Traveller May 2014 | Page 5

Marco Polo has the unique distincation of being the first European to make a journey to Asia, and then also write a record of it. Thanks to his hit book, we can now see his route he went on.

First he went off from Venice, along with his father Niccolo and Maffolo. From here, Marco's birthtown, begins the journey to the Far East.

They then sail to Acre, in Isreal, and procced to go over land by camel and set off on boat to Hormuz. Here they wanted to go to China by boat, but the ships were not seaworthy and ultimatly took a boat off the island.

After leaving the island, they procceded to go overland to Shangdu, where Khan's Summer palace was. In total, the journey to Cathay (China) was 5600 miles!

After staying in China, the Polos found an excuse to leave China, they were

entrusted with a princess for which they had to deliver to Persia. They set off with 14 Junks (A type of boat) to Singapore, from which they went to Sumatra, an island in Indenosia. They then sailed to southren India, and then back to Hormuz via the Araban Sea.

From here, they left the princess and the crew, and travelled to Trabzon, in Turkey, and then returned to Venice.

The Journey