Debbie and I recently wandered the halls he Getty Center in Los Angeles and found ourselves drawn into a fascinating exhibit: Travel in the Middle Ages. It reminded us that travel is as old as human curiosity itself—though the experience has changed dramatically over the centuries.
In medieval times, travel was arduous and often dangerous. Pilgrims trekked across Europe on foot or horseback, driven by faith, necessity, or the pursuit of knowledge. Merchants braved rough seas and uncertain roads to carry spices, silks, and stories between East and West. Maps were scarce, passports nonexistent, and the comforts we take for granted—air conditioning, reliable meals, even shoes that don’t blister—were luxuries few could imagine. Travel was less about leisure and more about survival, obligation, or religious devotion.
Standing in the exhibit, we couldn’t help but contrast those journeys with our own. Today, we book flights with a tap on a smartphone. Our passports open doors across continents, and instead of braving disease and brigands, we face the occasional flight delay or lost luggage. Where a medieval pilgrim might walk for months to reach Santiago de Compostela, we can board a plane in Los Angeles and arrive in Spain in less than a day.
Yet one thing remains the same: the transformative power of travel. Whether in the Middle Ages or the 21st century, to step beyond one’s home is to step into the unknown, to be changed by encounters with different people, landscapes, and cultures. Medieval travelers may not have had Instagram to document their journeys, but they returned with stories, relics, and wisdom that reshaped their communities—much as our travels do today.
The Getty’s exhibit reminded us that while the mechanics of travel have shifted—from horse and cart to jetliners and luxury cruises—the heart of travel endures. It’s about curiosity, courage, and connection across distance and difference. And that, perhaps, is the greatest journey of all
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