Marco Polo was nicknamed Il Milione (The Million). Some say it was because he told a million stories; others believe it refers to a corrupted version of his family’s minor noble name, Emilione . Regardless, the alley and small courtyard bearing that name sits in the eastern part of Venice, near the Rialto Bridge and the church of San Giovanni Crisostomo.

Wait— del Milion ? That’s the key.

When you hear the name Marco Polo, your mind likely jumps to the Silk Road, Kublai Khan’s court, or fantastical tales of rubies and rhinos. But before he became history’s most famous overland traveler, he was just a boy in a crowded, water-logged city. Most people know Marco Polo was "from Venice." But few realize the specific sestiere (neighborhood) where he was born—and how that tiny corner of the world forged an explorer who would change cartography forever.