Tourism in the Middle Ages was vastly different from modern leisure travel but certainly existed in the form of religious pilgrimages. While people didn't typically travel to "relax on a beach," they embarked on journeys across Europe and the Middle East to visit holy sites and relics. Cities like Rome, Jerusalem, and Santiago de Compostela were major destinations supported by a sophisticated network of accommodations, hospices, and even specialized tour guides. The journey was often arduous and motivated by spiritual devotion, yet it shared many traits with modern tourism, such as the sale of "souvenirs" (often lead badges) and the creation of guidebooks like the Mirabilia Urbis Romae. Literature like Chaucer's Canterbury Tales provides a window into the diverse social groups that would travel together for safety and company. While cultural "Grand Tours" for education didn't become common until the 1600s, the medieval pilgrim was effectively the first international tourist, moving through established routes and contributing to a thriving "hospitality" economy along the way.