- *Tropic of Taurus: A Novel of the Mediterranean in the Fifteenth Century* (1995)
- *The Golden Peacock* (1998)
- *The Green Tree: A Novel of the Mediterranean in the Renaissance* (2000)
- *The Snake Stone: A Novel of Crete* (2003)
- *The Aegean Chronicles* (2005)
- *The Garden of Eden: A Novel of the Middle East* (2008)
- *The House of Wisdom: A Novel of the Arab Enlightenment* (2010)
- *The Sultan's Daughter: A Novel of the Ottoman Empire* (2013)
- *The Last Templar: A Novel of the Crusades* (2015)
- *The Venetian Promise: A Novel of Renaissance Venice* (2017)
Short stories
- "The Fisherman's Wife" (1992)
- "The Red Dress" (1993)
- "The Olive Grove" (1994)
- "The Snake Charmer" (1995)
- "The Pomegranate Tree" (1996)
- "The Water Seller" (1997)
- "The Carpet Weaver" (1998)
- "The Storyteller" (1999)
- "The Musician" (2000)
- "The Dancer" (2001)
Essays and articles
- "Mediterranean Crossroads: A Traveler's View of the Mediterranean in the Fifteenth Century" (1995)
- "The Golden Age of the Mediterranean" (1998)
- "Ottoman Splendour: Turkey's Architectural Legacy" (2003)
- "In Search of the Garden of Eden" (2008)
- "Arab Enlightenment: Islam and Science" (2010)
- "Mediterranean Flavours: A Culinary Journey through the Mediterranean" (2012)
- "Venice: City of Dreams" (2017)