Medieval tourist

Travels through real and fantastical places of the Middle Ages

Whether medieval travellers set out on their journeys for religious, commercial, diplomatic, or military reasons, they were always searching for the same information we look for today: where to find a good meal and a place to sleep (Don't go here, this lodging is terribly flea-ridden!), how much to pay (What's the exchange rate between Czech ducats and Venetian groschen?), what to use for remedies in a foreign land (For seasickness, try a chervil concentrate and quince.), and how to avoid being swindled (In Venice, watch out for fake guides!).

Medievalist Anthony Bale pieces together an unusual picture of the Middle Ages from various period travel documents: it is a world full of movement and incredible destinations with a surprisingly developed tourist infrastructure. The diverse journeys to Rome, Beijing, Jerusalem, the bazaars of Tabriz, and other exotic locations humorously illustrate how medieval Europeans—often incorrectly—understood the wider world (and conversely, how Europe appeared to visitors from afar).