Italy’s Invisible Cities

Alexander Armstrong and Dr Michael Scott continue their hi-tech investigation of Italy's hidden history with a visit to Venice

Alexander Armstrong and Dr Michael Scott continue their hi-tech investigation of Italy’s hidden history with a visit to Venice to see how it became one of the most powerful places in medieval Europe.

The famously crumbling city contains hidden secrets in its canals, as Michael shows when he braves the waters to find load-bearing wooden piles preserved in mud.

He and Alexander also look into the engineering behind the Rialto Bridge, investigate the cultures that influence the buildings around St Mark's Square and wander the passageways inside the Doge's Palace.

There's even a virtual-reality recreation of Casanova's escape route from the torture chamber there. A fascinating twist on the celebrity travelogue.