Sicily’s long-awaited connection to mainland Italy is finally moving from dream to reality. The Italian government has greenlit the construction of what will become the world’s longest suspension bridge, stretching across the Strait of Messina and forever transforming travel between the island and the rest of the country.

The €13.5 billion megaproject is set to break ground in autumn 2025, with completion targeted for 2032–2033. At around 3.7 kilometers long — with a main span of 3.3 kilometers between two colossal towers — the bridge will be an engineering marvel. Each tower will rise 399 meters high, connected by two massive cables, each 1.26 meters thick and made up of over 44,000 steel wires.

Designed to be far more than a scenic crossing, the bridge will feature six traffic lanes — four for vehicles and two for service — plus two railway tracks. Once complete, it will accommodate up to 6,000 cars per hour and as many as 200 trains per day, cutting the current 30-minute ferry trip down to just a few minutes.

The project will be delivered by a consortium led by Italy’s Webuild Group, with Spain’s Sacyr and Japan’s IHI also on board.

Plans to span the Strait of Messina date back to Roman times, but powerful winds, busy shipping lanes, seismic risks, and staggering costs kept the idea shelved for centuries. Previous proposals collapsed under concerns over environmental impact and technical feasibility. This time, however, political momentum and modern engineering have aligned to push it forward.

When complete, the Messina Bridge will not only be a record-breaker — it will also be a new gateway between Sicily’s sun-drenched landscapes and the rest of Italy, changing how locals and visitors experience the island.