Amalfi's cathedral is one of the best known and most interesting buildings of the entire Amalfi coast. Alberto Angela points out some elements that have clear links to cultures far away, geographically, and in time.

Let's find out why this church or cathedral was dedicated to Saint Andrew — Sant'Andrea. The structure had collapsed in the nineteenth century and was rebuilt, but the doors, with their bronze door knockers, are original.

During its brief period of dominion, Almafi made its mark with the Amalfi Tables — regulations for navigation and trade — that became a general model. The cathedral of Sant'Andrea is a symbol of two different cultures: Roman and Byzantine.

The last stop on our trip around Venice is the beautiful, uninhabited island of Torcello. Marika has a few stories to tell about it.

Amalfi was one of the four maritime republics on the Italian peninsula. Tradition has it that an Amalfitano, Flavio Gioia invented, or at least perfected the compass, called bussola in Italian.

The Venetian island of Burano is famous for its multi-colored houses and for its lace. It's time to get your camera out, if you haven't already.

The Mediterranean Sea was a center for activity from as far back as the Etruscans who settled on its coast. The sea brought goods and knowledge, but also war.

A short boat ride takes us from Venice to Murano, where they make some of the most beautiful glass in the world.

From Paestum, we head north towards the Gulf of Salerno and the stunningly beautiful Amalfi Coast.

This new episode takes us to Campania in the southern part of Italy, near Naples, on the Tyrrhenian Sea. Beautiful drone photography shows us the ancient city of Paestum, formerly called Poseidonia by the Greeks, in the province of Salerno. Apart from the ancient city itself, there are 3 well-preserved Greek temples.

Marika takes us to the piazza where Marco Polo supposedly lived. But which house is it? She asks a local. The name of the square is Corte Seconda del Milion. Il Milion is the Italian name of the book, The Travels of Marco Polo.

Everyone has heard of St. Mark's Square, but Marika gives us some interesting tidbits of information and then takes us to a see a very special staircase.

Even if we have never been to Venice, we all know a gondola when we see one, but let's find out more about this elegant Venetian symbol.

Alberto Angela talks about how Mont Blanc was formed over millennia, and concludes this episode with a breathtaking view, as well as some lines from a poem by Shelley. Here is the original English:
Far, far above, piercing the infinite sky,
Mont Blanc appears,—still, snowy, and serene—
In the calm darkness of the moonless nights,
In the lone glare of day, the snows descend
Upon that Mountain;
[Nor when] the flakes burn in the sinking sun,
[Or] the star-beams dart through them:—Winds contend
Silently there, and heap the snow with breath
Rapid and strong, but silently! Its home

One reason people would climb Mont Blanc was to find quartz. Alberto Angela explains why there is so much of this precious gemstone here.