One hundred million vehicles are expected to take to the roads of Italy during the holiday season 24 July-2 September. If you want to avoid the worst of the jams, the Societ Autostrade advises against setting off during peak times (the weekend 9-11 August and the days immediately before the 15 August Ferragosto holiday) when it expects the usual exodus from all the big cities.

Most return journeys will be made 17-31 August and 1 September, it predicts. For more information see www.autostrade.it.

In Rome itself, the buses, trams and metro are running to a Saturday timetable every day; for more information see www.atac.roma.it. Boats on the river Tiber are also keeping summer hours; the first service sets off at 07.30, the last at 19.45, with one boat leaving every hour. The service is suspended 14.00-16.00. For more information tel. 066789361. But there is good news for those heading for Lazio's beaches: Trenitalia has announced a 30 percent discount on travel to the coast until 29 August. The offer applies to the Fr5 service to Civitavecchia, the Fr7 to Formia and Minturno, and the Fr8 to Anzio and Nettuno. For the same period, children under 12 accompanied by an adult travel free on these lines. For more information see www.trenitalia.it.