Probably coming into effect in July.

Just in time for the summer holidays, the company managing the A24 and A25 motorways warn that they will have to increase the toll charge in July.

These are essential routes for reaching the Adriatic beaches: the A24 starts on Rome’s Tangenziale inner ring-road and crosses the Apennines for over 280 km to Teramo, where it merges with the SS80 to Giulianova Marche, at the centre of a number of popular beach resorts.

Almost half-way along the route, the A25 branches off and brings travellers southeast towards Pescara. There it joins the SS16 coast road, a convenient route towards the sun-soaked beaches of Puglia.

The A24 and A25 are not only convenient: they are also spectacular, passing through six nature reserves and the majestic Gran Sasso, with their 153 bridges and viaducts and 54 tunnels – a rollercoaster ride through the most scenic areas of Lazio and Abruzzo.

For nine months we have managed to freeze the toll prices, say Strada Parchi, the company managing the two routes, despite toll hikes on all of Italy’s other motorways. But they claim that the infrastructure ministry has consistently snubbed their attempts to discuss costs, and that they have no further option than a raise, to come into effect on 1 July.