Dark Tourism: Morbid curiosity or a window into our shared history?

Mention the phrase dark tourism and you'll usually get one of two reactions.

Some people recoil, imagining an unhealthy fascination with death and disaster.

Others immediately begin listing the places they've always wanted to visit. Transylvania. Salem. Bran Castle. Whitby Abbey. The Paris Catacombs. Edinburgh's underground vaults.

But dark tourism isn't simply about seeking out the macabre.

At its best, it's about understanding the stories that shaped the places we visit.