An incredible £1.5bn mega-bridge over the sea connects two different nations.

The King Fahd Causeway connects Saudi Arabia with Bahrain, allowing motorists to drive across the Gulf of Bahrain with a stunning view of the glistening turquoise waters.

Construction began in 1981 and it was officially opened five years later in 1986, it was named after the then-king of Saudi Arabia, who passed away in 2005. Saudi Arabia drove on the right and Bahrain on the left, which meant Bahrain had to switch their tradition over.

Saudi Arabia came up with the idea years before. In 1954, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud visited Bahrain and decided the two nations needed a marine causeway.

It’s made up of a series of five bridges and seven embankments. There are four traffic lanes and an emergency lane. Driving across the 25km route usually takes 20 to 45 minutes, depending on traffic and border processing.

You can stop off at several artificial islands throughout the journey that offer amenities. Passport Island, also known as Middle Island, features restaurants like McDonald’s, two mosques, government buildings and coast guard towers. There are also landscaped gardens.

Bahrain itself is an archipelago of 33 natural islands and an additional 50 artificial islands.

It was designed with an anticipated lifespan of 75 years, which means its time is up in 2061. Fortunately for the next generation, there are efforts underway to extend its lifespan.

Before the ban was lifted in 2018, Saudi Arabia was the only country prohibiting women from driving. The rules applied on the causeway too, meaning women have only been allowed to drive over it since 2018.

Italy wants to build the world’s longest suspension bridge to connect the mainland to Sicily. The proposed bridge across the Strait of Messina, priced at around £11.9 billion, is being championed by Italy’s right-wing government as a once-in-a-generation project that could transform the country’s struggling southern economy.

However, it has once again been thrown into turmoil, reigniting a decades-long national argument over cost, safety and priorities.