From the Alps to the Islands: Italy’s Highway of Unity

The name ‘Autostrada del Sole’ —the Highway of the Sun— was chosen not just for its southern destination, Naples, —the City of the Sun— but for what it symbolized: a bold, radiant vision of unity. It could have been called ‘Autostrada d’Italia’, but the name we know today was chosen by the director of SISI, the company behind its conception. He saw beyond asphalt and engineering—he saw a road that could bridge the deep divide between Italy’s north and south.

More than a feat of infrastructure, the Autostrada del Sole was a promise of progress. It transformed the country’s rhythm: from two-day journeys between Milan and Naples to just eight hours. It sped up the movement of goods, lowered prices, and spread prosperity across regions once isolated by geography and inequality.

Today, it’s impossible to imagine Italy without this vital artery. From the Alps to the islands, over 60 million vehicles travel it each year—compared to just 5.3 million in 1956. It’s not just a road; it’s the backbone of a modern nation.

To honor this monumental achievement of Italy’s economic boom, RAI, Italy’s national public broadcaster produced ‘La strada dritta’ in 2014—a miniseries based on the novel by Francesco Pinto, director and RAI executive, former head of Rai 3, and Director of the RAI Television Production Center in Naples. The story captures not only the technical marvel but the human spirit behind its creation.

In a video recorded during a conference at the University of Naples Federico II, archival footage brings the construction of the A1 to life, accompanied by Pinto’s reflections on the men and the mission that built the road that changed Italy forever.