Venice, the beginning and the end for one of history's most famous travelers. The Serenissima witnessed the birth of Marco Polo in 1254 and his death in 1324, exactly 700 years ago. Born into a family of merchants, with a passion for travel in his veins, he set eyes on the Far East at the tender age of fifteen and never stopped journeying from there. He spent 25 years in China. Quickly learning the local language and customs, probably already accustomed to Venice's multicultural environment and eager to broaden his horizons, he undertook administrative and diplomatic roles. He was so esteemed for his intelligence that the ruler, the Great Khan, bestowed upon him the title of "messere," making him a personal advisor and ambassador to all the peoples of the Empire. Thus, he traveled to India, Burma, Tibet...
But as adventure is a constant in an explorer's life, so is the return. Not only a home but also a business hub, Venice and his family's commercial enterprise were the destinations for the fortune he amassed during his travels. His homeland was more than just a place of affection; for Venice, Marco Polo took up arms against the Genoese in one of the many battles that animated the Mediterranean at the time. Imprisoned for over a year following the defeat, he did not let the monotony and conditions of the prison discourage him and began dictating to a Tuscan writer, Rustichello da Pisa, the first lines of his masterpiece. The book "Il Milione" took time to transition from a fantasy novel to being considered the first reliable and comprehensive account of the East and the first work to have contributed to mutual knowledge between Asia and Europe.
In honor of this world-renowned Venetian traveler and medieval Ulysses, protagonist of the greatness of the Republic of Venice, the city has dedicated a year of widespread events on the 700th anniversary of his passing to continue writing the pages of an unfinished story. Marco Polo's is the first name a tourist reads upon arriving in the Venetian capital, which has even named its airport after him, a place of travel tied to the quintessential traveler. And what better occasion to toast with a glass of Prosecco Doc, Venice's official sparkling wine, which expresses all the aromas of the traveler's beloved land and will be present at all official events. For the occasion, the Consorzio Prosecco Doc has created a commemorative label to honor the great adventurer. A blend of history, emotions, and aromas still to be discovered and imagined, because, as Marco Polo wrote in his "Milione": "I have not told half of what I saw."
