Matera is all about caves and grottoes. There were many natural caves that were expanded to be used as dwellings and churches, and other man-made grottoes as well.

We enter a fascinating church carved right into the rock: the Church of the Madonna di Idris. There are some surprising discoveries awaiting us.

We see the inside of house built into the rock. It is fascinating to learn how families coped with the problems of water, humidity, and cramped quarters.

Living conditions were so different at the time of the cave dwellings. Imagine having a mule and rabbits running around the house! The government eventually put a stop to this type of dwelling, and much was gained, but much was lost. On the other hand, people had to live somewhere. The Civita, the oldest part of Matera, filled up quickly around the imposing cathedral, and there was no more room for building houses.

In Matera, various epochs shake hands, as Alberto Angela put it. Matera continues to amaze us with what's hidden underneath the piazza of the Baroque quarter: Il Piano.

There is more to tell about the incredible, huge cistern in the center of Matera. With this, the episode concludes, with an invitation to join in the next journey of discovery.

We're in the south of Italy, where many cultures have merged. Alberto Angela takes us to visit the magnificent Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, Sicily.

The temple dedicated to Concordia was built on an ancient seabed from two million years ago, and is one of the most remarkable structures from the Greek world. Alberto Angela explains why it is the only one still standing.

Alberto Angela talks about how Akragas came to be, how its name changed over time, and about what information has been obtained from archeological digs.

Alberto Angela shows us how the Greek Temple of Zeus was built to be seen from great distances.

Although we don't know their function, the Telamons, gigantic statues alternating with the semi-columns of the Temple of Jupiter, were as high as a six-story building. A reconstruction of the temple in the Pietro Griffo Regional Archeological Museum allows us to imagine just how imposing they must have been.

The Ephebe of Agrigento is considered to be one of the masterpieces of Greek sculpture of the fifth century BC in Sicily. It is held in the Regional Archeological Museum of Agrigento, in which we also find a Roman sarcophagus in marble from the second century AD with scenes depicting the life of a child who died at an early age.

We say goodbye to Agrigento's Valley of the Temples and get a close look at the awesome Riace Bronzes in Reggio Calabria. The two life-size Greek bronzes date to the 5th century BC and were discovered off Riace by a scuba diver in 1972.

The first stop is Italy's easternmost point, the Punta Palascìa and its 19th century lighthouse. Alberto Angela then shows us another site in the Apulia region, Castel del Monte, a breathtaking crown-shaped castle built by Frederick II in the early 1200s.

Wonderful aerial photography shows Castel del Monte and its crown-like octagonal shape. Frederick II was particularly fond of the castle because it was an ideal location to hunt small game with his falcons.