Eytan, to show us around. Perhaps a future trip will provide more options. For the time being, here are 10 places where history comes alive in Munich.

When I first entered the stylish and graceful Hotel Belvedere in Locarno, Switzerland, I was unaware of the structure's history. A 2017 renovation instilled modernity into the hotel, so the historical value of the property was not readily apparent. My visit to this 4-star hotel, commanding lovely views of Lake Maggiore and the surrounding mountains, was made in conjunction with an early September Hiking in Style media trip to Switzerland. A tour of the hotel opened my eyes to the building's historical value and its incredible art collection.

It’s rare to find a town that has survived for centuries. Natural disasters, wars, and human intervention usually cause buildings to be destroyed and replaced by more modern structures. It is, however, possible to go back to medieval times by visiting a walled city between Frankfurt and Munich. Travelers to this region can see history come alive in Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

Our Celebrity cruise ship docked in Puerto Costa Maya for the day. Unlike many cruise ship passengers who simply headed to the beach for a few hours of leisure or browsed through the local shops, we arranged for a small group half-day tour using the Shore Excursions Group website. 

A two-night stay at the Belmond Hotel Monasterio in Cusco, in the aftermath of our journey to Machu Picchu, offered an exceptional opportunity to absorb the region’s history. Developers in the 1960s transformed this former 16th-century Spanish seminary, built on top of a grand Inca palace, into a hotel. In 1999, the Orient-Express Hotels (today the Belmond Hotel brand) started restoring the colonial Renaissance architecture.