A family exploring the historic Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia. Photo / supplied
Sara Bunny looks at some of the less conventional ways to take a history lesson.
While iconic landmarks and scenic vistas will always have their place, sometimes the most impactful travel experiences come from the less salubrious sides of a city. From the eerie to the harrowing, here are some of the world's most unforgettable prison tours, where local guides and even ex-prisoners help to bring the history to life.
Best known as the compound where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for 18 years, Robben Island is now a Unesco World heritage site. A 40-minute ferry ride from Cape Town, the sombre stone cell blocks, guard towers and concrete exercise yards are every inch what you would expect from a maximum security jail, but here, the guides are more knowledgeable about prison life than most.
Every tour guide at Robben Island was once an inmate, imprisoned for their role in the anti-apartheid movement. The 2.5-hour tour includes a range of insider anecdotes, and takes in Mandela's former cell, the quarry where inmates were put to work, and the site of the island's former leper colony.
Designed to look as fearsome as possible to deter potential crims, Philadelphia's historic prison is like something out of the set of a horror film. The sprawling stone fortress, built in 1829, features medieval castle-style towers, endless corridors of vaulted ceilings, and dingy, crumbling cells. Known for its inhumane isolation methods and most famous prisoner (Al Capone), it's now a major tourist attraction right in the centre of the city.
As well as audio tours, visitors can book in-depth weekend tours with local historians, which not only explore the prison and its checkered past, but also delve into broader aspects of criminal justice reform. Night tours are also on offer, while the prison's sinister grounds are a popular spot for ghost hunters.
A former high school turned Khmer Rouge torture centre, the atmosphere at Tuol Sleng is heavy with the unfathomable horrors that took place within the grounds. Join a local guide (or take the audio-assisted option) for a walk along the halls, where it's impossible not to be moved by the rows of victims' photos that lock eyes with visitors, and the stories of the city's tragic 1975 takeover.
Continue the tour with a trip to Choeung Ek, the largest of the country's many killing fields, where up to 20,000 were executed. On this harrowing patch of ground, fragments of bone and clothing still regularly rise to the surface from mass graves, and more than 8000 skulls are arranged in the memorial pagoda at the centre of the site. Confronting, heartbreaking and certainly not suitable for kids, these tours are a stark reminder of the dark recent history that continues to impact modern-day Cambodia.
Utilised as a prison right up until 2004, Spike Island takes in 1300 years of Irish history. From its earliest days as a 7th Century monastery to the world's largest convict depot during Victorian times, these days the island is known for its vast star-shaped fortress, the 200-year-old Fort Mitchel.
A scenic 15-minute ferry ride from the Cobh township, guided tours include a wealth of local trivia and a look at the island's military forts, freaky tunnel networks and the sinister "Punishment Block", where inmates were chained to the wall in the dark. An augmented reality app is available to add an extra dimension to the tour, and nighttime visits are also on offer. Bring your walking shoes as the sizeable island also includes several nature trails with stunning views over the harbour.
On one hand, it's a scenic harbour, on the other, the vast Port Arthur Historic Site is home to fascinatingly grim landmarks including an 1830's penitentiary lined with solitary cells, the notorious "Separate Prison" used for higher-level punishments, and the unconsecrated convict church. Once known as Australia's toughest prison, Port Arthur was thought to have the strictest security measures in the British penal system, making the area rich with incredible tales.
Visitors can choose from a range of guided experiences including the 90-minute Commandant's Tour, the after-dark Ghost Tour, the Wheel of Fate Tour for in-depth convict stories and a look at behind-the-scenes areas, and the Isle of the Dead Tour, which sheds some light on the more than 1000 convicts buried on the site in mostly unmarked graves.
Perhaps the world's most well-known prison, Alcatraz is a tiny island with a huge reputation. Once home to infamous inmates including Machine Gun Kelly and the "Birdman of Alcatraz", the former maximum security compound includes a bleak 13-storey cell house, a lighthouse, military forts and the ruins of the warden's mansion.
Visitors can choose from a range of experiences including short self-guided audio tours, guide-led day and night tours, and in-depth experiences for the Alcatraz buffs. The "Behind the Scenes Tour" is a top choice for history fans, and includes up to 5 hours of prison trivia and a look at some of the lesser-known areas including the prison hospital and chapel, and a hidden underground jail. Whatever you choose, it's essential to book well in advance.