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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Our journey takes us to the region of Campania, and to Naples, where we visit one of the oldest theaters still functioning: il Teatro San Carlo.

In the eighteenth centiury, the San Carlo Theater was a magnificent center for opera and culture, and still is today. It's one of the most beautiful theaters in all of Europe.

The Teatro San Carlo was renowned in all of Europe for its beauty as well as for its music, theater, and opera productions, so when it caught fire in 1816, it was a major tragedy. King Ferdinand I had it rebuilt immediately, and it became even more magnificent than before.

The San Carlo Theater was the largest in Europe. Alberto Angela focuses on the shape of the theater and provides some insight into what went on in the box seats.

Alberto Angela continues showing us some of the details of the decorations within the San Carlo Theater. He recounts a special coffee beverage invented there, and an anecdote about the composer Gioacchino Rossini who was the musical director there for a time.

Gioachino Rossini had great success as an opera composer at the San Carlo Theater in Naples, writing a large number of operas while still quite young. When he left Naples for Paris, he was replaced by another star composer, Gaetano Donizetti.

Bel canto (beautiful singing) and lyric opera began in Italy, and, not surprisingly, this country has the highest number of opera theaters in the world. Thus we conclude this episode of Meraviglie (wonders).

In this episode, we travel to Lecce, to the very heel of the Italian "boot," at the southernmost tip of the Italian peninsula. Lecce is an iconic example of the Italian Baroque, which encompassed music, art, literature, and philosophy.

What's so special about Lecce? It has something to do with the kind of stone found there. And masters of art and architecture knew how to make beautiful buildings with it, giving rise to the Lecce Baroque.

Visiting Piazza Falconieri makes you feel as if you were in a fairytale. The stone used for these beautiful buildings and decorations has a particularly interesting story.