Netflix is releasing a new TV series dedicated to merchant-traveller Marco Polo, played by Italian actor Lorenzo Richelmy, and we thought this is the perfect excuse to celebrate this incredible Venetian on the anniversary of his death in 1324. There is no other Italian historical figure that has ever charmed me like Messer Polo. As a teenager, I read his travelogue “Il Milione” (translated in English as “Book of the Marvels of the World”) and watched devotedly the 1980s Marco Polo American-Italian miniseries starring Kenneth Marshall. No wonder I ended up studying Middle Eastern history and politics in Venice! I still find Marco Polo's account of his travels and experiences through Asia, Persia, China, and Indonesia between 1276 and 1291 so captivating. A passionate, modern, open-minded XIII century account of his encounter with distant, foreign cultures that can still teach us all a great lesson. As I went nostalgically on-line to buy the DVD collection of the '80s TV series, I kept wondering what would have Marco done if he could have run a travel blog, had a mobile phone and used GPS. I am sure he would have won many awards, followers, likes, pins, etc Finally, thank you so much for all the nominations for ITALY Magazine Blogger awards! We were amazed by the wonderful response we had and truly overwhelmed by the more than one thousand nominations we received! Stay tuned for the shortlist that will be announced on the 2nd of February and get ready to vote.