Marco Polo

This passage is about the famous Italian traveler, Marco Polo.

Lexile Level: 1010L

Categories: History People & Places

Trips to the beach or the mountains are exciting, but how about a trip around the world to a distant country? That is even more exciting. Traveling by boat, far away from one's own country was unheard of in the 13th century. But that did not stop Marco Polo and his family when they traveled from Italy to China in 1266. Marco's father and uncle were wealthy traders, and they took Marco with them on their travels to China. Marco and his father met the Grand Khan Kublai in what is now known as Beijing, China. When Marco Polo returned to Italy, he wrote about his travels in a book titled "The Travels of Marco Polo." The book was a great success, and it influenced future explorers like Christopher Columbus. There are many legends about Marco Polo's influence on the rest of the world. It is believed that he introduced new products like ice cream and spaghetti pasta to Italy.